Why did NHL goalies not wear masks?

Plante had previously worn his mask in practice, but head coach Toe Blake refused to allow him to wear it in a game, fearing it would inhibit his vision. Although Plante faced some laughter, the face-hugging fiberglass goaltender mask soon became the standard; by late 1969, only a few NHL goaltenders went without one.

When did goalie masks become mandatory?

1959
In the 1950s, minor-hockey goalies began wearing clear-plastic shields. But it wasn’t until 1959 that the goalie mask truly arrived. Owners were very much against covering up players’ faces.

Why was the goalie mask invented?

Jacques Plante, hockey legend and goalie for the Montreal Canadiens hockey team (1954-1963), designed and built the first-ever fibreglass mask in 1956 to protect himself from being injured by flying pucks. At that time, he wore it during practices only. But, since the team was winning, he got his way.

When did hockey goalies start wearing helmets?

Nov. 1, 1959
Jacque Plante On Nov. 1, 1959, after a shot by the Rangers’ Andy Bathgate broke his nose and opened a cut requiring seven stitches, Plante forced coach Toe Blake to allow him to wear a mask he had been developing and using in practice, becoming the first to make a goalie mask a regular piece of equipment.

Did Gump Worsley wear a mask?

Worsley was vehemently opposed to wearing a mask. He was the second-to-last professional hockey goaltender to play without a mask. Andy Brown of the Indianapolis Racers was the last, the following season—wearing a mask in the last six games of his career. Worsley was also well known for his fear of flying.

Who was the first goalie to wear a mask in an NHL game?

Jacques Plante
Hockey legend Jacques Plante became the first National Hockey League goalie to regularly wear a mask on today’s date in 1959.

Who was the last goalie to play without a mask?

Andy Brown
The last NHL goalie to play without a mask was Andy Brown of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1974.

Who was the first hockey goalie to wear a mask?

Nov 1, 1959: After taking a shot to the face, Jacques Plante returns to the game becoming the first goalie to regularly wear a protective mask.

Who was the last NHL goalie without a mask?

Who Wore first goalie mask?

When did Jason get his hockey mask?

Friday the 13th (2009) Jason got his hockey mask after Donnie tore off his burlap sack and the exposure caused an enraged Jason to kill him.

When did Gump Worsley start wearing a mask?

Asked why he refused a mask, Worsley explained, “It’s too late to start worrying about preserving this kisser.” But after playing 23 games for the North Stars in the 1973-74 season, he tried wearing a mask for six games.

How have goalie masks changed over time?

A look back at iconic goaltender masks from Jacques Plante to Carey Price. From simple face protectors to works of art, goalie masks have seen quite the evolution since Nov. 1, 1959, the night Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante skated onto the Madison Square Garden ice with a plain white shield.

Who wore the first full-face mask in an NHL game?

Fifty years ago Sunday night, Nov. 1, Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante wore the first full-face goalie mask in a NHL game. To fete the occasion, NHL Network is airing a one-hour special, “50 Years Behind the Mask,” Sunday at 7 ET (also streamed live here at NHL.com).

Who was the first goalie to get stitches on his mask?

Gerry Cheevers. In 1968, Boston’s Gerry Cheevers became the first to have markings on his goalie mask. Every time a puck hit his mask, Bruins trainer John “Frosty” Forristall drew stitches on the mask to indicate where the injury would have occurred.

Why didn’t Mikko Plante wear a mask in the NHL?

It wasn’t just that no goalie before him had ever worn a mask during a game in the NHL, but that his coaches, including head coach Toe Blake, thought it would hinder his vision, and therefore told Plante he would not be able to wear the mask.