(Niklas Backstrom in his old, less charming goalie mask)
I’ve seen goalies allow fans to design their masks before, but I only recall Calder-winner-turned-backup Andrew Raycroft doing so. The fans who submitted their artwork for Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom’s mask will likely see their labor of love a lot more often, as the Finnish goalie played 60, 71, 58 and 41 games in the last four seasons.
Backstrom chose a design by 15-year-old Peter Best of Plymouth, Minnesota. Here’s a shot of the artwork via the Wild Web Site. (Click to enlarge)
While the original work is impressively detailed, an artist will take its inspiration and make something a little fancier out of it. Here’s more information about the process from the Wild.
After days of wrestling with his very difficult decision, Backstrom went with Best’s very detailed design. The mask shows the skylines of St. Paul on one side, and Minneapolis on the other, covered by the Wild’s crest at the top. Wolves adorn each side, and the back features the Finnish flag, as well as the Wild’s 10th anniversary mark.
Best will now be invited to the studio of mask designer Todd Miska, who will take the design concept and tailor it to meet Backstrom’s specifications. He will also have the opportunity to present the finished product to Backstrom in person at the Wild’s training camp in September.
You have to love when teams allow fans to get so involved, especially considering the fact that they’ll be able to look at their work on such a regular basis (barring injury and poor play, of course). Minnesota features one of the most devoted fan bases in the NHL, as they pack the building even when the team is decidedly mediocre. Good on Backstrom and the Wild for running the contest and congrats to Best for earning his 15 seconds (or 50-70 games) of fame.