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The Man Who Got Hockey Goalies To Wear Masks
Before that, goalies played barefaced, no masks.
In modern hockey, the goalie mask is an iconic symbol. Goalies go to great lengths to customize their masks with special symbolism or intimidating features. If a goalie’s mask comes off during play or gets damaged, a stoppage is ordered immediately. But this was not always the case. In the early days of hockey, goalies didn’t wear masks. They didn’t wear any protective headgear at all. This was called “barefaced” goaltending, and it is a relic of the past that seems outrageous today. How could you stand in front of a skater coming at you at full speed and risk taking a puck to the face? That is what they did. Game after game, goalies stood in the breach and put their bodies on the line.
Between 1930 and 1960, there were a few failed attempts to get goalies to mask up. However, hockey culture quickly quashed the idea. Goalies were supposed to be tough. Masks would show weakness. They might also inhibit the goalie’s ability to see the puck. No one wanted to put their goalies in masks and risk losing games. Safety be damned. Toughness and alertness were much more important than the potential to lose a few teeth.
There was no large push by goalies to make masks a standard thing for the game. It was one man who finally put his foot down and…
