PHN photo essay: Goalie masks of the CHL

ALLEN, Texas – Wylie Rogers is currently playing his fourth professional season

and his third in the Central Hockey League.   This is his third season playing for the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, the only team he has played for in the CHL.  
 
Rogers is a native of Fairbanks, Alaska and played most of his junior and college career within the state of Alaska.   He played for the University of Alaska – Fairbanks, as a starter for all four years of his education.  
 
Rogers has kept that momentum going as a professional, compiling winning (or even) records for all three years in the CHL.  
 
He was kind enough to allow Pro Hockey News to photograph his mask and give some background information about the design.   Rogers designed the mask himself, using images that had symbolic and/or personal meaning to him.
 
The mask was painted by an artist near McAllen, TX who specializes in custom paint designs for motorcycles and automobiles.   Rogers is a Harley-Davidson enthusiast and had originally visited the artist to have his own motorcycle painted, when he asked if the artist could paint a helmet.   When Rodgers returned with his helmet, he had to explain what it was for – it was the first goalie mask the painter had ever seen.
 
The mask is a monochromatic design, which was an intentional move by Rogers – he wanted something that would go with any team uniform he might wear.   The main color is ‘Cadillac Pearl,’ the same paint that is used onCadillac Escalades and CTS models.  
 
The crown of the mask features a large skull stretching across the face opening.   The chin has ‘Wyles’ painted across it, which is Rogers’ nickname.  
 
The left side of the mask features a tattoo gun, which Rogers drew himself.   Rogers has many tattoos – a good friend is his tattoo artist – so this is a nod to that part of his personality.  
 
There is another skull looming over the tattoo gun.   In fact, there are several more skulls throughout the helmet – Some are obvious, and some have been ‘hidden’ by Rogers and the artist, and are not easily recognizable.
 
 
The right side of the mask is dedicated to Rogers’ passion for motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons.   Again, Rogers drew this design himself.  
 
The rear headplate of the mask features another skull and Rogers’ uniform number of 34 on the right side.   The left side has the saying ‘Beat The Odds.’   This is a phrase Rogers’ father would often say to him – Rogers has faced various challenges throughout his playing career and his father would always tell him to ‘rise up and beat the odds.’   It stuck with Rogers and he eventually had it tattooed on his arm as a permanent reminder of his father’s words.
 
Special thanks go to Wylie Rogers for taking time out of his game day schedule to speak with Pro Hockey News. Contact Chip.Crail@prohockeynews.com