In somewhat of a surprise move, the L.A. Kings announced today that they have decided to change the team's official logo... yet again.

Already the NHL's all-time leader in redesigned logos with eight, the Kings just unveiled a new logo last season, loosely based on the original Kings crest. To go along with this new logo, the Marketing Department designed a new black jersey, loosely based on the Gretzky Era jersey. (They basically slapped on some white piping)

That jersey was proclaimed this season's "official" home playoff jersey, to coincide with the new playoff marketing strategy, "Back In Black." You remember that iconic album by AC/DC, released in 1980. You have to hand it to the Kings, they sure know how to reach out to new fans.

Seeing that enough fans have snapped up the new black jerseys though, the Kings have decided to continue their Old School inspiration by going back to the Shield and Sticks of the Nelson Emerson Era.

But instead of a sunglasses-wearing lion, they placed the head of a snow lynx. Turns out, the lynx is loosely based on the Slovenian Hockey logo. In fact, I think it was just cut and pasted on in Photoshop. One can surmise that this is an obvious nod to the NHL's first Slovenian player, Anze Kopitar.

"The Kings are always looking in new directions to reach into the wallets... er... reach out to our rabid fan base and their insatiable appetite for merchandise," said one high-ranking Kings' official who was definitely not named Luc Robitaille. "The new logo shows our commitment to honoring our past while showing there is a changing of the guard. And what better way to do that than to slightly alter an older incarnation of the Kings logo."

What this means to the mascot Bailey remains unclear. However, there is one person who has a guess. The Kings' original mascot, Kingston. I caught up with Kingston, who currently resides on the LetsGoKings message boards.

"I just warn Bailey that his days are numbered," says the 6-foot snow leopard, who now works for the touring group Lucha VaVoom. "When I was brought in at the height of the Gretzky Era, I was on top of the world. Movie premieres. Hollywood parties. Hot tubs. I was beloved. Then, I was cast aside like a giant stuffed animal you win at a carnival for throwing rings around soda bottles."

So let's tally up what we have here: three different homes (The Kings played at the Long Beach Arena before going to the Great Western Forum), eight logos and 16 different jerseys, factoring in both home and away and third jerseys.That is a a different jersey every two and a half seasons! The Purpleand Gold era had 4; the Gretzky era had three, including the BurgerKing logo; the Purple and Black era has 9: 2 with the shield as theprimary logo and the crown on the third jersey, 2 vice versa, then threeReebok Edge jerseys, including the one above.

I wish that part was a joke.