Vancouver Canucks goalie Leevi Meriläinen’s new mask features a tribute to former Canucks broadcaster and goaltending great John Garrett ahead of his first start Saturday night.
The Story
The Vancouver Canucks announced a new mask for new goaltender Leevi Meriläinen on October 3, 2026, with the design including a tribute to John Garrett.
The team claimed Meriläinen off waivers from the Ottawa Senators just before the start of the regular season, meaning he will still be wearing his Senators pads when he makes his first start on Saturday night.
Meriläinen’s mask includes a Vancouver skyline and the Canucks’ orca logo in skate colours, and a nod to Garrett on the lower left side, in addition to work by Custom Cages that blends matte and glossy finishes.
Kevin Woodley of InGoal Magazine shared a close-up view of the mask’s finish, describing the mixed matte and glossy look and pointing to how the design elements stand out.
The illustration references Garrett’s classic Canucks mask, which he wore at the end of his NHL career and later continued to wear at Canucks alumni events. The Canucks also posted an earlier image showing Garrett in net for an alumni game wearing that mask.
After Garrett’s death in April 2026, Canucks home-opening tributes were shared publicly by members of the broadcast team. On October 2, 2026, the Canucks’ alumni-era broadcaster panel was cited in a tribute posted during the team’s home opener, with Dan Murphy, John Shorthouse and Ray Ferraro all noted in the post.
Murphy also noted that Meriläinen will wear Garrett’s former number, 31, with the Canucks. The Canucks’ black skate jersey is also set to make its season debut in the same game as Meriläinen’s first start.
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