Minnesota Historical Society buys goalie mask designed by Native artist, worn by Fleury

A piece of hockey history that was created to honor Indigenous people has been purchased by the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS).

The goalie mask designed by Mdewakanton Dakota artist Cole Redhorse Taylor and worn by Marc-André Fleury during warmups of the Minnesota Wild’s Native American Heritage Night in November was sold to MNHS at an auction for $35,100. That money goes to support the Minnesota Wild Foundation and the American Indian Family Center.

“This mask is at the intersection of contemporary Native arts, sports memorabilia, and current discourses on the tension between sports and politics,” said Angelica Maier, the curator of 3D objects at MNHS. “Bringing the mask into the MNHS collections will further our ongoing effort to bring forward, tell, and preserve Minnesota’s stories.”

Fleury wore the mask to honor his wife, Véronique Larosee Fleury, who is an Indigenous person of Canada, despite pushback from the league.

“In doing that, he sort of stood in solidarity with Native American people,” Maier added.

An MNHS team met with Fleury to accept the mask and a signed Native American Heritage jersey on Wednesday, then showed off the acquisitions to the media.

Maier says MNHS doesn’t have any plans yet to exhibit the items, as they first need to be collected by the conservation team and preserved. However, staff members are working to come up with ideas for how it can be displayed publicly.

“We’re confident in that and excited that it’s part of our collection, Minnesota’s collection so it’s not just in a private collector’s home but the people of Minnesota will be able to share and enjoy this for years to come, which is exciting,” Maier said.

Fleury recorded his 552nd win in the NHL on Monday night, putting him in sole possession of second place on the career list.