Ray Emery took the patriotic route with his newest face mask for the 2013-14 season.
There’s no shortage of iconic imagery in Philadephia, and Emery chose to use some of it on his face mask during his first stint in the city of brotherly love in 2009. After winning the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks last season, Emery re-signed with the Flyers on July 5 and turned to his longtime personal painter to come up with a new design.
David Leroux of Diel Airbrush found inspiration from the team’s history and another airbrush artist, Frank Cipra, who had created a pilot-themed mask for former Flyers goalie Brian Boucher.
“I have been a fan of Frank Cipra forever and I thought the pilot theme was a good idea so I asked Ray if it’s something he would like ,” Leroux said. “He said ‘yeah’ so I began searching and that’s when I came across the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American aviators in the United States armed forces.”
One side of the face mask features an image of a Tuskegee Airman to symbolize Emery’s fighting spirit and his ability to overcome adversity while battling back from what most believed was a career-ending hip injury. The other side of the mask features Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, a United States Marine Corps officer and fighter ace who was awarded both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross during World War II.
The backplate showcases Emery’s “Razor” nickname. Check it out in the photos below.
Photos via InGoalmag.com
