Jaroslav Halak’s New Washington Capitals Mask

The trade deadline brings all kinds of excitement for NHL fans each year and this season was one to remember for goalie fans. Puckstoppers were clearly the hot commodity as nearly a dozen changed addresses. As things settle and players become accustomed to their new homes, we have more to look forward to as all the new gear and paint jobs arrive for goaltenders who have changed addresses.

We can only imagine Jaroslav Halak’s painter David Leroux of Montreal-based Diel Airbrush furiously working in his sketchbook to prepare the Slovakian Stopper’s new Buffalo Sabres design – or perhaps even the paint drying in his studio – as word came in that Halak was off to Washington in his second trade just prior to the deadline. Whether he was caught by surprise or not, Leroux, who also was the artist behind Halak’s St. Louis Blues mask includes a puck-stopping bull breaking through a brick wall wearing Brian’s gloves, and his Olympic mask that features a Slovakian flag wrapped around the entire helmet, has created this fantastic design in his typical bold, clean and classic style for Halak’s final destination in the 2013-2014 season.

As Leroux noted in an email to InGoal, “the only thing Jaro asked for was two eagles and the personal stuff on the backplate. Other than that he let me run with it.”

On the backplate, commonly reserved for a goaltender’s personal tributes, is found a nod to his native Slovakia and the initials of his wife and child. The rest of the mask features classic Washington Capitals themes rendered in the Leroux style.

Will the design stick for next season or with Halak a pending unrestricted free agent, will Leroux be planning another design in the fall?

To see more great work from Leroux please visit his Diel Aribrush web site and his Facebook page. You can find other Leroux creations in the InGoal archives, but in the meantime enjoy the close ups of Halak’s new mask: