Carey Price's New Mask Is Fucking Sick
Goddamn, that's a work of art. We need more creative and expressive masks on NHL goaltenders and this one is pretty striking.
Carey Price and his mask artist Jordon Bourgeault have put together an incredible cyborg look that recalls T2, Darth Vader, Frankenstein, and an Erector Set. It also has exposed brain which is always a plus.
The circuitry and wiring tied to Montreal goaltending legends powering up Price is some pretty creative stuff to come up with---the Habitants Archival Blocking System (H.A.B.S.). I dig the P.S.I. gauge. Maurice Richard as the reflection in the cyborg eye in a nice nod to one of the franchise's many icons. The dental work is pretty sick as well, with both metal and traditional teeth. It's cool the way the artist used different paint surfaces for the machine and for the man.
(NHL) "I really wanted to throw something Montreal Canadiens in it, so the thought was to put some of the information of past goalies from the Canadiens and that would be directly wired into his brain," said Bourgeault, who runs J Bo Airbrush. "It also runs up to where the camera system is, which is one of the eyes, the robotic-side eye. So, it's almost like all of the skills and everything learned from all the goalies of the past are now transferred into him and making him this ultimate cyborg goalie."
Those skills are transferred through a "Canadiens Goal Tender Power System" circuit board on the right side that includes a "Vezina Power" indicator light as well as lights for Patrick Roy, Jacques Plante and Ken Dryden. The wires from that circuit board connect to the camera lens on the right side of the mask that features a reflection of Maurice Richard. The left side is a human eye.
I've been a huge goalie mask guy ever since I was born into this bad boy...
Gerry Cheevers with the drawn on stitches. Absolutely iconic in the goalie mask game. From then on, I was enamored with these mug shields that kept goalies coma-free. They've evolved quite a bit over the years and Price's type is the most common around the league. It's also the type that is ideal to expand on a creative concept. Like a cyborg goalie.
Personlized goalie masks in street hockey weren't really a thing back in the '80s (if you even wore a mask). You might wear a birdcage or even go with the Jason Voorhees if need be. Or you might even bum a bucket from one of the goalies in the game before yours (along with his pads). The only piece of equipment I consistently owned during my street hockey-playing days was a cup.
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Yeah, that one.
But I always thought about how I'd want my mask to look if I was the goalie for the Bruins. I haven't seen one in the league in ages but I always dug the skyline motif. You could put a handful of buildings/landmarks on the 'chin' and 'sideburns' portions of the mask. The Custom House Tower. The Pru. The State House Dome. 100% definitely not old ugly-ass City Hall, place is awful. The Dorchester Heights Monument.
Vertically, have the Bunker Hill Monument start at the base of the chin, run through the cage, then finish on the top. Horizontally, have the Tobin Bridge on one side and the Zakim/Bunker Hill Bridge on the other. You'll need some Bosotn Harbor because you're gonna have the U.S.S. Constitution on there. Throw Castle Island and a lobster boat on the water as well. A BFD engine truck. Also: the Boston Garden.
On the backplate, the Bunker Hill flag and a shamrock. I'm not asking for much. But I legit think this could be a sick mask if it was pulled off right.
Here's a few other classics, new and old...
Jim Rutherford told his guy to give him "the Andy Rooney".
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Something's tingling and it's not my Spidey Senses.
It's fictional and it's fantastic.
Richard Bachman just retired in October after 11 years of pro hockey and is now the Iowa Wild's goaltending coach. Richard Bachman was also the pen name for horror author Stephen King. While the former did have a couple of cups of coffee in the NHL, he'll best be remembered for his time there thanks to his masks inspired by the latter.
THE SHINING on a goalie mask? Sign me the fuck up. One of the coolest mask crossovers ever.
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John Gibson gets a litte 8-bit Nintendo action and Wildwing gets to cosplay as Rambo, John J.. Either that or he's Christopher Walken from THE DEER HUNTER.
This Blackhawks Kabuki mash-up led the league in causing nightmares.
I love anything Atlanta Flames-related and this specimen is no exception.
And we close with one of my faves, Peter Budaj.
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Budaj is a nice guy who is also religious and friggin' jacked. Somewhere along the way he was gifted the nickname Flanders and was not afraid to lean into it as his many masks attest. Ok-e-ly, dok-e-ly.