Hockey masks as art? You bet.

This blog has featured a number of examples in the past showcasing how two seemingly separate career fields – art and sports – can collide in beautiful  and sometimes unexpected ways.

Sitting at home the other night watching the Pittsburgh Penguins (I am a Pittsburgh-based artist after all) take it to the New York Islanders, I took notice of the goaltenders’ helmets. I had forgotten just how interesting they can be.

Probably just about every goalie in the NHL wears a mask with a customized design that fits them as an individual. Maybe it showcases his personality, is a play on a nickname or has some other significance or even none at all, these masks are painted to be 100% unique.

Below are a few of the really cool examples from images taken by Sports Illustrated. A few are dated but still pretty awesome.

Some really interesting masks:

Worn by Vesa Toskala of the Toronto Maple Leafs

Worn by Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes

Worn by Peter Budaj of the Colorado Avalanche 

Worn by Marc Dennis of the Tampa Bay Lighting

Last but not least…

Worn by Marc-Andre Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins