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Anthony Gharib, GAMES
The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs has arrived, that is playoff beardHandshake lines and goalkeeper masks with unique designs are the focus of attention.
Throughout the 2023-24 season, goalkeepers have not been shy about showing off their special looks.
With the franchise in its 100th season, Boston Bruins Goalie Jeremy Swayman And Linus Ullmark wore a mask to commemorate the mark. Toronto Maple Leaf appetizer Ilya Samsonov similarly pay homage to franchise legends. New York Rangers net maker Jonathan Fast features the Statue of Liberty on one of his masks.
But that’s just a small taste. Here are the notable masks worn by the goalies their teams will appear in the postseason (with the caveat that some specialty masks may not appear in the playoffs ).
Eastern conference
Swayman entered the season with the idea of honoring the Bruins’ 100th anniversary season. Designed by Swedish artist David GunnarssonThe forehead features a Bruins bear design with the number “100” inside along with other details.
There have been many tributes scattered throughout the season on the masks Ullmark wears. One of his first goals focused on two famous goals in Bruins history, one by Bobby Orr in Game 4 of the 1970 Stanley Cup Finals and the other by Patrice Bergeron in Game 7 of the Conference quarterfinals. Eastern Conference 2013.
Ullmark also has a sweet mask that pays homage to legendary Boston goaltender Gerry Cheevers.
Legendary lid.@IcebeardudeGear up for tonight #NHLBruins The centennial celebration is a tribute to Gerry Cheevers’ iconic mask. pic.twitter.com/6VWBuxnqKI
– x – Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) November 18, 2023
Those are Bobrovsky’s familiar designs with his “brick by brick” design series. His purple look is one of the more unique colors this season, especially since it differs from the Panthers’ usual color palette.
Woll hasn’t been shy with her masks this season. He had a special one made for St. Patrick’s Day which included a tribute to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Ireland. Specific parts of the church are part of the design, including a replica of St. Patrick’s stained glass window.
Woll also sported an eagle-themed look, reflecting his NCAA career at Boston College.
Samsonov’s tribute to Maple Leaf is one of the sweetest. It includes the faces and numbers of all players whose numbers were retired and a large maple leaf in the middle.
If you’re a fan of jagged teeth, the “Savage Baddy” mask for Samsonov is a no-brainer. The 3D effect creates striking — and somewhat scary — visuals.
In previous seasons, Vasilevskiy has worn masks Changes color based on temperature. While it’s unclear if he’ll have any design elements this season, his third jersey-themed mask is one of the best. Designed by Sylvie Marsolais, it includes the coat of arms of Russia, Vasilevskiy’s homeland, and a fanged animal.
It’s no surprise, but the Statue of Liberty is a common symbol for Rangers goalies. Shesterkin has a Stadium Series look with the statue, along with a retro-inspired mask that combines 3D and 2D.
Quick has been a long-time customer of Gunnarsson and has a clean look this season. When the Rangers faced the rival Islanders at MetLife Stadium for the Stadium Series, Quick’s mask featured images of four legends. New York Giants stars — Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms, Eli Manning and Michael Strahan.
Over the years, Andersen’s masks have become known for their Lego figures. His latest work follows a Viking theme with Danish tiles and also features the Hurricanes logo and Andersen’s numbers.
Kochetkov pays homage to his hometown of Penza, Russia in this design. City elements are scattered across the mask and the red color complements it all, making it a solid mask for the playoffs.
Sorokin’s mask is full of Islanders colors, including a fun tribute to Long Island and a striking Stadium Series look.
The graffiti theme on Varlamov’s mask stands out immediately. It includes “Long Island” sprayed across the upper and “NY” on the cheeks for a statement look.
It’s not surprising that the colors of the Capital featured prominently in Lindgren’s clean look. Lindgren’s nickname “Lindy” was placed below the mouth of the mask and a painted bald eagle was painted on top.
Kuemper followed suit with a Capitals-esque mask. The bald eagle is drawn in a different style but placed in a similar position to Lindgren’s. On the back of the Kuemper mask, there is a Christian cross with the words “for those I love” underneath.
Western Conference
This mask features many of Oettinger’s signature details — references to Oettinger’s friends, the classic Stars symbol, and an otter.
Talk about flexibility. Georgiev wore a mask of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, a classic 2D look on the Avalanche’s third jersey and one that paid tribute to the silver mining days of Colorado. He has a lot of work to do entering the postseason.
The difference in color is notable for Hellebuyck. Designed by the brand Eyecandyair, his mask comes in different shades of blue to match the Jets’ uniform. Come playoff time, Hellebuyck has a solid group to choose from.
There’s a clear theme with some of Saros’s top masks from 2022. It’s a series called “Pred Rogue Rage Splatter,” helmed by Gunnarsson. Unsurprisingly, the Predators logo and colors are a prominent part of the design.
Demko often puts movie characters on his back. The most recent is Jacobim Mugatu, famously played by Will Ferrell in the 2001 film “Zoolander.” Designed by Travis Michael, his clean look will help him stand out after the season.
DeSmith wore a multicolored mask with one side mostly green, the other blue, the Canucks’ colors.
Skinner’s top masks feature contrasting designs but similar colors. One of them is heritage design that favors classic style. The other includes an orange splash and the Edmonton skyline.
The Oilers’ No. 2 goalie has a nice oildrop design with some nice additions scattered throughout.
Artist Dave Fried crushed Hill’s masks, giving him plenty of options to work with after the season. The Winter Classic mask arguably has the most detail, and the look that pays tribute to Las Vegas fans is a nice touch.
Thompson’s designs perfectly match the Golden Knights’ colors. Like Hill, the Winter Classic mask for Thompson has a unique look with painted ears on the sides.
Talbot has been working with Gunnarsson for a long time, but his Will Ferrell-themed masks are arguably the best.
It seems natural for Talbot to wear a mask with Ferrell’s picture on it since the actor is a regular attendee at Kings games. Ferrell stirred up the fanbase during the playoff run, meaning it wouldn’t hurt for Talbot to wear a shirt honoring the actor.
Color coordination was key for Rittich, who wore chrome and black 3D this season. Either one would fit seamlessly into his postseason rotation.
