[Editor’s Note: With the Penguins and Predators facing off for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final(s) this evening, today we have a guest entry from Noah Sidel, who’s done some research on the gear worn by Cup-competing goalies. ”” PL]
By Noah Sidel
In hockey circles, it’s common knowledge that goalies are gearheads. I’ve been a goalie since I was eight and have been obsessed with the equipment ever since I got my first pair of brown leather D&R pads (similar to what Glenn Hall and Jacques Plante wore to the beginnings of today’s ultra-light and colorful pads, blockers, and trappers.
Overall, Vaughn has had the most Stanley Cup success. Murray will be the 16th Final goalie since 1990 in Vaughn equipment; the next-best manufacturer is Reebok, with just eight. But if you combine CCM and all of the companies it has acquired and/or merged with over the years (Reebok, Koho, Heaton), it becomes the winner with 20.
With all that in mind, here’s a look at who’s worn what since 1990. This list was compiled based on Google images and memory. And one important note: There have been several goalies, especially in the earlier years, who mixed and matched. For example, at one point Patrick Roy wore Ferland gloves and Lefevre pads. In those cases, I went with the most predominant brand, which usually means the leg pads.
1990: Oilers (Bill Ranford, Vaughn) vs. Bruins (Andy Moog, Vaughn)
1991: Penguins (Tom Barrasso, Brown) vs. North Stars (Jon Casey, Vaughn)
1992: Penguins (Tom Barrasso, Vic) vs. Blackhawks (Ed Belfour, Brown)
1993: Canadiens (Patrick Roy, Koho) vs. Kings (Kelly Hrudey, Brown)
1994: Rangers (Mike Richter, Vaughn) vs. Canucks (Kirk McLean, Vaughn)
1995: Devils (Martin Brodeur, Heaton) vs. Red Wings (Mike Vernon, Cooper)
1996: Avalanche (Patrick Roy, Koho) vs. Panthers (John Vanbiesbrouck, Brown)
1997: Red Wings (Mike Vernon, Vic-McMartin) vs. Flyers (Ron Hextall, Vaughn)
1998: Red Wings (Chris Osgood, Vaughn) vs. Capitals (Olaf Kolzig, Heaton)
1999: Stars (Ed Belfour, Vaughn) vs. Sabres (Dominik Hasek, Bauer)
2000: Devils (Martin Brodeur, Heaton) vs. Stars (Ed Belfour, Vaughn)
2001: Avalanche (Patrick Roy, Koho) vs. Devils (Martin Brodeur, Heaton)
2002: Red Wings (Dominik Hasek, TPS) vs. Hurricanes (Arturs Irbe, Koho)
2003: Devils (Martin Brodeur, Heaton) vs. Mighty Ducks (J-S Giguere, Koho)
2004: Lightning (Nikolai Khabibulin, Bauer) vs. Flames (Miikka Kiprusoff, Heaton)
2005: Season cancelled
2006: Hurricanes (Cam Ward, Vaughn) vs. Oilers (Dwayne Roloson, TPS)
2007: Ducks (J-S Giguere, Reebok) vs. Senators (Ray Emery, Brian’s)
2008: Red Wings (Chris Osgood, Itech) vs. Penguins (Marc-Andre Fleury, Reebok)
2009: Penguins (Marc-Andre Fleury, Reebok) vs. Red Wings (Chris Osgood, Brian’s)
2010: Blackhawks (Antti Niemi, TPS) vs. Flyers (Michael Leighton, Reebok)
2011: Bruins (Tim Thomas, Vaughn) vs. Canucks (Roberto Luongo, Reebok)
2012: Kings (Jonathan Quick, Vaughn) vs. Devils (Martin Brodeur, Sher-Wood)
2013: Blackhawks (Corey Crawford, Reebok) vs. Bruins (Tuukka Rask, Vaughn)
2014: Kings (Jonathan Quick, Vaughn) vs. Rangers (Henrik Lundqvist, Bauer)
2015: Blackhawks (Corey Crawford, Reebok) vs. Lightning (Ben Bishop, Reebok)
2016: Penguins (Matt Murray, Vaughn) vs. Sharks (Martin Jones, Vaughn)
2017: Penguins (Matt Murray, Vaughn) vs. Predators (Pekka Rinne, CCM)
That leaves us with the following standings:
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Great stuff. Thanks, Noah! Enjoy the Pens and Predators tonight.
