AMESBURY, Mass. – The Hockey East Association has unveiled commemorative branding in advance of the men’s 40th season on the ice in 2023-24. Founded on July 11, 1983 and officially unveiled on January 18, 1984, Hockey East will celebrate its ruby anniversary with a year-long retrospective of four decades of excellence on and off the ice.
The official Hockey East 40th anniversary branding pays homage to the league’s iconic “Circle Sticks” logo, unchanged since its inception and featuring three hockey sticks emblazoned across a disc. Leaning into a retro-aesthetic, the Hockey East word mark below the 40th logo is outlined three times, showcasing the logo’s colorway evolution over the years.
“Hockey East has been the premier college hockey conference for 40 years and our new anniversary branding is reflective of the consistency of its programs over four decades of history,” said Hockey East Commissioner Steve Metcalf. “We are proud to unveil this special branding and look forward to celebrating so many historic achievements throughout the season.”
In a nod to its first season on ice, the “Since 1984” mark features the “3Stripe,” a new stylistic tool that symbolizes the parity within Hockey East and evokes the three sticks found in the Circle Sticks logo. The 3Stripe will be used as a common banner for all programs in a display of the league’s unity and will highlight each league member’s primary colors.
The 3Stripe also will house the Hockey East tagline, “Where Champions Play,” throughout the season. The flexibility of the 3Stripe and the league’s banner is an acknowledgment of the depth and competitiveness throughout the conference during its history.
Special branding for 2023-24 will span across the league’s digital footprint for the men’s league, providing a consistent look for both recent highlights and those of years past, connecting the history of the conference with the excellence of the present day competition. The women’s league will also make use of refreshed branding assets.
Additionally, the league announced the launch of multiple celebratory initiatives surrounding the milestone season on ice, including the year-long #HockeyEast40 retrospective, highlighting some of the greatest teams, players, and accomplishments in college hockey history. Fans are encouraged to share their favorite #HockeyEast40 memories on social media for a chance to be featured on the league social media and win prize packs throughout the season.
ABOUT HOCKEY EAST ASSOCIATION
The Hockey East Association is an 11-team Division I college men’s hockey conference founded in 1984 and a 10-team Division I women’s league which began play in 2002-03. The men’s league has won 10 NCAA championships, most recently in 2021. Since 1999, Hockey East has won eight men’s NCAA Championships with 17 NCAA Championship Game appearances, while placing 29 teams in the Frozen Four and 79 teams in the NCAA Tournament. Overall, Hockey East has sent 123 teams to the men’s NCAA Tournament since its inaugural season, more than any other conference in that span. Hockey East is home to 11 Hobey Baker winners and four Patty Kazmaier winners.
