Catalog of Best Goalie Masks in NHL History

[Killion]

Would have to a little research to find out for sure who it is pictured, but the mask cage is the Streit one.

Here is where it is mentioned on the 'Hockey Blog in Canada' a couple years ago:
Hockey Blog In Canada: Unsafe Safety Equipment?

Huh. Very interesting. At $1500 a pop and all things being relative when it comes to the cost of equipment not bad as you'd have a unit like that for life however.... absent CSA & US Safety Standards Branch approvals... I dont think you'd be allowed to actually use it in North America in organized hockey. Maybe Beer League I suppose but beyond that.... certainly based on that article, no welds, materials used, custom fitted with zero visual obstruction you'd think it a slam dunk for safety standards approval over here, adopted by NHL goalies, everyone else.... Nice find on that link there gr.

 

[Sanf]

Ive seen a few pictures of goalies wearing helmets, no masks, and yes, find it strange.... This guy however, he kicked "strange" up a few notches. Points for creativity, experimentation.... only thing I can figure is that he must have been recovering from a previous injury, dental work.... broken nose perhaps.

Swedes seemed to strugle on the change to mask. There were lot of experimental helmet "cage" kind of combos. Curt Larsson´s was the most minimalistic that I have seen. I guess it may be injury, but could well be just the minimal protection to pass the rules. Few other examples. First two by Wille Löfqvist, third by Christer Abris

 

[Killion]

....Curt Larsson´s was the most minimalistic that I have seen.

Ya, certainly very "minimalist", good way to describe it. Really quite interesting, unique.

 

[Olden McGroin]

Steve Shields' tribute to Gerry Cheevers:

 

[Killion]

^^^ Gotta say.... thats just not working. Poor Shields there looks like he had an accident with a threshing machine or something... Appreciate the nod to Cheevers' n' all but just... no. That really only works on a face flush mask. Old school.

 

[TheAngryHank]

Always fond of Kings goalie Jamie Storr " King Tut" mask,it was a beauty.

 

[DowntownBooster]

Swedes seemed to strugle on the change to mask. There were lot of experimental helmet "cage" kind of combos. Curt Larsson´s was the most minimalistic that I have seen. I guess it may be injury, but could well be just the minimal protection to pass the rules. Few other examples. First two by Wille Löfqvist, third by Christer Abris

It would appear that Curt Larsson later changed to a more protective mask while playing for Sweden in the picture below. Also included below is a picture of the mask he later wore while playing for the Winnipeg Jets.

 

[Killion]

... a little off topic but worth the trip... thats Frank Beaton crowding Larsson there & Larsson wise to get his stick up & keep him at bey. Frank quite the piece of work to put it mildly.... Hair Trigger you didnt want going off anywhere near you.... www.greatesthockeylegends.com/2015/10/frank-beaton.html

 

[DowntownBooster]

1970/71 - George Gardner (Vancouver) and Phil Roberto (Montreal) in NHL action

 

[Killion]

^^^ Great shot DB. Thx 4 sharing.

 

[DowntownBooster]

New York Rangers - Hardy Astrom

 

[DowntownBooster]

Atlanta Flames - Phil Myre

 

[Killion]

^^^ Man theres a couple of good ones. Hardy's looks like he used automotive paint.... Note the difference in the size of the eye cutouts.... I tried one of the Plante masks, couldnt deal with the restricted vision & found them cumbersome, hot.... Couple of models available off the shelf as well as custom. Great looking mask but for me, no, no thanks Jacques. I did try though.

 

[Olden McGroin]

John Garrett wore some colorful designs:

 

[Killion]

^^^ Those are some seriously nice (and now vintage circa 1983) D&R pads he's got on in his Vancouver days........................... and they look to my eye to be a bit oversized in terms of width, possibly illegal.

 

[yukoner88]

^^^ Those are some seriously nice (and now vintage circa 1983) D&R pads he's got on in his Vancouver days........................... and they look to my eye to be a bit oversized in terms of width, possibly illegal.

Must've been a Tony Esposito fan lol

 

[Killion]

Must've been a Tony Esposito fan lol

Garrett? Perhaps so huh? Tony telling him about that trick with the weights & kapok.

 

[Olden McGroin]

Pre - stitches Cheevers

And his old partner, Eddie Johnston

 

[cupcrazyman]

Some of the worst teams had the best goalie masks.

 

[Howie Hodge]

Don Edwards originally wore a mask/helmet combination when he was called up by Buffalo...

 

[Killion]

^^^ .... Great shots of Edwards & Cheevers up there
wearing their Lefty Wilson creations... EJ with the "pretzel"...

 

[Doctor No]

Paul Harrison (not Gerry Desjardins) is here!

 

[Howie Hodge]

Paul Harrison (not Gerry Desjardins) is here!

I remember Paul Harrison! Blink and you missed him! Played in maybe a half dozen games in Buffalo around 1982. Didn't look so good, outside of his mask!!

 

[Howie Hodge]

Variations of Jacques Plante's masks: (Team mate Bernie Parent wore the same last few.)

A team mate wore this version when I played. The angles had been created to better deflect shots that struck the mask..

Just a cool picture of two greats; Tretiak and Plante:

 

[David Bruce Banner]

My mask from Peewee hockey...