Catalog of Best Goalie Masks in NHL History

FerrisRox

"Wanna go, Prettyboy?"
Sep 17, 2003
20,266
12,895
Toronto, Ontario
lorenz.jpg


Not NHL. It's IHL. Love this set up by Danny Lorenz

I used to have that exact same ITECH throat guard. It attached to your cage with a black plastic thing that snapped into place. Problem was, the minute a puck hit it, the black plastic thing shattered. Within weeks of adding it to my mask, both black plastic things had been destroyed and it was attached to my cage with shoelaces our trainer replaced them with.

I also had that same Heaton blocker (though mine was white.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Killion

MarkusKetterer

Shoulda got one game in
I used to have that exact same ITECH throat guard. It attached to your cage with a black plastic thing that snapped into place. Problem was, the minute a puck hit it, the black plastic thing shattered. Within weeks of adding it to my mask, both black plastic things had been destroyed and it was attached to my cage with shoelaces our trainer replaced them with.

I also had that same Heaton blocker (though mine was white.)

I used to have a helmet that looked the same, but wasn't a Jofa. I honestly couldn't even tell you the name of it, but I am 99.98% sure that it wasn't meant for actual hockey use. I'm surprised at this point in my life I am not tasting every window I see :laugh:
 

Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
3,211
I used to have that exact same ITECH throat guard. It attached to your cage with a black plastic thing that snapped into place. Problem was, the minute a puck hit it, the black plastic thing shattered. Within weeks of adding it to my mask, both black plastic things had been destroyed and it was attached to my cage with shoelaces our trainer replaced them with.

I also had that same Heaton blocker (though mine was white.)

I didnt know youd played Goal Ferris... had I known, wouldve been a lot nicer to you in the past. :laugh:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tarantula

McGuillicuddy

Registered User
Sep 6, 2005
1,296
198
I used to have that exact same ITECH throat guard. It attached to your cage with a black plastic thing that snapped into place. Problem was, the minute a puck hit it, the black plastic thing shattered. Within weeks of adding it to my mask, both black plastic things had been destroyed and it was attached to my cage with shoelaces our trainer replaced them with.

I also had that same Heaton blocker (though mine was white.)

Odd. I have that Itech thing on an HM30 (mounted to a SK2000) and it survives to this day. It hasn't seen action for a while (decades, actually :) ) but I used it for a few years during university with no problems.
 

FerrisRox

"Wanna go, Prettyboy?"
Sep 17, 2003
20,266
12,895
Toronto, Ontario
Odd. I have that Itech thing on an HM30 (mounted to a SK2000) and it survives to this day. It hasn't seen action for a while (decades, actually :) ) but I used it for a few years during university with no problems.

I never quite understood the rationale for making it solid white. A throat protector that is made of clear plastic and therefore doesn't restrict sight lines at your feet is clearly better. Not sure what ITECH's reasoning was to make it all white.
 

Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
3,211
Marv Edwards

Cp5UchtWIAABFaL.jpg

Tripped across one other possibility as to possible maker on this one DB..... guy by the name of Ray Nagle who worked out of New York City, including MSG where you would go to get fitted with a plaster of paris mold made up circa mid to late 60's & early 70's. Rays's early masks do resemble this one worn by Marv so a toss-up me thinks between the aforementioned & discussed Ramsay & Nagle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DowntownBooster

Howie Hodge

Zombie Woof
Sep 16, 2017
4,422
4,027
Buffalo, NY
Speaking of the Edwards goalie family, the contraption Don first wore for The Sabres still conjures up shivers.....

RSCN9944.JPG


Don was Roy's nephew. I can't remember if Marv and Gary were related to them. All from Southern Ontario, all 5'8 - 5'9".

Killion - help! lol
 

DowntownBooster

Registered User
Jun 21, 2011
3,202
2,414
Winnipeg
Tripped across one other possibility as to possible maker on this one DB..... guy by the name of Ray Nagle who worked out of New York City, including MSG where you would go to get fitted with a plaster of paris mold made up circa mid to late 60's & early 70's. Rays's early masks do resemble this one worn by Marv so a toss-up me thinks between the aforementioned & discussed Ramsay & Nagle.

