Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Wearing the Past on Your Mask


There are many personal items on a goaltenders mask. They can range from a loved one's initials or name, a favorite band, or most commonly a nickname.
But my favorite tributes are the ones that include the players from the past. Sometimes they are just honoring the team's greatest moments (Wade Dubielewicz), or players (Andrew Raycroft). Of course, there are some who chose their favorite players from childhood. Case in point: Jaroslav Halak, honoring Patrick Roy, and Mikael Tellqvist, with Thomas Steen and Bobby Hull. Tellqvist updated that mask, but switched the former players for Dale Howerchuck. Of course, some choose to narrow it down to the team that they play for, and the position they play, right Chris?

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Player Spotlight: Cam Ward


Cam Ward's most famous mask was this, and it really has nothing to do with hockey or intimidating.
If you cant see the mask well, this is a short description: Some hurricanes, and a whole lot of Nickleback. That's right, the band Nickleback's likeness, is airbrushed all over Ward's mask. I personally don't find it all that great, especially compared to his other masks (one included a battleship and another a really long fingernailed pirate.)
Bonus points, though for continuity. Ward's back plate has always had the same details (mask #1, mask #2) , his cross tribute to Frank Ward (His grandfather), his number (30), and a mini Lord Stanley. A cool little detail on the Nickleback design backplate is that the CWC on the road sign, is actually his wifes initials.


More views are available here.