The Estevan Bruins have found a way to pay tribute to the city and its landmarks.
The club unveiled a new mask for goaltender Emerik Demers last week. On the front of the mask, there are an oil pump jack, the Civic Auditorium, the city’s water tower and the park at the east entrance to the city. A Saskatchewan flag is on the back of the mask.
A brick wall is painted around the mask, which was designed by Dave Fried of Fried Designs in Calgary.
Danny Ewen, the club’s marketing manager, said the mask was the idea of head coach and general manager Jason Tatarnic. When they were discussing ways to create sponsorships and fundraisers for local businesses, Tatarnic said he had seen teams secure sponsors for goalie masks.
Power Dodge stepped forward as the sponsor, and then the club started to design Demers’ mask. Ewen believes it turned out great, and he hopes it can be worn and seen on the ice this season.
Tatarnic had heard of Fried’s work, and Fried had designed a previous mask for Bruins goaltender Boston Bilous when Bilous was in the Western Hockey League.
“Dave’s well-known in some hockey circles because he does various things, and he’s designed some pretty cool looking goalie masks. We gave the ideas and the photos to him, and he took it from there,” said Ewen.
Since the mask was recently unveiled, it hasn’t been seen on the ice during game action. As of Mercury press time, the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s season was on pause due to Public Health orders.
The club hopes to auction or raffle off a mask to a local business or individual at the end of each season, and then acquire a new mask for the start of the next season.
