'IT LOOKS AMAZING'

Mike Vernon has been in a few masks in his time.
On one, never.
"I think it's so cool," admits the home-brew '89 Stanley Cup winner. "Smitty texted me about it this morning. So we've been going back and forth a bit.
"I saw a few photos. It looks amazing.
"I've always said that history is so important. In any business. But nowhere more than in the sports business.
"Sports fans remember the names and the achievements of their heroes growing up their whole lives. I'm no different.
"It's contagious. And that's what's beautiful. Kids and their grandpas being able to have a conversation about their favourites of different eras.
"I don't think he's honouring me. I think he's honouring the past. That's what important.
"And I'm glad he's having fun with it."

Current puck-repeller Mike Smith unveiled a new mask design at practice Thursday and there, covering it, is a masked profile shot of No. 30.
The local boy who brought home the title.
"I was kinda struggling with it, to be honest with you,'' confessed Smith later. "I like to be unique with my designs.
"Obviously, these (retro/third) jerseys are unbelievable. It was fitting that it had kinda a unique helmet with it and different gear. I think they're some of the coolest jerseys that are out there in the league. I'd always been a fan of them growing up as a kid. Now I get to throw it on, too, and match the gear to go along with it.
"It just popped into my head one day and that was last week, so my designer did an unbelievable job to get it ready and it turned out awesome."

Smith's interest perked when he happened upon a photo via the internet of a masked Vernon from his days backstopping the Flames.
"I grew up watching him and thought it'd be a really cool design," he said. "Obviously I can't wear the same helmet as he did, not nowadays, but my painter, Dave Arrigo, did an unbelievable job to make it as realistic as possible. Turned out great."
Something of a combative fellow himself, Smith was asked if Vernon's now-historic mid-ice goalie fight against rival Patrick Roy, still an internet staple, played into his decision.
"All those old guys liked to get into it quite,'' he replied, grinning. "Whether it was swinging their stick or their blocker or whatever.
"That was kinda the era I grew up watching and I know he was feisty little guy. So it's kinda cool to honour him and what he did for this organization."

Vernon is a big fan of the innovation and variance in equipment today.
"What they do with it now,'' he praises, "is awesome. We were always afraid to colour our goal pads too brightly because people would call us cocky.
"Nowadays, the brighter the better. Hey, I'm all for that.
"Masks were pretty bland in my day, for the most part. If I fast-forwarded myself to today and was looking for a paint design, I'd have to consider history of the Flames. Guys like Danny Bouchard and Pat Riggin.
"If I was a little more adventurous, maybe my tyke league hockey team from south Calgary community. Or someone that influenced me. Glenn Hall was my goalie coach for nine years. I might've put the Ghoulie on it."
The echoes of history Vernon spoke of are, happily, very much alive and in Smith.
"I wanted it to have something to do with what's gone on here in the past,'' he said. "Such a special organization. I looked at a lot of different things. I was going to put Lanny McDonald's face on the back plate, big moustache.
"That might be something I do down the road."
No. 9, you can bet, would be tickled.