Sign in Subscribe
Bantering Around

Antti Raanta has another new mask, this time paying tribute to Rangers history

This one isn’t super fancy, and that’s what makes it awesome.

If there’s one thing Antti Raanta has a flair for, it’s masks.

He’s got tons, some of his latest being dual tributes to the NYPD and FDNY. And in fact, he’s paid tribute to Rangers history earlier this season, too.

But this one is a bit different and, dare I say, it’s a lot cooler. Working with his usual artist Dave Gunnarsson, it’s much less flashy, simply paying tribute to some Rangers greats in a way we don’t often see on modern day goalie masks.

Antti Raanta knew what he wanted on his new mask. He wanted a full tribute to legendary profiles of the New York Rangers💪🏻. We started to brainstorm🤔, we wanted to create the painting in a totally different way, something never done before. I came up with a plan🚀, three rules to follow for this painting🎨. If I do that the design will look really old school in just that style we wanted👊🏻. I love to always try to think outside the box and do every mask unique and always use different paint techniques. Every mask is its own saga. Rules for this painting; Rule 1: paint it all with only a regular brush🖌, no airbrush. Rule 2: Only so called flat paintings, no 3D effects. Rule 3: Only paint with the colors red and blue🔵🔴. It became a true Storyteller mask📕, can you spot all the NYR legends? You will also find details with Madison Square Garden🥅 and New York City and more...🏙 Thanks Antti! I love to be your mask painter 🙏🏻🎨 #anttiraanta @nyrangers @nhl #DaveArt @bauergoalie #DaveArtCreativity #nhl #DaveArtTheGameChanger #DaveArtTheMaskNerd 🤓

A photo posted by David Gunnarsson (@davidofdaveart) on

Gunnarsson goes in depth explaining his artistic process, and I love it. Everything seems airbrushed nowadays, so to have this just as a strict painting is so different, and it really stands out because of it.

Plus it’s just so Rangers. Adam Graves, Brian Leetch, Mark Messier, even Raanta’s countryman Esa Tikkanen, and of course, Sam Rosen - all painted in red and blue and nothing more.

Simplicity is often lost in modern day goalie masks. It’s so cool to see Raanta and Gunnarsson bring it back in tribute to some Rangers greats.

Read next