Ranking the Goalie Masks of This NHL Season's Starting Netminders

The goalie helmet is the only piece of equipment on which a hockey player is truly able to express himself.

Many goaltenders choose to prominently display their team's logo and cater their helmet design to their team's colors.

Others choose to use a creative interpretation of the team's name or colors.

The following are all 30 NHL starting goaltenders ranked on their mask designs.

NOTE: A few clubs have two goalies listed due to the team's platooning method.

32. Craig Anderson (Ottawa Senators)

Anderson certainly has a unique helmet design, but it's a little creepy.

The Corvette on the bottom is pretty sweet, but the bloodshot-eyed guy is distracting. The other side is a pretty standard Senators design.

For more information go to: http://thegoalieguild.com/2011/03/anderson-sens-mask/

31. Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh Penguins)

This helmet is too busy.

It's simple on the other side, which features the Penguins logo, but the rest of the mask has too much going on to appreciate the creativity put into it.

For more information go to: http://ingoalmag.com/masks/marc-andre-fleury-2011-2012-penguins-mask/

30. Semyon Varlamov (Colorado Avalanche)

Like Fleury's helmet, Varlamov's mask is far too busy. It has an obvious Avs logo in front and is a neat idea—it features a "Commando Yeti" fighting "Frosty."

However, it's difficult to see for the average onlooker.

For more information go to: http://ingoalmag.com/masks/semyon-varlamovs-commando-yeti-vs-frosty-2011-2012-colorado-avalanche-mask/

29. Antti Niemi (San Jose Sharks)

The design is simple and straightforward, but there's nothing too exciting about Niemi's helmet.

For more information go to: http://ingoalmag.com/masks/anttii-niemis-2010-2011-san-jose-sharks-mask/

28. Dwayne Roloson (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Roloson has been around the league for a while and has had some great masks.

One in particular I liked was the one he wore with the Islanders, which paid tribute to the team's past legends (remember it's the Isles' 40th year in the league).

His helmet last year looked pretty sweet, but he changed it when Tampa changed uniforms (which I like better) this year.

Roloson's new mask design, however, is nothing spectacular.

27. Kari Lehtonen (Dallas Stars)

Lehtonen had an awesome Chuck Norris helmet last year, but chose to go with a more traditional design this year.

If anything, I dropped him down here because I was so disappointed in him.

People in Texas will love this helmet, but those of us outside the Lone Star State would rather see him use the Chuck Norris mask.

26. Ondrej Pavelec (Winnipeg Jets)

When he moved with his franchise from Georgia to Manitoba, Pavelec went with a simple, straightforward design.

It looks pretty sweet, prominently displaying the new symbol, but I thought he could have implemented the old Jets logo (which looks better).

For more information go to: http://ingoalmag.com/masks/ondrej-pavelecs-new-winnipeg-jets-mask/

25. Niklas Backstrom (Minnesota Wild)

Backstrom held a contest to design his helmet.

The winner did a good job implementing the team logo and the "Wild" name (by adding animals on the sides), but overall it's a pretty basic design.

24. Ilya Bryzgalov (Philadelphia Flyers)

Bryzgalov had such a great design in Phoenix, which featured artwork from his kids, that the new design is kind of disappointing.

It's one that will be loved in Philly because of the prominent display of the logo, but it's really tacky-looking otherwise.

23. Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings)

Quick's helmet has a great image in the back, which is very fitting for LA, but the front isn't much to look at.

It's a simple design, which is nice, but he should have continued the image on the back throughout the helmet.

22. Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens)

Price has done a lot with his uniform over the years, including the creepy Jacques Plante mask he wore at the Heritage Classic last year.

This one is a lot better, but still nothing too exciting.

21. Mathieu Garon (Tampa Bay Lightning)

It's better than Roloson's new helmet.

Garon's design is interesting—a storm tossing around a sailboat—and fitting for his team. However, it's nothing too special.

For more information go to: http://ingoalmag.com/masks/mathieu-garon-tampa-bay-lightning-mask/

20. Corey Crawford (Chicago Blackhawks)

It's a great use of the old logo, but the rest of Crawford's mask isn't all that exciting.

