Johan Backlund's High Hopes Evident In Goalie Mask

by Travis Hughes on Jan 21, 2010 9:00 AM EST

It's pretty safe to say that Johan Backlund won't play in a game for the Philadelphia Flyers this season.

The goalie, in his first season of North American hockey, was called up in early December when Ray Emery went to the injured reserve with an abdominal injury. Brian Boucher was right behind Emery to keep the starting spot warm, but Backlund was expected to be the backup guy for the six weeks everybody thought Emery would be out of commission.

How much confidence did Paul Holmgren and the Flyers front office have in Backlund's ability to open and shut a door from the bench, let alone actually get in and see meaningful NHL action? Enough to call up Michael Leighton, a guy who had just been waived by the worst team in the league. Backlund was quickly shipped back to Adirondack.

But wait, um, did Johan get the message? Meet his goalie mask, designed by David Gunnarsson of DAVEART Designs.

'Backe' across the chin, a Flyers logo on the left side, and a FLYERS script on the right side which you'll see after the jump. That's pretty simplistic and pretty awesome at the same time if you ask me. It's a shame we won't get to see the guy wear it here until at least September, if ever. Here's the description of the mask, via Gunnarsson:

Johan Backlund wanted a basic and clean Flyers design, a design really breathing Philadelphia Flyers. David Gunnarsson fulfilled his wishes as he created a mask design both classic and modern, with a base of black and white for perfect contrasts.

The design is a symphony of logos painted with cool 3-D effects and line graphics. And of course DAVEART's popular innovation DAVEART Holographix FX, with a background pattern of Flyers logos.

Lots of ambiguity there, but whatever. After the jump, see a few more angles of the mask.

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Personally I love it. Like you said Travis, it’s simple yet awesome. It is classic Flyers in my opinion. I like that there is a big space of white running right down the center, I don’t know why but I just like that.

Maybe Backlund will actually get to play for the Flyers next season. Emery probably won’t be back. Boucher is signed for next year I believe. And unless Leighton really carries this team to the finals or deep in the playoffs I don’t imagine he will be back. Backlund is supposed to be our future between the pipes is he not?

by EREX21 on Jan 21, 2010 9:17 AM EST reply actions

Gosh I hope not. He really hasn’t shown me that he has the capability of taking hold of a starting goalie job in the NHL.

by Mitchell Green on Jan 21, 2010 10:04 AM EST up reply actions

What do you base that assessment on? He hasn’t played in the NHL yet and his AHL numbers are pretty good considering it’s his first year playing in North America. He hasn’t really shown much of anything yet to be sold on him one way or the other.

by EREX21 on Jan 21, 2010 10:43 AM EST up reply actions

The defense in front of him isn’t exactly great either, with four first-year professionals (Marshall, Bourdon, Lehtivuori, Sloane — yes, that Sloane, he of the one-day NHL tryout) on D alone. The Phantoms wouldn’t be over .500 without Backlund.

by Ben Feldman on Jan 21, 2010 10:54 AM EST up reply actions

Agreed. The Phantoms are actually a pretty crappy team in general.

by EREX21 on Jan 21, 2010 10:56 AM EST up reply actions

Good point. I follow the Phantoms up in Glens Falls, and you’re exactly right. The defense, as well as the scoring (until lately) have been underperforming greatly. It’s a shame that he, as well as Grahame, get no goal support, but since coming back from the NHL Backlund has won 6 straight and has looked great. The stats don’t tell the whole story with Johan, he is a very good goaltender and I hope he gets moved up to the NHL.

by ryan1 on Jan 21, 2010 12:01 PM EST up reply actions

Very cool mask.

I really hope Backlund gets his chance with the Flyers. I really don’t have a chance to follow the Phantoms anymore now that they were run out of town. How has he looked this season?

by LegionofDoom on Jan 21, 2010 11:11 AM EST reply actions

Well, he won his sixth straight start Friday night.

A .910 save percentage on the year is pretty solid, but it’s not amazing for AHL standards.

Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Jan 21, 2010 11:17 AM EST up reply actions

Cool. Thanks for the info.

I really didn’t realize the Phantoms where that bad till I read that article ;)

by LegionofDoom on Jan 21, 2010 11:23 AM EST up reply actions

haha, no problem. I wish I could give you more, but stats for the AHL are pretty bare.

Everything I read from TIm McManus though, suggests Backlund is a huge part of any success that team has and a victim of most of the team’s faults.

Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Jan 21, 2010 12:30 PM EST up reply actions

Is this actually all that different from his old one?

I just did a quick google image search for his old mask, and this is what I got: From November, from October, from September, and again from September.

Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Jan 21, 2010 11:13 AM EST reply actions

Oh, bizarre.

I assumed it was new because it was just recently uploaded on the DAVEART website.

Still, it’s a cool mask, so whatever.

Broad Street Hockey - SB Nation's Philadelphia Flyers Blog. Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Travis Hughes on Jan 21, 2010 11:14 AM EST up reply actions

haha, not to rain on your parade, I was just curious.

Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Jan 21, 2010 11:17 AM EST up reply actions

Way to crap all over his parade.

by EREX21 on Jan 21, 2010 11:22 AM EST up reply actions

I don’t think picking up Michael Leighton was anything against Backlund, I think it was just Lavaloette pushing to pickup someone he had seen first hand for two or so years.

"So basically, the Stats make no sense whatsoever."

by Mark D on Jan 21, 2010 11:22 AM EST reply actions

Exactly. Plus, his $300k price tag didn’t hurt either. I’d say it was a good investment, even if I still don’t like Leighton.

Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Jan 21, 2010 12:31 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, well, maybe Michael Leighton doesn’t like YOU. Ever think about THAT?

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Jan 21, 2010 12:44 PM EST up reply actions

No. No I hadn’t. And it kind of makes me sad.

Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Jan 21, 2010 1:09 PM EST up reply actions

that big white patch on the forehead. it’s empty space.

he should have put the liberty bell there. that way, a puck to the dome would mean getting on’s bell rung.

Eat what the monkey eats, then eat the monkey. -U.S. Navy survival guidance

by psudrozz on Jan 21, 2010 1:18 PM EST reply actions

“one’s”. stupid sausage fingers.

Eat what the monkey eats, then eat the monkey. -U.S. Navy survival guidance

by psudrozz on Jan 21, 2010 1:19 PM EST up reply actions

I like the white patch. But then again, I’m also a big fan of white helmets in general: Ray Emery, Brian Elliot, Kiprusoff, even Fleury – though his is quite busy.

I just think they look sleek.

Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Jan 21, 2010 1:42 PM EST up reply actions