Why don't goalies wear the hasek-style mask anymore?

[ShelbyZ]

I swear I remember somewhere toward the end of Osgood's career the Wings had Mickey Redmond put out a live WTB ad during a game looking to buy SK2000's and parts.

 

[Macbanan]

Wow I never realized how big the holes are for the eyes on modern helmets. When we played pond hockey when we were like 11-15 we played with small pucks, those would have gone straight through I think. We mostly played without goalies but sometimes one would have some old goalie gear.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

They're harder to shake off to get a whistle when your defense is pinned in your own zone.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

They're ugly. Goaltending is all about looking good.

 

[Dexter Colt]

Even weirder is that photo is from the 2010’s and the bucket has the old CCM logo from 90s-early 2000’s on it.

I'd imagine they just had an old sticker lying around, although it'd be funny if CCM provided their sponsoree with an outdated logo.

I thinks it’s an older Jofa though. Reebok bought CCM and Jofa years ago before selling CCM again. Probably couldn’t use the Jofa name on it.

I think the helmet in the above photos is really just the Warwick with stickers or logos painted on it. Not sure if Warwick ever paid the equipment licensing fees for NHL (or Swiss NLA if they have such rules). For example, Jonathan Quick uses their masks but never has Warwick's logos on them.

 

[JianYang]

I'm surprised no one mentionned Andy Moog with Canada in the 1988 Olympics. With the full glass mask View attachment 376075

Now that is something I've never seen on a goalie.

 

[Lacaar]

I've wondered the same myself.

I've read those old masks are safer but can impact performance. Vision/Weight etc?

It's a bit hypocritic by the goalies imo.

The pads got bigger to protect their limbs and chest.
The helmets got smaller/lighter making them less protective against the puck/concussions.

Old Glenn Healy article but perhaps still relevant

Perhaps things are different and the mask are just as safe. I wouldn't be the least bit shocked if it wasn't though.

The competitive advantage at that level of sports is just worth more than the debatable safety aspects I think.

 

[ElLeetch]

I think it also has to do with puck impact. the newer tapered goalie helmets allows the puck to deflect/glance better, than the old ones, which would take a more direct impact from a shot.

 

[al secord]

I love the look of the old cages...my two favorite goalies growing up wore them, at least for a while (Wregget eventually switched).

That said, I hated playing with those things and immediately switched to the modern mask. Hell, a lot of baseball catchers have done the same, though in this case the old style is actually safer.

Some still do, I think it's mostly a comfort thing. If a goalie has a close call they're more likely to use it...Fleury has had multiple neck guards break on him, so he's not about to risk what would happen if they weren't there.

I used to unbuckle my cage because of Kenny Wregget. I wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed back then.

 

[HabsQC]

You mean the legendary Martin Prusek style helmet right ?

 

[Hoser]

Wow I never realized how big the holes are for the eyes on modern helmets. When we played pond hockey when we were like 11-15 we played with small pucks, those would have gone straight through I think. We mostly played without goalies but sometimes one would have some old goalie gear.

They're not really any bigger than the "cat's eye" cages on older combo masks. It has been an issue for a long time, that's why they're not certified for use by Hockey Canada and haven't been for years. For example, Mario Lessard's mask from 1982:

The only goalie I remember at the NHL level who wore a combo mask and didn't use a cat's eye cage was John Vanbiesbrouck.

 

[Windy River]

I think Cloutier was the last Goalie to wear the cooper style. He looked badass in it. He started to wear the current style of mask in LA but it didnt suit him.

Top 3 Goaltender in canucks history dont care what anyone says. #2 on my list.

I must be reading this wrong.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

They're not really any bigger than the "cat's eye" cages on older combo masks. It has been an issue for a long time, that's why they're not certified for use by Hockey Canada and haven't been for years. For example, Mario Lessard's mask from 1982:

Lol that's definitely not a replica..the puck would go right through those eyes.

 

[Luc Labelle]

You left me no choice.

So uh you don't like the old time goalie masks huh?!

.

 

[Human]

Cause they're super unsafe.

I bet it’d be your favorite if MAF was wearing one...

 

[Dexter Colt]

Since the discussion has moved to include the cage parts, I feel like putting this Swiss oddity here.

I remember watching some Rapperswil games and being both amazed and slightly creeped out.

 

[dortt]

Hasek used to use his head fairly routinely to make saves.

When goalies are hit in the head with the modern mask, thy tend to be stunned a bit and the game has to be stopped. Dom continued on like nothing happened

 

[FerrisRox]

The only goalie I remember at the NHL level who wore a combo mask and didn't use a cat's eye cage was John Vanbiesbrouck.

Tim Thomas, Roland Melanson, Don Beaupre and Mike Liut did as well.

 

[Dexter Colt]

Tim Thomas, Roland Melanson, Don Beaupre and Mike Liut did as well.

Kelly Hrudey, too, if not yet mentioned.

 

[yukoner88]

Hasek used to use his head fairly routinely to make saves.

When goalies are hit in the head with the modern mask, thy tend to be stunned a bit and the game ahs to be stopped. Dom continued on like nothing happened

You also have to take into account that hasek is a basket case and freak of nature

 

[ottomaddox]

I think goalies and those that design them have a bigger question to answer:

why are your designs so bad?

no current goalie can hold a candle to the masks of the 70's, 80's, and a bit of the early 90's.

 

[FerrisRox]

Kelly Hrudey, too, if not yet mentioned.

Ah, you are correct, toward the end of his time in Los Angeles and during his Sharks years he wore it.

 

[Macbanan]

They're not really any bigger than the "cat's eye" cages on older combo masks. It has been an issue for a long time, that's why they're not certified for use by Hockey Canada and haven't been for years. For example, Mario Lessard's mask from 1982:

The only goalie I remember at the NHL level who wore a combo mask and didn't use a cat's eye cage was John Vanbiesbrouck.

That's interesting I had no idea. My idea of old masks is probably based of of a handful of masks I saw growing up in the 90's and early 2000's in Sweden. Found an article that claimed the reason for the cat-eyes being non-certified was that sticks could get through, along with an informative picture. I wonder if small pucks getting through could be an additional reason, but I have no idea how common they even are.

 

[blundluntman]

I have no idea tbh but I'm eternally grateful. Man those buckets are ugly to look at (sorry Hasek & Tretiak)

 

[Lainehasaweirdface]

Hasek style masks are unnattractive. It hinders them from finding potential mates

This led to goalies with the Hasek mask mutation not being able to pass on their genes and so the mutation has all but died out out of the gene pool. Sad, but that's just nature.