It's probably less offensive than his other design. 

19. Steve Mason (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Mason did a great job of implementing the canon—a feature at Blue Jackets games and on their third uniform.

It's certainly different from his 'Evil Dead' mask from last year.

18. Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators)

It's definitely less creepy than last year's mask, but also a little less creative.

Rinne did a great job implementing Nashville's music culture on his mask, something that should be well received by his team.

17. Cam Ward (Carolina Hurricanes)

The man must love pirates.

Looking back at older masks, Ward has always had pirates in them.

16. Brian Elliott (St. Louis Blues)

Elliott's helmet could be considered a little creepy, but it looks great with the St. Louis uniform—one of the best in the league.

15. James Reimer (Toronto Maple Leafs)

A lot of different people are represented on Reimer's mask. 

Don Cherry, Ron MacLean, Optimus Riem (huh?) and Jesus all are featured in the design.

For more information go to: http://ingoalmag.com/masks/james-reimers-new-mask-optimus-reim/

14. Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers)

Great implementation of the old third uniform, Lundqvist did a great job with his helmet design.

They really should bring back those old unis.

13. Tomas Vokoun (Washington Capitals)

This helmet is so damn patriotic that Stephen Colbert should feature it on his set.

12. Jose Theodore (Florida Panthers)

It's so cute...

The Panthers should be forced to use this pretty kitty as their logo until they win a playoff game.

11. Jonas Hiller (Anaheim Ducks)

I've been pretty tough on simple helmets, but I like this one.

Hiller's mask is jet black with a few Ducks logos on it.

Sometimes simpler is better.

10. Jaroslav Halak (St. Louis Blues)

He may be battling with Elliott for the starting position, but Halak, who was a playoff hero with Montreal a few years ago, has him beat in the mask category.

It's a simple, subtle design that makes the city of St. Louis look quite inviting.

9. Roberto Luongo (Vancouver Canucks)

Luongo has gone with some pretty outlandish designs in the past.

A simple design that features Johnny Canuck works well for him.

8. Tim Thomas (Boston Bruins)

Subtle and patriotic.

I love it.

For more information go to: http://ingoalmag.com/masks/tim-thomas-2011-2012-bruins-mask/

7. Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils)

Johan Hedberg has seen most of the time in net this year because of Brodeur's injury, but MB is going to get his starting spot back once he recovers.

Brodeur has a simple design on his helmet—just the devil logo and his name and number on top.

When you're as good as he's been, you deserve to have your initials prominently placed on your lid.

6. Al Montoya (New York Islanders)

The design on Montoya's helmet is certainly out there, but it works.

It's definitely worth a 360-degree look: http://ingoalmag.com/masks/al-montoyas-2011-2012-new-york-islanders-mask/

5. Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres)

It's always Miller Time in Buffalo, and with all of that attention the Sabres' netminder has to be looking good.

He certainly has met that demand by designing a pretty sweet mask.

4. Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary Flames)

This mask is awesome.

Nothing more has to be said.

3. Nikolai Khabibulin (Edmonton Oilers)

Tear down the wall! Tear down the wall! (It's a Pink Floyd reference).

Khabibulin used his nickname, the Bulin Wall, as the inspiration for his helmet.

The Bulin Wall appeared to be rather unstable, but this year he's erected quite a formidable structure in front of the Edmonton net.

2. Mike Smith (Phoenix Coyotes)

Wile E. Coyote will never be as cool as Marvin the Martian, but as a Looney Toons fan I have to put Smith's mask this high.

It's definitely worth a 360 degree look: http://ingoalmag.com/masks/mike-smiths-phoenix-coyotes-mask/

1. Jimmy Howard (Detroit Red Wings)

Howard's mask is a tribute to the men who fell in the KHL plane accident.

It, without a doubt, deserves to be No. 1.

For more information go to: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Back-of-Jimmy-Howard-s-mask-to-honor-fallen-Loko?urn=nhl-wp13318

Tom Schreier covers hockey and baseball for Bleacher Report.

Follow him on Twitter @tschreier3.