When the Blues suit up in throwback '90s-era jerseys three times this season, goaltender Jordan Binnington will debut a new mask honoring former St. Louis goaltender Curtis Joseph — one of Binnington's heroes at the position growing up.
Joseph, who played 280 games for the Blues from 1989-95, was nicknamed "Cujo" in his playing days for the first two letters of his first and last name. The name also matched the title of author Stephen King's Cujo, a horror novel about a rabid dog. So Joseph honored the connection by donning masks featuring a snarling dog throughout his career.
MORE: Blues visit the White House
Binnington told st.louisblues.com that, as a kid, he would watch Joseph train at the Franco Canadian Goalie School in Toronto when "Cujo" played for the Maple Leafs. He began to idolize Joseph and his iconic mask. His father even bought the future Blues star a youth goalie mask with a custom styling similar to Joseph's.
As a professional in the St. Louis organization, Binnington first paid tribute to "Cujo" with a mask he debuted in 2014 that featured an image of Joseph on its side. But on Nov. 21, Feb. 27 and March 31, the 2019 Stanley Cup champion will don a new version of the rabid dog mask that features a portrait of Joseph himself, a drawing of the Blues legend in action and the nickname "Cujo" on its right side.
New Jordan Binnington Cujo inspired mask. What do you think @Cujo ? pic.twitter.com/AGKKenQwN9
— St. Louis Game Time (@StLouisGameTime) October 16, 2019
"It's cool," Binnington told the Blues' website. "'Cujo' was a big part of my childhood motivation. It's cool to be in a position where I'm able to wear a mask resembling his and give a small gratitude to the influence he had on not only me but cities of people."
The mask features the deeper blue color, as well as noticeable red and yellow that highlight the throwback jerseys the Blues will wear during those games. Binnington will wear blue pads, a blue blocker and glove featuring splashes of red to complete the throwback look, in contrast to his typical white padding with blue and yellow streaks.
COWABUNGA!!! #stlblues https://t.co/Iivj0xvjGu pic.twitter.com/F1BLNNXtKu
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) September 14, 2019
Joseph played for six teams over a 19-season NHL career that ended after the 2008-09 season.