New Jersey Devils Logo PNG
Devilish ingenuity, strength, and resilience greatly influence hockey players’ characters, and the New Jersey Devils’ emblem conveys the image of devilishly skilled players. The team’s name also played a significant role. Hence, the athletes chose an emblem with a devil. Designers had to exert considerable creative efforts to stylize the image of Satan, for which they creatively used the letter “J.”
New Jersey Devils: Brand overview
It’s a rather interesting question why the National Hockey League established a team in Kansas City in 1974. Unfortunately, no one will answer this question, as the NHL’s motives are difficult to understand. Despite its name, Kansas City is located in Missouri on the right bank of the Missouri River. Nevertheless, the city’s western suburbs are in Kansas, whose third-largest city also bears the same name: Kansas City (Kansas). In Kansas, hockey was almost unheard of, while in Missouri, all the “love for the puck” was transferred east to St. Louis, the hometown of the hockey team, “St. Louis Blues.” However, in 1974, the NHL was enticed by the modern “Kemper Arena,” built to host professional basketball and hockey teams in the city. Thus, in 1974, an expansion team called the “Kansas City Scouts” entered the league.
Originally, the new team was called “Kansas City Mohawks.” It meant “Iroquois,” an Indian tribe that was a prototype for James Fenimore Cooper’s fictional “Mohicans.” The Iroquois are the easternmost tribe of the Iroquois Confederation and mostly reside in New York. However, the name was chosen with a specific purpose. The first two letters (MO) are the official abbreviations for the state of Missouri, and the leg (Hawks) evokes the Jayhawkers. These Kansas partisans served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Thus, the name of the Indian tribe was supposed to symbolize the connection between the two states. Unfortunately, this idea was abandoned due to the Chicago Black Hawks (at the time, its name was spelled separately), which did not want any correspondence with its name or the usurpation of the Indian theme by anyone. Lengthy discussions ended with a compromise: the Kansas City team was forced to abandon the “Iroquois” but was allowed to choose another “Indian” name. Then the owners held a contest to name the new team. This time, the choice fell on scouts – in honor of the Sioux Indian, whose monument is erected in Penn Valley Park. Indians who served the federal government were indispensable scouts and trackers in the American army of the 19th century. The iconic statue of an Indian on horseback was depicted on the team’s emblem.
The Scouts’ colors were blue, red, and yellow, but this remained a secret to most city residents, as almost no one attended the team’s games.
The economic downturn in the Midwest significantly affected the “Kansas City Scouts.” Two seasons later, the team found itself mired in 1 million dollars in debt. The club could no longer stay in Kansas City. As the “Kansas City Scouts” did not want to repeat the fate of their native Chingachgook tribe, they were transferred to Denver. In 1976, the NHL planned another expansion – in Seattle and Denver, but, assessing the economic situation, league officials did not rush the expansion. Nonetheless, in 1976, the “Scouts,” burnt out on the Great Plains and moved to the mountains of Colorado.
In Denver, the team adopted a new name: the Colorado Rockies. The club was named after the Rocky Mountains. The Rockies didn’t even have to change their color scheme, since blue, yellow, and red are the colors of Colorado’s official flag. Moreover, the state flag of Colorado, drawn in the shape of a mountain, became the new logo of the Colorado Rockies club.
The team’s situation in Denver did not significantly improve. Their six seasons here are notable for two things. First, the Rockies became the last NHL club to have two sets of pants. Second, the flamboyant Don Cherry was appointed head coach. Fans liked the team and attended home matches (although the team only made the Stanley Cup playoffs in the 1977-1978 season). But this did not save the Rockies from being sold and moving to New Jersey. Indeed, Denver was a provincial city at that time, and the club’s financial position was terrible. The decision was obvious.
In 1982, the “Colorado Rockies” were sold to John J. McMullen, who announced the team’s relocation to New Jersey. By then, a new sports complex had already been built in East Rutherford, near New York. The club rushed there, once again changing its jersey and name. Now, the team was called the “Devils.”
The team got its name not in honor of Satan but in honor of the legend of the Jersey Devil – an unknown creature that supposedly lives in the forests of the southern part of the state. The club’s owners held a contest to name the team. Several names were in the voting, including Coastals, Meadowlarks, Blades, Jaguars, etc., but eventually, the choice fell to Devils.
The legend of the Jersey Devil dates back more than 250 years. In 1735, Mrs. Leeds, a farmer’s wife from southern New Jersey, learned she was pregnant for the thirteenth time. This angered her, as she already had twelve children. In her distress, Mrs. Leeds cursed her husband and future child, screaming that the child would be a devil.
The poor woman’s wish came true: she gave birth to a disgusting monster, which immediately ate the entire family and galloped into the forest. The legend of the devil is part of the local folklore. For many years, the southern part of the state was shaken by fantastic rumors about hellish offspring lurking nearby. Settlers, gripped by panic, sat at home in the evenings; children did not go to school. Thousands of people supposedly saw this creature, but no one managed to catch it. The Philadelphia Zoo offered a $1,000,000 reward for catching the monster. A few days later, someone brought in a strange creature that turned out to be a kangaroo with glued-on wings.
