Keepers out of the crease

[davetheblaze]

Talking of respecting keeper I have just been watching some old time hockey, fixed posts and keepers without masks.

Not sure if the keepers were brave or insane or a bit of both.

Thanks for the links by the way.

[Claret & Blue Army]

Talking of keepers without masks makes me recollect some old time footage from a few decades gone where helmets weren't used (?) Not sure if memory is playing tricks so does anyone know roughly when the equipment we now take for granted first came into being?

[Carpo]

From Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Plante

-snip-

His greatest contribution to the game, however, occurred on November 1, 1959. He was hit in the face by a shot from New York Rangers player Andy Bathgate. He went to the dressing room for stitches. When he returned, he was wearing a goalie mask. His coach, Toe Blake, was livid, but he had no other goalie to call upon and Plante refused to return to the goal unless he kept the mask. Blake agreed on the condition that Plante discard the mask when the cut healed. Only Camille Henry beat him in that game which the Canadiens won 3-1. In the ensuing days Plante refused to discard the mask, and as the Canadiens continued to win, Blake became less obstinate. The winning streak stretched to 18 games. Plante didn't wear the mask, at Blake's request, against Detroit on March 8, 1960. The Canadiens lost 3-0, and the mask returned for good the next night. Plante designed his own mask and masks for other goalies. Hall of Famer Bernie Parent was among those who wore Plante's masks. Although Plante was not the first NHL goalie to wear a face mask (the honor going to Montreal Maroons goaltender Clint Benedict), Plante was the person who introduced the mask as everyday equipment, which continues to this day.

[davetheblaze]

Anyone know who the last NHL skater to play without a helmet was and a bonus for who can name the NM who introduced decorated keeper masks and how they came to be.

[PW]

Craig McTavish, Edmonton Oilers, was the last to not wear a helmet, and the first decorated goalie mask was, I believe, that of Gerry Cheevers, who painted stitches all over his mask as a joke...