Andrew Yablonski serves up a fun concept today for those interested in vexillology—the study of flags. Imagine if teams wore jerseys inspired by the design of their city’s official flag. Here, he tackles the seven Canadian clubs. He writes:

I have always been intrigued by unconventional design in sports jerseys. Hockey is a sport where tradition is admired and strongly upheld, and where new design ideas aren't always appreciated. Granted, I think the life-cycle of hockey jerseys lends itself to more safe and iterative design than to more frequent experimentation. Beyond that there are lots of other design ideas we rarely, if ever, see in hockey (asymmetry, vertical striping, etc.). I think those ideas are the fun ones to explore.

We've seen hundreds of ways to make the perfect Canucks or Jets jerseys, but we haven't really explored the other ways in which those cities represent themselves and the possibilities that can bring. Some of the flags lent themselves quite well to a more traditional design (Calgary, Edmonton, and Montreal), while others (Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Vancouver) really pushed into trends we see in other sports.

To see the detail of each jersey alongside the flag on which it’s based, be sure to tap the Extra Images tab!