Mike Smith, Eddie Lack show off new Flames goalie gear

Goaltending in hockey is an inherently unique position. While their teammates are typically taking short shifts and rushing all over the ice, goalies are much more stationary – even the ones active in playing the puck (hi, Mike Smith!). They also get quite a great deal more protection than their skating counterparts, which they justifiably need, as evidenced by the fact that their entire job is putting themselves in between a disc of vulcanized rubber flying around at high speeds and a net.

With that extra gear comes an opportunity for flair – one many, outside of their masks, don’t take advantage of.

Evidently, that’s not quite the case with the Flames’ new pair of goalies in the aforementioned Smith, and Eddie Lack.

First up, there’s Smith, who looks like he’s sticking with something similar to the black set up he had when playing for the Arizona Coyotes this past season (pictured above).

Black, with Flames-coloured accents. It looks great with the black practice jersey, and will probably work well with the red jersey, as well.

Smith had a separate set of white pads he wore for away games with the Coyotes, too, so we may be able to expect that.

As for Lack, he’s known as someone who tends to get more creative with his pads, and his Flames set does not disappoint.

He’s not joking about being inspired by Kidd – and this is as good a way to incorporate the Flames as any into his gear. Seriously, those look absolutely fantastic. (Better than the Hurricanes logo kind of awkwardly slapped on his last set, in my opinion.)

Interestingly enough, while both goalies were able to incorporate red into their gear, they didn’t go full red – and InGoal Magazine suggests that may be because the Flames aren’t a big fan of all-red pads anymore after Brian Elliott’s poor start to the 2016-17 season. Because… that makes sense. It was all the pads’ fault, somehow.

So hopefully both Smith and Lack are able to get off to a good start, both for the good of the team and so they aren’t browbeaten into boring pad designs because of inane superstitions. This is important stuff, here!

No word on either goalie’s new Flames mask just yet – but they’re sure to be coming.