Who Invented the Goalie Mask

Bill Burchmore, a sales and promotional manager for Fiberglass Canada, designed the first fiberglass goalie's mask worn by the Montreal Canadians' Jacques Plante in 1959. Burchmore designed the mask after developing a mold of Plante's face.

  1. History

    • Burchmore developed the idea for the mask one day after attending a Canadians game that included a 45-minute delay to stitch-up Plante's forehead after he was repeatedly struck in the head with the puck.

    Time Frame

    • Burchmore redesigned the mask in 1960, and Plante modified the mask in 1970. 1973 was the final year an NHL goalie played without a mask.

    Features

    • Burchmore's first mask was made of layered fiberglass sheets saturated with polyester resin. The mask was flesh toned and weighed just 14 ounces.

    Fun Fact

    • Goalie Clint Benedict was the first goalie to wear a mask in a game in 1930, but he ditched the leather mask after just two games because it affected his vision. The occasion was not officially recorded.

    Misconceptions

    • Some have given Plante credit for inventing the goalie mask. Although he did design his own mask and wore one in practice, it was Burchmore's design that Plante wore for years and that other NHL goalies began wearing.