Photo credit: Kyle Mace of Sweetest Hockey on Earth

Because I’m an optimist, let’s say there’s an NHL season this year. As soon as the new collective bargaining agreement is signed, sealed, and delivered, the Washington Capitals goaltenders will debut shiny new masks. Michal Neuvirth, who has been playing with Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga, has been wearing a new mask featuring former Capitals great/current goaltending coach, Olie Kolzig, on its side.

I spoke with Braden Holtby on Saturday about his thoughts on Neuvirth’s new bucket. After I showed him the mask on my iPad, Holtby chuckled and flashed a big smile in approval. “Olie’s done a ton for the organization,” Holtby said, “so that’s pretty cool.”

Not to be outdone, Holtby has been wearing his own new mask playing with Bears. Unlike last season, where his helmet featured a split Bears/Capitals theme (and oh yeah don’t forget that awesome bear on a rollercoaster), Holtby’s new headgear is ALL CAPS (get it?).

David Gunnarsson, the Swedish artist who has custom-painted Holtby’s last few masks, integrated images of the Capitol building as well. On his Facebook page, Gunnarsson, in enthusiastic Swedglish, further explained the design:

When we created this one me and Braden brainstormed a lot about new cool ideas, we wanted it to breathe Washington DC in a classic way.

Soon this design idea crystallized. With this artwork we travel back in time and create an old school feeling all over the mask, and it is all based on the team logos and hidden details.

From a distance it is a retro design in calm harmony…and when you come closer you will discover a treasure map of detail work, and in the white base you find what has named the artwork, the Capitol building of Washington.

And then there’s the details on the backplate. Holtby brings back  the symbols from his previous masks: the flags of Saskatchewan and Alberta, the Japanese symbol for constant improvement, and the Latin phrase Carpe Diem.

In blue script near the top, there’s Benjamin, the name of Holtby’s first child, born during last year’s playoff run.

Photo credit: Kyle Mace of Sweetest Hockey on Earth

Photo credit: DaveArt.com

On Tuesday, Michal Neuvirth completed a deal to play for his former team HC Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga during the NHL lockout. Well, now he has some new goalie gear to work in too.

The top of Neuvy’s new bucket.

Wednesday afternoon, Swedish airbrush artist Dave Gunnarsson released photos of a new mask he painted for Neuvirth. The concept, which Gunnarsson described as a “storyteller design,” pays homage to Neuvy’s home country and other goalies he admires.

The left side features a head shot of Czech goalie legend Jiří Holeček. And on the right, Olie Kolzig, one of Neuvirth’s goaltending coaches, has been air-brushed on in his old Capitals gear. I’m guessing that’ll earn him some brownie points — not a bad thing when you’re fighting Braden Holtby for the starting job.

Here’s how Gunnarsson described the new lid:

It is always such a pleasure to paint for the Washington Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth. … The left side of the mask is a tribute to his home country Czech Republic. He also wanted to pay tribute to famous goalies, so here you find the Czech goalie legend Holecek. And just as before the Strekov Castle from his hometown and the Hradcany Prague Castle and more.

The right side is a tribute to his new home country and in particular his new hometown Washington DC. The classic goalie he wanted to pay tribute to here is the Caps legend Kolzig, and of course you also find the old school Caps logo, and much more.

The red and white check pattern on the chin is also a tribute to the Czech flag.

I just love to do a lot of details, stuff you can´t see from distance, but when you come closer and closer you will discover more and more, and the artwork transforms in front of your eyes.

One day after Michal Neuvirth spectacularly shut out the Winnipeg Jets, the biggest news of the day is still goaltending.

First, during today’s practice, Alex Ovechkin and Michal Neuvirth switched gear with each other. ‘Cause why not. The Great 8– sporting a goalie glove, blocker, and mask– skated to the crease and took several long-range shots from his teammates.

The other big goalie news of the day is that Swedish airbrush artist David Gunnarsson released photos of his latest project: Tomas Vokoun‘s new presidents-themed mask.

On his website, daveart.com, Gunnarsson — who has also created masks for Braden Holtby and Neuvirth — explains that the new design is a continuation of what he did on Vokoun’s first Caps mask, which Japers’ Rink brought to us earlier in the year during training camp. That mask was better suited for the Caps’ white away jerseys, while this newest creation better compliments home unis.

