Coyotes Calaveras Goalie Masks up for Auction Through October

Hockey artist David Arrigo is adding some new items to his portfolio -- Coyotes calaveras.
Arrigo has created three, custom-painted, sugar skull-style Coyotes goalie masks in conjunction with the Arizona Coyotes Foundation and the organization's extended celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
And one could be yours
. The masks, signed by Coyotes goalie Darcy Kuemper, are up for online auction through October 31. Funds from the auction will benefit the Foundation.

Bid Now: Sugar Skull Goalie Masks
"It's something different," Arrigo said of the designs. "It's a new style of art from me. I know this has been a custom of Hispanic ways for many, many years. For me, it was just a new challenge trying to provide something a little bit different, a little more unique, which is what I think we're going to achieve with this project."

A sugar skull -- a calavera -- is a decorative representation of a human skull usually molded with sugar or clay used in the Mexican celebration of the 'Day of the Dead.'
"The multi-colored designs, they're very vibrant," Arrigo added. "They're a lot of fun, and it's definitely something different from what I've worked on in the past."

Arrigo's relationship with the Coyotes dates to 2011, when goalie Mike Smith was traded to Phoenix from Tampa Bay. Arrigo is Smith's personal mask artist.
"(Mike) brought me over there and I ended up meeting a number of different individuals from the Coyotes organization," Arrigo said. "They asked me to do a number of different pieces."
Arrigo also created a mural for Shane Doan when the former captain became the Coyotes' all-time franchise leader in goals December 21, 2015, with No. 380 of his career. The painting featured Doan in various Jets and Coyotes uniforms he'd worn over the years.

The masks feature subtle, yet detailed odes to the Coyotes style guide, including the crescent moon logo and the border piping used on the Kachina jerseys.
"As always, with a lot of my pieces, I tend to slide in some little background imagery," Arrigo said. "Just some little snippets that, unless you see them up close, you're not necessarily going to notice. I think people will get a real kick out of it. Hopefully they do really well for the foundation."