Catalog of Best Goalie Masks in NHL History

[Boxscore]

Quite correct, as noted in the link... see Dan Bouchard in the menu bar.

I knew it! Remember reading it somewhere. Yeah, that mask collection is nasty! I have a Parent, Lindbergh, Dryden and Cheevers. One day will add the Bouchard flame, Rogie crowns, Giacomin wings.

 

[Killion]

I knew it! Remember reading it somewhere. Yeah, that mask collection is nasty! I have a Parent, Lindbergh, Dryden and Cheevers. One day will add the Bouchard flame, Rogie crowns, Giacomin wings.

Oh yeah? The start of a great mask collection then as well & nice touch, good eye on that Lindbergh mask... See if you can get one from all of the old mask makers, a Lefty Wilson, some Harrisons etc.... our own @Bear of Bad News also collects them I believe.... Sadly, I lost, misplaced my Harrison that he made for me back in the day during one of many moves in my 20's along with my equipment.

 

[Boxscore]

Oh yeah? The start of a great mask collection then as well & nice touch, good eye on that Lindbergh mask... See if you can get one from all of the old mask makers, a Lefty Wilson, some Harrisons etc.... our own @Bear of Bad News also collects them I believe.... Sadly, I lost, misplaced my Harrison that he made for me back in the day during one of many moves in my 20's along with my equipment.

Oh man, that's awful news.

My Cheevers is a Harrison, my Dryden a Don Scott, Parent a Tom Connauton, and Lindbergh a DeLuca. I'll tell you, DeLuca does some really sharp work!

 

[Killion]

Oh man, that's awful news.

My Cheevers is a Harrison, my Dryden a Don Scott, Parent a Tom Connauton, and Lindbergh a DeLuca. I'll tell you, DeLuca does some really sharp work!

Yeah those are nice masks. He's really up on every design change down to the smallest detail. Reasonable prices.

 

[blues10]

Never been able to figure out how to add photos since the crossover but I always found the Dave Dryden mask from 78-79 to be interesting as it seemed to pave the way for the masks of today. Don't know if it was the first or not or who designed or any such facts.

 

[Howie Hodge]

sorry if this has been posted earlier

but what the hell is this?

Ha! Resembles a leather face protector worn by Clint Benedict for a broken nose.

I remember, as a 15 year old, taking a stick to the mouth, and my father panicking, and finding me, much to my dismay, a similar device, made out of plastic. Made by Cooper - but I can't find any pictures of it. It was a nuisance to say the least. I ended up wearing a plastic visor shortly thereafter.

A couple months later full facial protection was mandated, so we all looked the same again...

Looked like this, minus the sides....

 

[DowntownBooster]

Have to love the Dan Bouchard Flames mask. The most underrated of all-time IMO.

Dan Bouchard's mask was pretty cool as was that of Bernie Parent when he played for the Philadelphia Blazers. Unfortunately, we only got to see Parent's mask for the 1972-73 season before he returned to the NHL and joined the Flyers.

 

[Boxscore]

Dan Bouchard's mask was pretty cool as was that of Bernie Parent when he played for the Philadelphia Blazers. Unfortunately, we only got to see Parent's mask for the 1972-73 season before he returned to the NHL and joined the Flyers.

DB, I loved this Bernie mask!!

 

[Boxscore]

Which would be the better add for a Flyers fan?

or

 

[Johnny Engine]

Which would be the better add for a Flyers fan?

or

If you don't have the resources to get the second one, you can always get a spray tan and some wacky winged sunglasses

 

[Killion]

Which would be the better add for a Flyers fan?

or

.... is that the Wayne Stephenson mask?..... one word Boxscore..... ...... God no..... You already have a Parent Flyers mask yes?.... Cuz what I'd buy if I were collecting.... I'd get me Bernies Backup, the inimitable Bobby Taylor's mask. Similar to Doug Favell's "Sunburst" mask only Bobby's is black & white rather than orange, also a nicer mask, made by Harrison I believe.

 

[Boxscore]

.... is that the Wayne Stephenson mask?..... one word Boxscore..... ...... God no..... You already have a Parent Flyers mask yes?.... Cuz what I'd buy if I were collecting.... I'd get me Bernies Backup, the inimitable Bobby Taylor's mask. Similar to Doug Favell's "Sunburst" mask only Bobby's is black & white rather than orange, also a nicer mask, made by Harrison I believe.

Lol, yes, Stephenson. The Taylor b/w and Favell pumpkin head were simple and great!

 

[Killion]

Lol, yes, Stephenson. The Taylor b/w and Favell pumpkin head were simple and great!