There’s certainly more to the story, and we’ll let David explain:

I came up with the design idea this summer when I walked around our local lake, I created every detail in my mind. When I told Tomas my design ideas he immediately gave me green light to start.

On the right side I painted many small Presidents in subtle colors, I painted them in a very old style, almost like on a canvas, I even created the White House, and President statues…and on the left side I painted parts of the Memorial Wall, and an American eagle, and much more.

Vokoun is now the second Caps goaltender to debut a new mask this week. South Carolina Stingrays goalie Philipp Grubauer also showed off his new duds yesterday. Below, is a 360 view of it.

A few weeks ago, word leaked out on Twitter that Braden Holtby was sporting a new goalie mask during practice up in Hershey. We sent photographer Kyle Mace — of our sister blog Sweetest Hockey on Earth — to the Bears’ next home game and had him capture every angle imaginable of Braden’s new roller-coaster themed mask.

Well now, David Gunnarsson — the Swedish artist who custom-painted Holtby’s new headgear — explains the backstory to the project.

How about transforming a mask into a rollercoaster ride? Sounds like fun! Braden Holtby had an awesome idea to put a rollercoaster ride on his mask, cause in Hershey there is a sweet amusement park. So I came up with this design with a mix of Hershey and Caps theme.

…

The bear is, of course, a goalie bear… his facemask is flying off in the high speed ride. And not only that, maybe the bear looks kind, but look again… this goalie bear is a real badass bear… He has a black eye, bruises and scars… He must have been in a number of fights… Don’t mess with him…

Yup. Sounds perfect for Braden.

You can check out Gunnarsson’s entire explanation and a few more photos at his website daveart.com.

S/t to the Tumblr I Love Goalies.

Photo credit: DaveArt

On Saturday, Capitals goaltender Michal Neuvirth took to the ice for practice wearing a new mask designed by Swedish airbrush artist David Gunnarsson, who also paints Semyon Varlamov’s masks. Neuvy is not sure if he is going to wear this mask for the rest of the season or not, but I’ll let Gunnarsson take it away.

From DaveArt.com:

One side is devoted to Michal’s hometown in the Czech Republic, with the fortress and the guarding lion from the Czech National Team coat of arms. The other side is devoted to his new hometown Washington and features buildings and an eagle in attack.The rest of the design is a symphony of lines and play inspired by the Caps colors and the red-white chess pattern from the Czech coat of arms.

Before I grilled him on the Caps goalie situation, I asked the soon to be 23 year-old Neuvirth about what went into the design of the bucket.

“It pretty much the same thing like this one,” he said, nodding to the mask he has worn for most of the campaign. “I put the Czech lion on the one side and the other side is about Washington, DC. … I don’t even know if I’m going to use it this year or not. I like to have a backup mask.”

When asked why all of his masks feature a picture of the Hrad Strekov castle in Usti nad Labem somewhere on the lid, he replied: “It’s the main thing in my hometown. I’m proud to be from there.”

Below, check out some more photos of the mask courtesy of DaveArt:

The new Semyon Varlamov mask painted and airbrushed by David Gunnarsson.

Today, pro airbrush artist and custom mask painter David Gunnarsson released photos of the new mask he painted for Semyon Varlamov. He also shared some of the inspiration and backstory behind the mask’s creation.

It’s so exciting to create Washington Capitals talent Semyon Varlamov’s mask designs. His earlier designs that I have gotten the honor to create have become enormously popular. Both Semyon and I like designs with lots of thinking behind, where you tell a story. This new design goes in same spirit as his previous designs with lots of details and color fields that are tied together with the mighty colors of the Caps. The design is both innovative and old school in a great mix.

The whole design is devoted to Varlamov’s new hometown with American motifs. The American eagle and the Capitol, and also President Washington in blue tints in old fashion style. The mask is a sympony of colors, tints and contrasts with all elements of Capitals, a design that with its strong contrasts is razor sharp also from distance.

To see more photos of the mask, check out Dave’s personal portfolio site and also check out Caps Snaps who caught up with Varly in Hershey.