Unmasking Hockey Masks

This book here is from 1977. It is called Hockey Masks And The Great Goalies Who Wear Them.

Published by Tundra Books and written by Michael M. Cutler, the book features paintings by the author that replicate the goalie masks of Ken Dryden (cover), Pete Lopresti, Dan Bouchard, Gerry Desjardins, Mike Palmateer, Curt Ridley, Glenn Resch, Ed Giacomin, Dave Dryden, Gilles Gratton, Bernie Parent, Gilles Meloche, Joe Daley, Ron Low, Rogie Vachon, Gerry Cheevers, Ed Staniowski, Denis Herron, Michel Plasse, and Vladislav Tretiak.

Cutler came back with a 22 page bilingual follow-up book in 1983. Grant Fuhr's mask graced the cover of Great Hockey Masks.

Cutler's books may have been the first books ever dedicated to the art of the goalie masks. Fast forward to 2008 and we have two noteworthy publications completely dedicated to goalie mask art work.

The first is Wiley's Saving Face: The Art And History Of The Goalie Mask. Written by Jim Hynes and Gary Smith research the complete history of the goalie mask in great detail. Their work on the mask's evolution and key innovators makes for fascinating reading. Of course the book also doubles as a brilliant coffee table book as 150 masks are pictured.

Then there is The Hockey News' special interest publication The Greatest Masks Of All Time. It is essentially a collector's edition magazine special, not a book. Still, THN comes through with brilliant photography and a brigade of top writers to keep you busy for hours. THN's title tends to be slanted much more towards recent and current goalies.

Goalie afficionados looking for new hockey books about puckstoppers should consider Patrick Roy's biography (written by father Michel Roy) and Night Work: The Sawchuk Poems

The Hockey News: Greatest Masks Of All Time

First Jim Hynes and Gary Smith released their new book Saving Face: The Art And History Of The Goalie Mask.

Then the Hockey History Blogger listed his Top 10 Goalie Masks Of All Time.

Now here comes The Hockey News with their special interest publication Greatest Masks Of All Time.

The issue is available digitally, and will be hitting news stands everywhere soon. The collector's edition magazine is supposed to be on display all NHL season.

Keep this new magazine in mind for stocking stuffers!

Top Ten Goalie Masks

It's Top Ten Tuesday! This week, inspired by the new book Saving Face: The Art And History Of The Goalie Mask, I rank my personal top ten goalie masks of all time.

#10. Eddie Belfour. Eddie The Eagle has been around in many color schemes over the years and travels. None is better than the Chicago original with the brilliant red background.

#9. Jason Voorhees. Okay, Jason was not a hockey player, but he sure knew how to slash. And his mask may be the most famous goalie mask of them all.


#8. Marty Turco - Gargoyles perched on a brick wall seem to be the perfect fit for a goaltender's mask.


#7. Andy Moog - Moog's bear really started the trend of having an animal on the mask devouring the person inside of it.

#6. Johnny Bower. Bower never wore this prototype of a mask in play. I wouldn't want a Bobby Hull slap shot hitting this mask!

#5. Patrick Roy - I know what you're going to say - it's just the logo on top of his head. But everyone can see it, including the guy who saved for months for the nosebleed seats to take his kid to the game to the guys at home watching on TV that never get to go to a game. Patrick Roy may have kept his mask simple, but by doing so he shared it with the true fans of the game.


#4. Gump Worsley. What mask, you say? Gump Worsley once said "My face is my mask." Great answer!

#3. Mike Richter. Virtually all of today's masks feature the finest details of art but no one can see them. Richter's Statue of Liberty mask was simple and beautiful, and you could see Lady Liberty from the nosebleed seats.

#2 Gerry Cheevers. Ah, the mask that started the painting craze. Every time Cheevers took a shot off the mask, he'd jiffy marker stitch marks on his white mask to thank his mask for saving his face.

#1. Gilles Gratton. Gratton was a weird guy, but his mask was amazing. It literally looks like there's a lion playing goal for the Rangers!

Saving Face: The Art And History Of The Goalie Mask

With about 150 images of goalie masks through the ages, Saving Face is sure to be a hit. It would make an awesome coffee table book, encouraging discussion as guests flip through the photographic evidence of the evolution of the goalie mask, conjuring up old memories of years gone by.

Full book review at HockeyBookReviews.com