Sorry, no Ticker today ”” I gave Alex the day off and spent my Sunday at a pig roast. The Ticker will return tomorrow.
To all who are mourning a fallen service member on this Memorial Day, please accept my condolences. See you back here tomorrow. Peace. ”” Paul
It’s weird to think that goalies were wearing the cage/helmet combo as late as 2009.
And maybe later? I remember Rick DiPietro wore one for a bit after he broke his jaw, I think that was like 2011.
I know the photo above is from the 2009 finals, but Chris Osgood played until 2011. So at least that long.
Hit submit too soon.
Osgood was the last goalie allowed to wear it regularly. DiPietro did wear it when he was rehabbing an injury.
link
Tim Thomas did with the Panthers and Stars in 2014-15 I believe. Looked ridiculous to match his playing style
Thomas wasn’t wearing a helmet-and-cage combination (known in goalie parlance as a ‘combo’), he was wearing a specially made unit called the “Mage” (Mask + Cage) by the manufacturer, Sportmask.
The construction is the same as a current day mask: two piece mask with back plate, composite with ballistic fabrics like Kevlar or carbon fiber and a resin binder, held together with elastic straps. The difference is the mask doesn’t cover the jaw and neck area; it’s an abbreviated mask, ending at the ear, with the full size cage found with helmets in the 80s and 90s.
The result is the same protection of a regular mask, but better air circulation.
Just a note to say that the Glenn Hall link doesn’t work & the 1992 Ed Belfour link is the same as Tom Borrasso’s.
Both fixed.
Re: 2006 Edmonton Oilers finals goalie. That series went 7 games but Dwayne Roloson only played in game 1 and did not play the full game. He was injured and Jussi Markkanen started the other 6 games.
The most iconic goalie gear is still Kenesky’s. Sadly the store closed a few years back.
link
The store is gone, but the product lives on. One of the former employees in the goal department (after previous stints making gear for Vaughn, Eagle, and Louisville/TPS) acquired the license to manufacture gloves and pads with the Kenesky name (even found a stash of the original labels from 30-40 years ago). Custom build only, he’s got the ability to do pretty much whatever you want, from a modern style pad, back to the traditional leather designs of the 70s (with synthetic stuffing materials for light weight).
For 2017, Matt Murray’s name should be switched with Penguins in the brackets.
“2017: Matt Murray (Penguins, Vaughn) vs. Predators (Pekka Rinne, CCM)”
Fixed.
Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium has a history rooted in the spirit of Memorial Day — link
Player and fans calling out MLB for Memorial Day hats.
link
Glenn miller made Eddies pads. He was given vaguan logos. Made in ann arbor Michigan!
If there’s one thing that did NOT happen, it was Vaughn licensing, or providing logos, to someone else for manufacture. Glenn and Mike were friendly competition for many years, but not that friendly.
Details are hard to come by, but Glenn relocated to the Vancouver area, partnering with an outfit led by Paul Fricker; there was an eventual falling out which left Glenn without the ability to use the Miller brand name, and he got out of the business for a few years. After what was likely a non-compete period was over, Glenn started again using the Glenn Miller brand name, until he was hired by another Vortek Hockey to clean up a production mess left by their chief design and production man.
After they parted ways, Glenn was hired by Vaughn to oversee production in his US factory; if he hasn’t already, my understanding is that he’s going to be retiring sometime soon.