Chris Mason is taking his talents to Augsburg in the German Elite League, and he’s doing so in style. After spending last year playing in Italy with Ritten Renon, Mason has signed a one year deal with the Augsburg Panther. While there was a lack of interest around the NHL at the end of 2013, Mason made the most of it and took the opportunity of playing in Europe. Thanks to Steve Nash at EyeCandyAir, Mason will have one of the more menacing lids in the European Union, never mind the league!
Matching up colours with the Panther logo, Mason has continued the trend of featuring Iron Maiden’s Eddie the Head prominently on his helmet. Doing so in Winnipeg and Nashville, the Red Deer native will don perhaps his best adaptation of the crazy skeleton yet. As a nod to Mason’s Canadian heritage, the left side has Eddie carrying a Canadian flag. This is actually a rendition done by artist Derek Riggs, and is the cover art for his new book, Run For Cover. Riggs has inspired Nash throughout his own career and clearly nothing has changed! On the opposite side, Eddie the Trooper carries the German flag, paying homage to the country in which Mason will see action this year. This depiction of Eddie first appeared on the single cover art for “The Trooper” from the Piece of Mind album. Mason’s other Iron Maiden masks are amongst the most popular stories on InGoal Magazine ever!
The chin features the Augsburg coat of arms front and center, with the Panther logos careening down the sides. A fierce, realistic panther illustrated on the top nearly finishes this mask off. Nearly. Perhaps the best addition to Mason’s new mask, and an example of Nash’s fine recreation skills, is the family portrait originally drawn by Mason’s oldest daughter, Avery. With the Canadian and German flags tucked in the corner, Mason and Nash covered all their bases and combined to produce an awesome new helmet.
