Swedish airbrush artist Dave Gunnarsson just released a new design for Capitals backup goaltender Pheonix Copley. Because Copley grew up in North Pole, Alaska, Gunnarsson had a lot of symbolism to draw from.
During training camp, Copley debuted a stunning powder blue bucket, a unique design which featured the Alaskan native eagle’s head in the middle and the bird’s wings on the sides.
Gunnarsson painted a new iteration of that mask and the illustration is even is even more ornate.
There are eagle heads to the left and right that resemble one of the Capitals’ old logos. The eagles’ wings extend down towards the chin. The Capitals’ Weagle logo is painted on the forehead of the mask. If you look closely, a pattern of Weagle logos are overlaid overtop the mask.
Finally, there are two candy canes on the chin, a play off Copley’s Christmas-themed hometown.
“The design is a true tribute to Pheonix home state of Alaska,” Gunnarsson wrote on Instagram. “The eagles on the sides are painted in the classic Alaskan art style with a brush with very visible brush stroke.”
The masks so far have been good luck for Copley this season. Copley has earned his first NHL win and shutout. He’s 9-2 with a 2.56 goals against average and a .915 save percentage in 14 games played.
Headline photo: @daveart
