The Men Behind the Mask | FEATURE

There is the man behind the mask. And in Vitek Vanecek's case, there are also the men behind the mask.
The man: that is Vanecek himself. He's the one wearing it.
He has been a revelation in net for the New Jersey Devils this season, through his dialed-in performances and win streaks, but also his contagious personality. He is a bit of a media darling with his goalie quirks and lighthearted personality.
And it was on full display after Wednesday's practice, just like his new mask.
As the media contingent approached him, he quickly turned around, and tossed his glove and blocker to the shelf in his locker, shielding his new mask from gawking eyes. He turns around, his eyes lit up.
"Now you can't see it," he said with a grin and joking before taking it down off the shelf.
A goalie mask, or any goalie equipment really, draws unique attention. It is specific only to goaltenders, as they showcase their personalities, masks are a form of self-expression, or they showcase things of personal importance through the artwork and design on both masks and equipment. There are even blogs and Twitter feeds dedicated solely to goaltenders' equipment, a niche obsession for some. It is exclusive only to goaltenders and that is why when Vanecek skated onto the ice this morning, eyes turned directly to his new mask.

Vanecek's mask may at first glance should look familiar to you - very familiar. It was on purpose, as it pays homage to two franchise legends.
The men: Martin Brodeur and Glenn 'Chico' Resch.
There are elements of the mask that evoke that of Martin Brodeur and others of Glenn 'Chico' Resch. Explaining in detail the look of the mask, Vanecek said: "He put a little bit of Chico on top," pointing to the top of the helmet, where a classic New Jersey Devils logo is emblazoned. "And on the side, it's Brodeur."
If you look at the mask up-close you'll notice how the painting is done in a sketch format, as artist David

explains the artistic side of the design, the old Brodeur and Resch masks are "all created and mixed into a new style, sketched in a very rough way in total 2D."

Gunnarsson is a specialty NHL mask artist, who also designed Devils-inspired masks for Mackenzie Blackwood, Akira Schmid, and Nico Daws. They are part of a long list of Gunnarsson's NHL clients, who he has been working with for over 30 years.
The artist's touch brought to life a design that Vanecek shared was the result of a discussion with Devils goalie coach, Dave Rogalski.
"Rogie came to me and he told me he had a good idea for me," Vanecek said, "So he did everything actually, I didn't say anything. He just came to me, and then he told me like, if it's good, and I said yeah, it's really nice."
And so the creation began. But when you're paying homage, an important part of the creation is the respect factor, asking for permission. Vanecek made it very clear that this mask was not designed without the blessing of the two players being recognized.
"We asked and they (Brodeur and Resch) said it's a good idea and that I can wear it," Vanecek said with a smile. "I'm really happy they did that, I think it's really nice to be able to pay homage. I'm really happy about it."

"They are both legends."
But if you're expecting to catch the mask in action for the remainder of the Devils season, Vanecek cautions that this one won't be his permanent mask. It appears to be quite special to him.
"I'm thinking I'll wear it for only a couple of games and get them to sign it after and then put it somewhere in my home."
The Czech goaltender, in his first year with the franchise, says that he plans on wearing the mask for only a few games, perhaps as little as two, before he retires it as a piece of personal memorabilia.
Vanecek isn't sure when the first game will be when he dons the design in a game. But unlike other goalie equipment, he said there's no working it in before using it in a game, it's ready to go, just like he has been all season long.
"I tried it this morning and it feels just like the old one," he said, "It's really good, it's already broken in so I can start using it right away."