The Detroit Red Wings will play their final season at Joe Louis Arena in 2016-17 before departing for the brand new Little Caesars Arena in the fall of 2017.
Petr Mrazek‘s new goalie mask for next season will pay tribute to a pair of Red Wings legends and feature a patch commemorating the team’s run in the building that began in 1979.
One side of Mrazek’s mask features an illustration from the 1983 NHL Draft in Montreal, Quebec, where the Red Wings selected all-time great Steve Yzerman fourth overall. Yzerman is pictured shaking hands with Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch.
The other side of the mask is decorated with an image of Gordie Howe skating in his final NHL All-Star Game in 1980, which took place at Joe Louis Arena and served as homecoming of sorts after “Mr. Hockey” had spent the previous six seasons in the defunct World Hockey Association and two years away from the game.
The mask was designed and airbrushed by artist David Gunnarsson. You can view his collection of works at DaveArt.com.
Mrazek appeared in 54 games with the Red Wings in 2015-16, finishing with a 27-16-6 record to go with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.
