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The big thing about goalie masks these days is that goaltenders can put their personality on them. If they're big music fans, like Sean Burke is, then they can put Jimi Hendrix on one side. Another example, there was a guy named Gary Bromley and his nickname was "Bones," so he had this great mask that was a skeleton. That said a lot about his personality.
|  | | Sean Burke's mask features a woman on a Harley on the front, and Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page on the sides. |
These days, all the masks are good, you're very well protected. Greg Harrison started doing the mask with the actual cage in it. When he first developed that mask -- he's out of Toronto, he does everything by hand and it takes him quite a while to do it -- he's one of the best in the business. Unfortunately for Greg, he didn't patent it and other companies came in and mass-produced them. So there was a phase when they weren't that good. Now there are companies that are good -- they manufacture them quickly and they are very light. With the stainless steel cage and the Kevlar graphite inside the mold, you're in pretty good shape.
Some guys like their nose to be touching the bar. They like it close to their face because that way you can't see any of the bars in front of you. The mask comes with a chinstrap, similar to a football chinstrap that's attached to both sides. That allows a little bit of space for the impact so your chin doesn't get hit by the bottom part of the mask. That brings your face a little off the cage. The guys who don't like it, take it out and have their face flush up against the cage.
As far as the padding on the inside, it's very thin. But it's the way the mask is made -- it's designed to deflect the puck off your face so there is no flush impact that will cause your skin to break. Usually, when you're going to take a shot, it will hit your face, but it will go to the side at an angle. You're still going to get a wicked ringing in your ears. It's pretty nasty. It's like someone ringing a bell with your head inside. So it's not like you're pain free. People think that's the case, but it's not at all.
I was cut in Toronto one night. I wasn't wearing a Harrison mask, it was one that was made by a guy from outside Chicago, and I took a slapshot right in the forehead and cut my forehead. I took off my mask, and there was blood coming down the side of my face. It was a pretty interesting moment. The game was on Hockey Night in Canada. Being from Ontario and it being shown coast to coast, all the relatives I hadn't heard from in a long time were calling, wondering if I'm OK. The team thought it was pretty cool. I'm telling the trainers as they're fixing me up, "Take your time boys, the cameras are on."
Darren Pang's 10 favorite masks
Rogie Vachon, L.A. Kings: His was all purple with a little smile and big eyes. I loved it, thought it was great.
Jim Rutherford, Detroit Red Wings: He was the first one to really have a painted logo on it. He had the two wings over the eyebrows. That was the start of everything.
Gerry Cheevers, Boston Bruins: Without a doubt because it was so simple, but it also was his personality. A lot of guys had the same mask, but he separated himself just like that. It was the most creative one. But that was him: "Hey, that one would have cut me for five," and the trainer would draw the stitches.
Mine, Chicago Blackhawks: It was an Indian headdress. Jeff Hackett stole it, but the painter didn't do a very good job on his. It's an unwritten rule, you're not allowed to take somebody else's mask. That bugged me. I like the one he has in Montreal, I think it's awesome. He's got the kids on the outdoor rink.
Manny Legace, Detroit Red Wings: It's historical. He's got all the retired numbers on little banner flags. He's got the Olympia on one side and Joe Louis Arena on the other. That's a cool one.
Warren Skorodenski, Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers: His bones mask. It was a skeleton's face, sort of a skull and crossbones.
Murray Bannerman, Chicago Blackhawks: I saw him get hit in the head with a slapshot one time, I thought he was done. It put a dent in his mask and a dent in his head. His mask was face-fitted with two little eyes and just had simple Indian paint markings on it. When you were looking at a game in the '80s, his mask really stood out.
Vladislav Tretiak, USSR: When I was a kid growing up, you couldn't find his mask -- which was made by Jofa -- anywhere. It was the wire one. It didn't cover any of your ears or anything. It was unique because he was so far away from us.
Eddie Belfour, Chicago Blackhawks: This mask identified him. It legitimately gave him an association with the fans. It was an eagle on a red background with talons coming down low. He hadn't been with the Blackhawks for that long when he got it. In fact, his first nickname was Eddie the Omelet, because he's got a flat nose. Then all of a sudden, he goes from The Omelet to The Eagle because of that mask.
Brian Hayward, San Jose Sharks: Brian's was the first shark one out there. It had the blood dripping from the teeth. It really looked like you were going into the mouth of a shark, great detail.
Darren Pang, a former goaltender with the Chicago Blackhawks, is a hockey analyst for ESPN.
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