You could be on to something with that one Killion. Ray Nagle made the following mask for Sal Messina who was a goalie in the Eastern Hockey League and was also a backup to Jacques Plante with the Rangers in 1964-65. The holes in the mask definitely resemble those on the mask of Marv Edwards.

59270a52a8988.image.jpg


As you mentioned about Ray Nagle working out of New York City, I also found the following tidbit about him from an article in the Queens Chronicle dated May 25, 2017 - "In addition to Messina, Nagle’s masks were worn by most of the goalies in New York’s Metropolitan Hockey League and by several of the pros who defended the crease for the Long Island Ducks of the Eastern Hockey League. His masks were also used in magazine ads, and he even made one for “Jason,” the infamous big-screen slasher, which was used on a poster advertising the release of “Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter” (Part IV). But most of his masks were made for non-serial-killer goaltenders who played in and around New York City."

:jets
 

Tarantula

Hanging around the web
Aug 31, 2017
4,451
2,863
GTA
Looks like some equipment changes from the two photos, don't recall seeing a blocker with the V pattern before. Love the photos from the 60's/70's, nice post.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DowntownBooster

DowntownBooster

Registered User
Jun 21, 2011
3,202
2,414
Winnipeg
Looks like some equipment changes from the two photos, don't recall seeing a blocker with the V pattern before. Love the photos from the 60's/70's, nice post.

Yes, the blocker with the V pattern is unique. That picture is from the 1973-74 season with New England. It appears that he began using that blocker when he joined the WHA in 1972-73 after leaving the NHL. Previously with Pittsburgh and later Detroit he used the standard Cooper blocker. In regards to his goal mask, the first one above with New England was the same he wore with Pittsburgh and Detroit as well as for the first year that he returned to the NHL with Buffalo in 1975-76. While he was with the Sabres he later changed his mask to the style of the second picture above with New England. When the Whalers joined the NHL in 1979-80, Smith would change to a helmet cage mask.

c0db64bb9b9cb935acb8ecd214defa2d.jpg
asmith.jpg
smith.jpg
s-l300.jpg
844364.jpg
smith.jpg


:jets
 

Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
3,211
You could be on to something with that one Killion. Ray Nagle made the following mask for Sal Messina who was a goalie in the Eastern Hockey League and was also a backup to Jacques Plante with the Rangers in 1964-65. The holes in the mask definitely resemble those on the mask of Marv Edwards.

59270a52a8988.image.jpg


As you mentioned about Ray Nagle working out of New York City, I also found the following tidbit about him from an article in the Queens Chronicle dated May 25, 2017 - "In addition to Messina, Nagle’s masks were worn by most of the goalies in New York’s Metropolitan Hockey League and by several of the pros who defended the crease for the Long Island Ducks of the Eastern Hockey League. His masks were also used in magazine ads, and he even made one for “Jason,” the infamous big-screen slasher, which was used on a poster advertising the release of “Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter” (Part IV). But most of his masks were made for non-serial-killer goaltenders who played in and around New York City."

:jets

Nice digging. And ya, Im suspecting that mask Marv Edwards was sporting was indeed a Nagle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DowntownBooster

Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
3,211
Speaking of the Edwards goalie family, the contraption Don first wore for The Sabres still conjures up shivers.....

View attachment 142397

Don was Roy's nephew. I can't remember if Marv and Gary were related to them. All from Southern Ontario, all 5'8 - 5'9".

Killion - help! lol

:laugh: .... Dont think the latter 2 are related to the former but ya, I hear ya. The 2 names of Edwards & Smith in goaltending circles prolific & confusing.
 

Danny46

Registered User
Dec 28, 2015
456
200
Coolest masks for me, Ed Belfour (anywhere he played but especially Chicago), Mike Richter, John Vanbiesbrouck (Florida Panthers), and i don't know why i just love Tretiak simple cage mask playing for the URSS, it just combines with the equipment so well and gives this feeling of him being a hockey machine...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Babe Ruth

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->