Hammered In The Hammer

The image to the left is supposed to be of Mjölnir, the hammer carried by Norse god Thor. According to Norse legend, Thor, the god of thunder, used Mjölnir to defeat the enemies of Asgard and in ceremonies such as weddings and births. If you're a Marvel fan, you know that the hammer was only wielded by those who were deemed "worthy" as only select Avengers were able to lift the hammer from where it rested. In short, the marketing options would have been endless for a hockey team who wanted to call themselves "Hammers", but it seems these eay wins aren't even in consideration for the city of Hamilton.

With the Islanders and the city of Hamilton coming together for their press conference yesterday to introduce the world to the Hamilton Hammers while promoting this logo to the right, I was left wondering who approved this logo and name and why it needed to be rushed. It's been known for a couple of weeks that "Hammers" was one of the names that the AHL Hamilton franchise had applied to trademark, and I wasn't fond it then. Seeing this "clipart" logo they introduced yesterday only makes me hate the name more. It's total garbage.

The explanation of the logo is nothing more than marketing rhetoric.

"Rooted in Hamilton's history as a resilient steel town, the team's logo features crossed hammers symbolizing the strength, grit and togetherness of the community, embodying both the city's steel-working heritage and the spirit of the game. The design reflects Hamilton's pride and determination, showcasing the unique character that defines the city, while bold, angular lettering evokes the spirit of Steel Town."

Nothing in that logo above shows any of Hamilton's characteristics or traits regarding the city's background. If it didn't say the word "Hamilton" in the logo, the image could be used for any other city and sport on the planet. Whoever designed this and whoever approved this should be fired immediately because this has to be one of the worst logos in the history sports. And an AHL team will wear it.

Ready for some more marketing garbage? Here's a second serving!

"Subtle hockey puck details on the hammer knobs pay homage to the iconic puck in the New York Islanders logo, linking the sport's identity with the craftsmanship of the tools and nodding to the franchise's origins, including the fisherman logo era. The orange-and-blue color palette is also drawn from the Islanders' classic team colors, reinforcing the connection to the club's history and evolution. The logo was created by the New York Islanders, while the broader brand identity was developed by Canadian creative agency Recess Creative."

If you had told me the knobs on the hammer's handles were pucks, I would have called you a "knob". Those look nothing like pucks, and this verbal diarrhea about linking identity and craftsmanship and the Fisherman logo is the biggest pile of manure I have seen. The only good thing in that entire paragraph was the information about the Islanders creating the logo because now I know exactly who to hate moving forward after unveiling and hyping this train wreck of a logo.

The only positive I see that came with the logo unveiling today is that the team won't have any issues rebranding for its new city after it relocates from Hamilton sometime over the next decade. As much as I dislike teams moving, Hamilton's track record with AHL franchises is terrible, and there's no reason to believe this time will be any better for the AHL in Hamilton as most Hamiltonians cannot name a single player who suited up for the Bridgeport Islanders last season.

Will the Hammers have time to grow on Hamiltonians? Absolutely. After all, the franchise signed a lease agreement to play in the newly-renovated TD Coliseum for a handful of years, so they'll be part of the winter sports scene in Hamilton for a while. Whether or not they succeed will be completely on the New York Islanders because they won't have many fans attending games if they're perennial underachievers. In five years in Bridgeport, the AHL Islanders made the playoffs only twice, bowing out in the first round both times.

What won't grow on my is this calamity of a logo that the Hamilton Hammers will wear. Good luck to the Hammers marketing team in selling the Hammers to The Hammer. It might be "Hammer time" in Hamilton, but selling this team as a winner will be tough as nails.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!