... what I thought. Wayne Freakin Stephenson..... and ya, love the Taylor mask. Very Betelegeuse. Much nicer than Favells "sunburst" IMO.... though ideally? Get both. Doug Favell & Bernie Parent have quite the history, playing Junior together etc. So for Philly to finish off your collection I'd add the Favell & Taylor..... Bobby..... Bobby Bobby Bobby.... we hardly knew ye'... poor guy, goes from 1st Backup to Parent to 4th in Pittsburgh behind some guy named Gordie Laxton, Gary Inness & Michel Plasse.. posting a 5.38GAA in the 2 games in which he appeared... filing his Retirement Papers shortly thereafter.... But hey... Great Mask!.

 

[DowntownBooster]

Bernie Wolfe

 

[Killion]

^^^ Geez, poor Bernie there. Played his entire career with Washington, 75-79... one of if not the worst teams all time, first goalie they signed.... after retiring when asked if he missed it said with a straight face & seriously "no, not at all". ... great looking mask, full setup.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Late 7os Cincinnati Stingers mask, kinda cool.. in old reruns of WKRP, u can see a vintage pennant hanging in their radio booth. Stingers didn't last long..

 

[Asheville]

 

[FerrisRox]

I believe that was the last molded mask he wore, retiring it, going with the helmet-cage combo when he arrived in Calgary with the Flames.... his stay in Cowtown brief however, a dozen or so games before being traded to Quebec.

Bouchard also wore the helmet cage at the end of his time in Atlanta.

 

[Babe Ruth]

This mask is slick; looks good with the white sweater..

 

[FerrisRox]

^^^ Geez, poor Bernie there. Played his entire career with Washington, 75-79... one of if not the worst teams all time, first goalie they signed.... after retiring when asked if he missed it said with a straight face & seriously "no, not at all". ... great looking mask, full setup.

In 1992, with the league set to add new franchises in Ottawa and Tampa Bay, the Washington Capitals tried to re-sign Bernie Wolfe to a contract. Wolfe, who had retired in 1979, was 40 years old at the time and had long since moved on from his hockey career. The NHL, quickly figuring out that the Capitals were trying to sign Wolfe so he could be exposed in the Expansion Draft as an "available goaltender" nixed the contract before it could even be signed.

Phil Esposito, who was a part owner of the Tampa franchise as well as its General Manager had this to say about the Capitals attempted shenanigans: "I didn't just pay $50 million for Bernie Wolfe. He wasn't any good when I played against him."

The Capitals instead inked veteran Steve Weeks to a contract and exposed him in the Expansion Draft. Though both teams passed on him in the draft, a couple of months later the Caps shipped him to the Senators for future considerations. Weeks would ultimately play seven games for Ottawa posting a 7.22 goals against average before retiring in mid-season to take a goalie coach job in Hartford.

Imagine being a Whaler goalie and your new coach just finished posting a 7.22GAA along with a .792 save percentage!

 

[Asheville]

This mask is slick; looks good with the white sweater..

Looked just amazing with the black sweaters.

 

[Howie Hodge]

The ugly arse mask - helmet combination Buffalo's Don Edwards used to wear:

Uncle Roy Edwards wore something similar briefly also....

 

[Killion]

The ugly arse mask - helmet combination Buffalo's Don Edwards used to wear:

View attachment 122175

Uncle Roy Edwards wore something similar briefly also....

View attachment 122177

Yeah that truly was a rather hideous & frankly pretty ridiculous combination. That model of mask notoriously flimsy as it was so to even bother adding what looks like some kinda jury rigged skull cap..... thats nothing more than a placebo. Probably cause more damage than if you went bare faced & headed..... so rather like a Kamikaze pilot & their helmets.. like, why bother? Your not coming back Son. Why not enjoy your last flight? Sun on your face, wind whistling through your hair, ear holes....

 

[Don Straus]

Those are both Brian Hayward. The in-action shot is painted by Greg Harrison (and a Harrison made) and the lower was knock off version on an Armadillo mask he wore briefly.

Hrudey never wore that design nor
did he wear a cats eye cage on his mask, he was always a bird cage guy.

Just rolled across this cool thread!
Some great masks to choose from.
Sadly, you have got your timeline inverted. The Armadilla was the original mask/design, and worn the early part of the '91 season. Harrison's knock off - to use your words - showed up later. Thanks.

 

[FerrisRox]

Just rolled across this cool thread!
Some great masks to choose from.
Sadly, you have got your timeline inverted. The Armadilla was the original mask/design, and worn the early part of the '91 season. Harrison's knock off - to use your words - showed up later. Thanks.

I'm not sure that it's sad. lol

He actually wore three different masks in San Jose. Or, at least, he wore two different cages on the Harrison mask. There was a version with a black cage, that looked great cause it was fastened to the part of the mask that was pure black representing the open mouth of the shark but he also wore that mask with a white cage that never looked quite as good.