The W Stands For "Wridiculous"

If there's one thing that has become very apparent about NHL teams who own their AHL affiliate, it's that the AHL affiliate is often treated like it doesn't matter. That's not to say that they won't develop players for the NHL club or be good community partners in their respective communities, but it seems that more and more AHL affiliates are being named and branded in the most uncreative ways, and we got another example of that today with the Flames debuting their relocated AHL affiliate's name and logo.

On the surface, there is nothing wrong with the former Stockton Heat taking the name "Wranglers" as they move into Calgary. The Calgary Wranglers is a name with history in the Alberta city as the Wranglers were a former WHL team that called Calgary home from 1977-87. That team eventually moved south to become the Lethbridge Hurricanes for the 1987-88 season, and they were originally a Winnipeg WHL team from 1967-77 under the names "Jets", Clubs", and "Monarchs". For a decade, the Wranglers were a fixture in Calgary.

The WHL Wranglers had moderate success with their greatest season of success coming in 1980-81 when they posted 94 points and lost in the WHL championship final to the Victoria Cougars. Beyond that, they missed the playoffs three times and were ousted in the WHL playoffs in the first round two more times, so there were years where the junior squad had early summers. That '80-81 team was backstopped by Mike Vernon - also a fixture in Calgary - who was drafted by the Flames in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, so there were benefits to the WHL team playing in Calgary.

I want to draw your attention to the logo above, though, because the "W" used by the WHL Wranglers featured a very clear image of a cowboy with his lasso in the air as if he were trying to rope an animal. As per Merriam-Webster, a wrangler is defined as "a ranch hand who takes care of the saddle horses" and is more broadly known as a cowboy. In other words, the logo above is perfectly suited for the team name as it literally shows a wrangler in representing the Calgary Wranglers.

And that brings us to the logo to the left that features... fire? Where exactly do wranglers have to deal with fire? I suppose one could really stretch the meaning of "wrangler" and have the mascot as a firefighter who would "wrangle" with fire, but that stretch is one that really shouldn't be made. The logic of choosing this name for a team based in "Cowtown" should make using this logo so elementary, but it seems the Flames are all about epic failures in recent months with the arena deal falling through over a few million dollars, key players leaving the team, and now this ridiculous logo for their AHL affiliate.

There is simply no excuse for the lack of creativity being shown in giving AHL affiliates their own identities and culture. The newly-named Wranglers already wear Calgary colours for their uniforms, and now they have a team name that literally means nothing because the flame on the "W" is all about self-gratification for the NHL club.

Still think I'm being too critical? Check out this design element.

The Flames do own the rights to use the Atlanta Flames logo, but to re-appropriate an element from one logo to another is simply inexcusable. The Flames didn't even try to hide the fact that they took the same flame design from the Atlanta Flames logo. All they did was add a red splotch of colour to the flame and said, "We're done!"

Look, you may just shrug your shoulders and move on regarding this logo design because it's the AHL, but AHL teams who have identities of their own often do well on the ice and in the seats. Whether it's the Chicago Wolves, the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Hershey Bears, or the Rochester Americans, these teams have unique and interesting logos. They stand for something other than NHL greed, and that means something in today's world where the bottom line means more than creating something fun such as a logo for a hockey team.

You know what really boosts a bottom line for a hockey team, though? A great logo. Ask the San Jose Sharks when they entered the league. Ask the Edmonton Oilers when they introduced the Todd McFarlane-designed jerseys. As the New York Islanders who felt great pain the first time they introduced the Fisherman. Logos for hockey teams matter when it comes to helping to sell merchandise.

This logo is a massive disappointment, and the Flames deserve to make no money off this new logo. Recycled logo elements and a completely inexcusable effort make this another failure on the southern Alberta franchise, and there's simply no wrangling over those facts.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!