While attending a Los Angeles Kings game and watching Marty McSorley receive five minutes for fighting, a band name was struck. Juuse Saros [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA2NTk4MTUxNjQ0MTI4NzAy/usatsi_23156035_168400847_lowres.jpg] Juuse Saros Welcome to Part 2 of rounding up the latest NHL goalie masks for the upcoming hockey season. This fresh batch is dominated by the works of Dave Gunnarsson, whose quasi-monopoly in this space has become increasingly apparent in recent years. He’s hit a few out of the park this year, but above all, he has shown versatility with this recent collection. Without further delay, here’s what’s behind these new masks: CHARLIE LINDGREN, WASHINGTON CAPITALS Painted by Dave Gunnarsson Crease partner Logan Thompson’s mask checked all the boxes for a Capitals helmet, but Lindgren certainly matches it with a patriotic explosion of the American stars and stripes. The icy blue eagle logo complements it well, as do the jagged edges of the accompanying mountain range. [embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C_gUTXhuvvC[/embed] It might seem like an easy task to design a rocking Capitals mask with their abundance of patriotic theming, but Gunnarsson still impresses here with a cohesive composition. UKKO-PEKKA LUUKKONEN, BUFFALO SABRES Painted by Dave Gunnarsson The young Buffalo netminder’s mask is more of an update on his previous mask than an entirely new creation. This iteration gets even more crowded with more teeth lining the bottom of the mask to create an even angrier buffalo creature. Personally, Luukkonen’s previous mask is still superior – there’s a bit too much happening on this canvas to really understand what team he even plays for. [embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C_bUUuiO6Db[/embed] KAREL VEJMELKA, UTAH HOCKEY CLUB Painted by Dave Gunnarsson For a team with very limited imagery or theming to bounce off of in its first year of existence, Gunnarsson has still managed to paint a striking design that effectively displays Utah’s unique color palette. [embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C_Yfhx7uPL8[/embed] The diagonal Utah lettering belongs much better on a mask than a jersey crest, and the spiked appearance seems to pay homage to the state’s mountainous and rugged terrain. JUUSE SAROS, NASHVILLE PREDATORS Painted by Dave Gunnarsson As with Luukonen, Saros’ mask is merely an update on a design that has been through years of tweaks. But glancing at his 2022 mask [https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php/?story_fbid=761967348452668&id=100039182301636], you might be hard-pressed to find any differences this year. That said, it’s tough to nitpick a mask for not improving on an already stellar design. The bony, sabretooth predator is intimidating and fits the Preds’ theming perfectly and the Nashville skyline against the starry night sky is perfect. While those are all carryovers from last year, the lines do appear a bit sharper while the color scheme gets a bit brighter. It’s a solid if underwhelming update to an already stellar mask. IVAN FEDOTOV, PHILADELPHIA FLYERS Painted by Dave Gunnarsson The Flyers’ big Russian netminder will sport a meaningful update on last season’s mask with a new-look orange and white eagle. The bird bears a close resemblance to that of the Russian coat of arms and its feathered wings align well with the Flyers’ classic winged ‘P’ logo. If you didn’t already know who Fedotov played for, it’s perhaps unnecessarily scripted quite obviously across the side. It breaks up the flow from top to bottom, but it does give way to a subtle tribute to Philadelphia City Hall. There’s no doubt this is a Flyers mask, but the sum of all its parts does feel slightly discombobulated. CONNOR HELLEBUYCK, WINNIPEG JETS Painted by EYECANDYAIR Goalie Mask Art The Vezina Trophy winner has often opted for a silvery color scheme [https://www.instagram.com/p/C_L1zZzyeDJ/?img_index=4] and that continues with his latest bucket. The minimalist Jets logo on the side is sharp, while the subtle reflective snowflakes are a nice nod to the well-known ‘Winnipeg Whiteout’. [embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C_VnZeCp5v5[/embed] For personal touches, the artist has included a fish to symbolize one of Hellebuyck’s favourite hobbies. Forgive me, but all I see when I look at this is the OHL’s Brampton Steelheads logo. It may not be identical by any means, but perhaps it’s just not as easy as it seems to draw a distinctive flopping fish. CAM TALBOT, DETROIT RED WINGS Painted by Dave Gunnarsson By far the simplest of designs in this list, new arrival Cam Talbot will rock a clean look with the Wings alternate logo adorning the sides. It looks super polished at first glance, but more puzzling upon closer inspection. The edges of the logo appear messy, as if Gunnarsson accidentally colored outside the lines. Different shades of red can also be seen inside the ‘D,’ bringing to mind the appearance of a Crayola marker. Whether this unfinished look was intentional or not, it looks, well, unfinished. It remains to be seen if it looks this way during games, but at least the wings adorning the chin look awesome. JOSEPH WOLL, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS Painted by Dave Gunnarsson This is awesome, full stop. Yes, Ilya Samsonov sported a similar look last season with the Curtis Joseph-inspired headgear, but the Mad Dog hasn’t grown old yet. Many are crossing their fingers that Joseph Woll will finally be the long-term answer to the Leafs’ crease troubles, and perhaps this mask will help him channel his inner Cujo to rise to the occasion. He certainly already had the pedigree; now he has the style. The dog is as ferocious as ever, the accents of pinks and reds play off the blues perfectly, and the maple leaf disguised as fur is clever. Gunnarsson and Woll hit an absolute home run with this one.
