LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — While masks are now a mandatory part of a goaltender’s gear, for decades, goalies didn’t play with masks.
In fact, some NHL coaches believed masks would actually impact a goalie’s vision.
It’s something Vegas Golden Knights' goaltenders, Logan Thompson and Adin Hill, can't even imagine.
“I don’t think I’d be a goalie if I was there back in the day and they wouldn’t wear masks," said Thompson.
“Back then, I don’t know how those guys did it with no masks," shared Hill. "Some of those guys had stitches all over their face and it’s been gruesome. The masks has come a long way.”
On Thursday, this critical piece of safety gear has now become a work of art.
"It’s been cool with the evolution and the stuff." Thompson said. "What you can do now is pretty amazing, and what some of these painters can do."
For example, artists like Dave Fried with Friedesigns has a unique opportunity to put his creativity into play.
Fried explained, “So I've been painting. I think Logan might have been 16, 17 and I think Adin was maybe 17, 18 when I first started painting for them. I think I'm on maybe 12, 13, 14 masks for Adin and then maybe at least eight or nine for Logan. So it's a lot of different masks over the years.”
While masks offer players protection on the ice, it’s also a chance for them to showoff their personality.
Thompson said, “I just wanted to stand out with our home jersey. I knew were going gold this year, so I was trying to do something super shiny and just standout.”
For Hill, his mask is all about one of his favorite TV shows.
“This is just one of the dragons," he said about his mask. "It’s supposed to be a background of Jon Snow from the show. I know he never really fights a dragon but just it’s for a mask, right? Trying to make it look cool. It’s supposed to be like a gold brick wall running through the mask and obviously, the Vegas logo. He added this gold flake texture, which I thought was a pretty cool element.”
