Goalies are the most stylish hockey players. There, I said it.
Sure, players in other positions might have better gameday fits, but no one gets the chance to be as aesthetically pleasing on the ice as goaltenders. From pad set-ups to helmet designs, goalies get to represent their team and show off some style.
On the international stage at this year’s IIHF Women’s World Championship in Utica, NY, some goaltenders certainly rose to the challenge, expressing personality and patriotism with their choice of headgear. And because the lovely folks at The Ice Garden keep letting me do aesthetic breakdowns, we’re going to take a look at and rank every starting goalie’s mask from this tournament. If you disagree with my rankings, let me know!
T7. Riko Kawaguchi (JPN), Zhan Jiahui (CHN), Emma-Sofie Nordström (DEN), Klara Peslarová (CZE)
There’s something to be said about simplicity, but little else for me to comment on in terms of these four goalies’ masks, as they all wear slight variations on a plain white mask. Nordström’s has the logo for the St. Lawrence Saints, her NCAA team, on the sides and chin, as well as her number. Kawaguchi has her number on the chin as well, but I would love to see more from Japan’s goalie of the future in another tournament, considering Nana Fujimoto’s history of iconic goalie masks.
I also have to give Zhan credit for wearing a neck protector- the Team China netminders seem to be the only ones in this tournament doing so.
6. Sanni Ahola (FIN)
Ahola rocked her NCAA mask from St. Cloud State- a clean, stylish design. The mask features a red stripe down the middle, separating a grayscale forest scene on either side. I’m a big fan of the forest design, and nature scenery tends to be a favorite look of mine for goalie masks. Each side of the mask has a different St. Cloud logo, with the husky on one side and the “St. C” on the other, as well as her number on the chin. The logos, the color scheme, and the split-down-the-middle pattern give this design a classic aesthetic. Although the red looks a bit out of place with the blue and white Finland jerseys, this is altogether a solid mask for Ahola.
5. Sandra Abstreiter (GER)
I love Sandra Abstreiter’s PWHL Ottawa mask, which she wore in her appearances for Team Germany at Worlds. It’s a two-tone design, with a grayscale illustrated lion taking up most of one side, accompanied by “OTTAWA” text. On the other side, the team’s red shade features a large PWHL logo and the Ottawa skyline. Skylines are a fairly common mask design element, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it, and they’re a great way to show local pride. Abstreiter also shows some national pride on the backplate, with the black, red, and yellow of the German flag. There’s also a small pretzel on the right side, a little personal touch and a nod to her Bavarian heritage that I love. It’s a fantastic look, striking in style yet full of detail. The red, black, and white also manages to work effectively with the German jerseys, so in addition to looking great, Abstreiter’s mask is nicely versatile.
4. Aerin Frankel (USA)
Frankel’s mask narrowly came out ahead of Abstreiter’s because I’m giving extra points for patriotism. This design is aggressively American, absolutely covered in red, white, and blue. There’s the USA Hockey logo on the chin, the shield on one side, and the diagonal “USA” jersey lettering on the other. The stars and stripes are proudly displayed in the texture and color scheme. I’m rooting for Team USA all the way, but if it’s possible, this mask might be a little too patriotic. However, I enjoy the way the stars were integrated into the blue stripe on top of the helmet, as well as the subtle weathering effect on some of the white stripes. My favorite part of this design, though, is the backplate. The American flag fading into a sunset over the New York City skyline is perfectly executed, and a nice allusion to Frankel’s hometown. My biggest complaint with this design is that it feels a little generic, like any USA goalie could wear it and it would make sense. I was hoping for a little more personal detail, but it’s still a well-made and effective goalie mask for Team USA’s starter.
3. Andrea Brändli (SUI)
At its basic level, Brändli’s mask is a red and white color block look, but the decision to give it a mountain aesthetic elevates it to success. The mountains feature throughout, including along the sides, top, and backplate. They’re easily my favorite element here, especially the bold ones outlined in black along either side of the mask. It’s also a very patriotic design without feeling like overload, with a Swiss cross on the chin and as a decal across the top, as well as text reading “SWISS” down the middle. The backplate adds some personal touches, with a crest and subtle flower pattern, as well as the quote “It’s a great day for hockey.” Brändli sported the same mask at last year’s Worlds, and the design continues to be effective, working great alongside Switzerland’s red and white jerseys. This design has everything the best goalie masks have: style, team pride, and personality.
2. Emma Söderberg (SWE)
I had a hard time deciding between second and third, since both Brändli and Söderberg’s masks do an excellent job at mixing natural and national aesthetics to create a great look, but Söderberg’s eventually came out ahead. The top of her mask, filled with a starry sky and wavy white lines evoking the Northern Lights, is just beautiful. The trees are nicely integrated into the night sky, as well as the Swedish flag that decks out the sides of the mask, along with text reading “SWEDEN.” It’s a symmetric design, which I find pleasing. It also looks excellent on the ice, with the navy blue of Soderberg’s mask design matching the navy blue helmets of her teammates. An excellent design for an excellent goalie.
1. Ann-Renée Desbiens (CAN)
Desbiens has the best mask of the tournament, no question. There is so much detail and personality woven into this design that I couldn’t not place it first. Painted by Sylvie Marsolais (Sylabrush), a renowned goalie mask artist who also did Desbiens’ PWHL Montréal mask, this design features “Canadian animals on the loose.” One side features cartoony depictions of a beaver in a hockey helmet and Team Canada jersey riding a moose, while the other side has an owl (missed opportunity to have a Canada goose, the meanest of Canadian animals).
The backplate is full of personal touches, with Desbiens’ dog Bamboo driving a Zamboni, five hockey sticks in the background to represent her siblings, and the PWHL and Wisconsin W logos on either side. The top of the mask is a lovely shade of red, with subtle airbrushed veins to suggest a maple leaf. The maple leaf design extends to the chin, with a 3D-style Team Canada logo surrounded by a smattering of leaves. With excellent color balance and perfectly implemented design elements, this mask has a lot going on, but it doesn’t feel crowded or overwhelming. If I had to pick, I’d say the dog on the Zamboni is my favorite element. But as a whole, Desbiens’ mask is just as fantastic as her performance in this tournament.