Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Winter 2022
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/1/2022
In a season dominated by the lockout that delayed the start of the 2012-13 National Hockey League campaign and reducing the number of games from the familiar 82 to half at 48 (48 IS NOT HALF OF 82 TO CORRECT), the hockey world was looking for a storyline to provide the game a bit of an uplift. Enter goalie Josh Harding of the Minnesota Wild. Training in November 2012 during the lockout, Harding received the life changing diagnosis of having Multiple Sclerosis. Playing only 5 games for the Wild during the shortened regular season and seeing the crease in 5 games during the playoffs against the Chicago Blackhawks to the tune of a 2.94 GAA and a .911 save percentage, this mask was worn by Harding during those courageous first starts back and presents beautifully for a piece that was tasked with staring down shots of 100+ MPH. Made by Bauer and painted by famed artist Todd Miska; an artist well known for his work with Harding and other Minnesota goalies, the design features the Twin Cities skyline with the Xcel Energy Centre on the one side and Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins, on the other, with “Hards” scrawled across the chin. The Wild’s alternate wordmark is painted on the top portion of the mask with the backplate being a memorial to the I-35W bridge collapse. Overall condition of the mask is great with game wear present throughout such as puck marks and paint chips, with two small green stickers placed over the upper left and right sides near the top of the cage’s bolts. The elastic strapping shows some soiling from sweat stains but the interior of the mask remains clean with all padding intact minus the forehead sweatband which is affixed by velcro. The mask comes housed in a Bauer carry/storage bag. Photo-matched to three spots with Getty image #167860896 (April 26, 2013), including the puck mark found above the left temple near the top the head, the puck marks found on the elastic harness found on the left cheek and the upper left side, and the paint chip near the chin under the “R” in “Hards”. Additionally, Getty Images #167824073 (April 30, 2013 – Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals), #168657386 (May 5, 2013 - Game 3 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals), #168286365 (May 7, 2013 – Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals) and #159737982 (Jan 20, 2013) all show Holtby wearing the offered mask, with matches to chips on the May 4th and May 6th playoff images.
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