Fascinated by this legend, the former “Scouts” and “Rockies” called themselves the “New Jersey Devils.” The team played in North Jersey (near New York), while the Devil lived in South Jersey (near Philadelphia) and did not interfere with the hockey players. Regardless, the club represents the entire state.
The team’s emblem is the letters “N” and “J” (denoting the state’s name), depicted with devil horns at the top of the “J” and a pointed tail at the bottom.
The team’s colors are red and green. The “Devils” began the 1983-1984 season in red and green jerseys. The team did not achieve great success.
The “New Jersey Devils” have a curious, humiliating, and offensive nickname: “Mickey Mouse.” Although it’s uncommon, fans, stunned by their favorites’ defeat, can call them Mickey Mouse. This nickname appeared in 1983. In a post-match interview after a 13:4 defeat by the “Edmonton Oilers,” legendary Oilers forward Wayne Gretzky criticized the “Devils.” They said they were “putting on a Mickey Mouse operation on the ice.”
The “New Jersey Devils” became one of the most successful NHL teams under the leadership of Lou Lamoriello, who took over the team in the late 1980s. In 1988, the team reached the Stanley Cup playoff finals but lost to the Boston Bruins.
Meaning and History
The sports career of this club is very diverse: it started as the Kansas City Scouts, went through a Colorado Rockies stage, and eventually became the New Jersey Devils. A rebranding effort, including changes to the logo design, accompanied each stage. The first two versions are related to previous names, so they symbolize scouts from Penn Valley Park and the “Rockies.” The prototype of the modern version appeared much later, before moving from Colorado to New Jersey.
What is New Jersey Devils?
It is an American NHL hockey team. It represents the Metropolitan Division and is a member of the Eastern Conference. It is located in Newark, New Jersey. The franchise was founded in 1974 in Missouri and was initially called the “Kansas City Scouts.” Then, it was transferred to Denver, where it was called “Colorado Rockies.” The club received its current name in 1982 after relocating to East Rutherford. Its home stadium is Prudential Center.
1974 – 1976
Kansas City became the hometown of a professional hockey team named the Kansas City Scouts. Their first logo was a graphic representation of the scout monument. It was a Sioux Indian sitting on a horse. The logo contained the yellow letters “K.C.” with blue edging and a red circle around the statue.
1976 – 1982
The move from Kansas to Colorado changed the name to Colorado Rockies and the logo. It was the state flag of Colorado, stretched like a mountain. Also, a red semicircle, reminiscent of the letter “C,” and a yellow dot, reminiscent of a puck inside the letter, appeared in the center.
1982 – 1986
As mentioned earlier, in 1982, the club was bought by a new owner whose wife designed a new logo. Since the new team name was “Devils,” the logo must be appropriate. She combined the letter “N” with a devil’s tail at the bottom and “J” with the devil’s horns at the top. The monogram was red with a green outline.
1986 – 1992
Subsequent changes to the logo were minor. The graphic quality and colors improved each time, but the drawing remained unchanged from 1983 to 1986.
1992 – 1999
There were no other changes, except that the outline color was changed to black to make the logo elements look more expressive. The team used this logo for six years.
1999 – today
The idea and sketch for the new emblem were proposed by her husband, John McMullen, and then refined by a professional graphic design and advertising studio. The current version is a monogram containing two symbols from the word “New Jersey.” They represent the rest of the team, named “Devils,” as they resemble a devil with horns and a tail. The horns are formed by the upper serif of the letter “J,” and the pointed tail by the extended right leg of “N.” The expressive red figure is set against a white background within an open black ring.
Font and Colors
The New Jersey Devils hockey team has six logo versions. The first two stand apart and are not related to the rest. They reflect the franchise’s then-names. The first one depicted a scout statue in Penn Valley Park, and the second the peaks of the Colorado Rockies. Then came the era of the red “imp,” created by intertwining capital letters: the right leg of “N” is connected to “J.” Both letters are stylized to resemble the body, horns, and tail of a “devil.”
The textual part is now absent from the logo. In earlier versions, single symbols from the sans-serif category were used and made in a chopped font.
The official palette of the franchise has remained almost unchanged, consisting of white, red, and black, which, in 1993, successfully replaced green. In the first versions of the logo, the color blue was also present.
FAQ
What does the “Devils” logo represent?
The Devil’s Club logo fully corresponds to the name. It represents a stylized devil, depicted as two combined letters N and J, with its elements harmoniously conveying Satan’s tail and horns against a ringed background. The circle’s center is white, the signs are red, and the contour is black.
Why are the “New Jersey Devils” called “Devils”?
The hockey team is named after the local legend of the Jersey Devil, a mythical creature said to live in the Pine Barrens in the southern part of the state. Over 10,000 people voted for this nickname, which was approved in the summer of 1982.
Who is the mascot of the “New Jersey Devils”?
The mascot of the New Jersey Devils hockey team is a demon nicknamed NJ Devil. This image is taken from the local legend of mysterious creatures that inhabit the state’s Pine Barrens. They have membranous hooves, a tail, a goat’s head, and wings. They walk on two legs, like kangaroos.
Are the “New Jersey Devils” moving?
No, the “Devils” will not be relocating anytime soon. Rumors have been circulating for a long time. The city where the club might move has even been named. It’s Kansas City – the place where the team’s history began. In addition, there is the Sprint Center, a stadium with 18,972 seats.