Unlike many sim leagues, the design of SHL and SMJHL logos and jerseys is simply amazing. For the league’s 75th anniversary, and for this Teams Appreciation Weeks initiative, I wanted to discuss, explore and even experiment with the signatures (logo, colors, jerseys) of SHL and SMJHL franchises and look at their history. I might even attempt to create, with my very limited artistic talent, secondary logos for SHL and SMJHL teams.

Disclaimer: I’m using AI image generators. So, no talent here, just prompts, prompts, and more prompts. That’s why I'm not submitting this as a graphic for grading, but rather as an article and as a discussion.

Consider this (first of many?) article as a love letter to all the logos of the league and the talented artists behind those creations. While I'm proposing alternate logos, I want to emphasize that I don't believe AI-generated images should ever be used as the official signature of a team. This is all just for fun, and to explore the capabilities of tools like Midjourney and similar image generators.


MAINE TIMBER

Let's begin with the Maine Timber. The franchise's identity couldn't be more contrasting. The logos of the Halifax Raiders (from S25 to S51) were dark: black, steel grey. The initial logo, with a pirate theme, featured a darkish cream color to accentuate its very dark and monochrome design. The second logo was even darker, with a knight shrouded in shadows, and a golden yellow replacing the cream. However, the jerseys were a masterpiece, especially how the textured gold was integrated into the design.





Those who redesigned the franchise and moved the team to Portland, Maine, obviously wanted to create something lighter, something more… down-to-Earth.

I think Maine kept the same the same logo since S52. I love the originality of the combination of green and brown, which is not a common pairing in professional sports. Maine's primary color (#082A17) is darker than forest green, more of a variant of hunter green. Complemented by a light earth brown (#85714D) and a rich dark green, the reference to nature, to the earth, is obvious. The choice of brown is worth mentioning. As I attempted to work on a secondary logo, I noticed that the team did not have a brown color evoking the usual rich tones of wood (caramel, chocolate, tobacco, reddish wood, chestnut or walnut), but rather a lighter tone of beige-brownish beaver brown.  The design could have been very heavy, but opting with an Earth brown, the result is a less aggressive signature.



Maine logo is rather simple and iconic: only two axes, a dark green letter M centered on a trunk. The jerseys are beautiful and original.



The team does not have an alternate logo or third jersey, so I wanted to explore this (with my very limited abilities). I considered three options: the lumberjack, the Appalachian landscape and a simpler logo. While the lumberjack seemed like an obvious choice given the team's name, I feared that it might not be a great representation of Maine Timber’s culture. I wanted to center on the tree(s) rather than the one cutting them. The resulting logo came out as a cheap version of the beautiful PBE Toronto Pathfinders’ logo.



I must admit that I didn't have high expectations for the second design idea. Symbolizing the Appalachians and the vast spaces that characterize Maine doesn't translate well into a logo. However, I wasn't displeased with the result: a darker brown paired with green creates an interesting contrast. There is a space dedicated for the team name in the bottom third of the logo. It could also make a great shoulder patch.



For my third design, I wanted something simpler. I wanted to remove the axes, keep the M at the heart of the logo, but make the M stronger, made of wood rather than made of foliage. My first attempts were disastrous, but I liked this final design. My first idea was to keep the M in green and keep the trunk, just remove the axes, but I think this design does fit well with the signature of the franchise.



(Not so) Honorable mention for this one. It is a generic AI-generated attempt of a logo and does not feel like a sports team logo at all, but I loved the colors.



OTHER CONCEPTS

Three years ago, @Hoovuh did a "What if?" article, envisioning SMJHL teams as soccer clubs. His treatment of Maine was not only visually stunning but also quite straightforward - for the logo, he removed the axes and added a circular saw while retaining the essence of the original logo. I love it.
 
 



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So here was my contribution – proving at the same time that artificial intelligence cannot replace our artists' immense talent.  Please add anything I might have missed in the comments.