The Tampa Bay Lightning goalie's new bucket, which teammate Mathieu Joseph designed, features six trailblazing sports figures. David Leroux of Diel Airbrush painted the mask.
Instagram from @dielairbrush: McElhinney's new mask
The left side prominently features Willie O'Ree, clad in a Boston Bruins jersey. O'Ree, now the NHL's Diversity Ambassador for the Hockey is for Everyone initiative, was the league's first Black player in 1958.
Next to O'Ree are Olympic athletes John Carlos and Tommie Smith, who famously raised a fist to protest racism on the medal stand at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Just above them is track and field star Alice Coachman, the first Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal in 1948.
The right side of the mask has a portrait of Jackie Robinson, the first Black baseball player in Major League history, wearing his No. 42 Brooklyn Dodgers uniform. Above Robinson is former heavyweight boxing champion and legendary outspoken activist Muhammad Ali.
The backplate of the mask features a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. It reads "Lightning makes no sound until it stirkes." The top features the Lightning logo. A closed fist is on the chin with "Black Lives Matter" stenciled on either side.
McElhinney said he was inspired to show his support after Joseph released a statement in May that mentioned his experiences with racism in hockey and his sadness over the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.
Instagram from @mathyjoz21: Thought it was important to share. ❤️
"A lot of guys posted statements and for me personally I wasn't sure there were words that I could use to express my support regarding the situation," McElhinney said. "So I reached out to Jo and I found a blank helmet that I'd had at my house in Colorado and I asked him if he'd be interested in designing something that would express a little bit of the situation and the situation that's been going on in our country and in the U.S."
Joseph had total freedom to put what he wanted on the helmet.
"Those are all athletes that on and off the court or the ice or other sport, I think they had great influence on their sport or the world and socially," Joseph said.
McElhinney didn't see the design until it was delivered, but was thrilled with the finished product.
"To me it was a more of a surprise and it was something that I had been anticipating for a few months, ever since I had proposed it," he said. "I think the way that it turned out with the athletes that he chose and that the artist chose to represent on the mask are some pretty unique individuals across the history of sports. For me personally, it's something I'll be honored to wear and it's a good representation of certain individuals who had difficult times and stood up for what they believed in and were an important voice during their careers."
