Martin Jones unveils incredible new Leafs goalie mask
For NHL goaltenders, equipment and mask designs are their best ways of expressing their personality on the ice. There's only so much you can do with a tape job on your stick, so goaltenders often dress up their pads and pop for breathtaking airbrush designs on their masks.
Masks sometimes depict a story. For some, it's an alter-ego, and for others it's about symbolism. However, for the recently signed veteran goaltender Martin Jones, it's about paying tribute to the storied Toronto Maple Leafs franchise with his mask this season.
Jones' new mask is set to commemorate 10 iconic goaltenders in franchise history. The Leafs have been around since 1917, so it's pretty hard to give everyone a shoutout - especially with limited space on a small mask. Jones chose to honour these legendary Leafs goaltenders: Ed Belfour, Curtis Joseph, Felix Potvin, Doug Favell, Mike Palmateer, Wayne Thomas, Michel "Bunny" Laroque, Terry Sawchuk, Jacques Plante, and Johnny Bower.
He enlisted the help of his long-time personal artist, Steve Nash from EyeCandyAir:
"We wanted to paint something that would touch upon the deep history in Toronto and while coming up with ideas with Martin, we decided to pay homage to what we felt were the 10 most iconic goalie masks in Toronto," Nash told NHL.com. "While some of these masks do not have artwork on them, the mask itself was a work of art. It also gave me an opportunity to honour some of my favourite artists like Greg Harrison, Michel Lefevre and Frank Cipra who were all influences in my journey as mask artist."
Some of the symbolism and identifiable icons brought out include: Joseph's rabid, snarling dog, Belfour's majestic bald eagle, while incorporating the actual masks of Potvin, Palmateer, and Thomas.
Jones signed a one-year deal with the Maple Leafs at the beginning of August after spending the past year in Seattle. He will look to try to stake his claim as the backup goaltender with a strong training camp.
Source:NHL.com
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 21 | 246 ANSWERS Martin Jones unveils incredible new Leafs goalie mask How many games will the Leafs get out of Martin Jones this season? | ||
| More than 20 | 24 | 9.8 % |
| 10-20 | 79 | 32.1 % |
| Less than 10 | 54 | 22 % |
| Zero, he's going to be claimed off waivers | 89 | 36.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
