25 most bizarre goalie masks in NHL history
By C.L. Kohuss
No. 7: The Eagle
Eddie Belfour’s eagle mask is arguably the most iconic and recognized from his era in the 1990’s. He wore it almost right out of the gate when he was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks, and it was a staple throughout his career. You always knew who was in goal by the face shield alone. It might not be incredibly bizarre, but no list is complete without it.
That artwork is simply gorgeous. It should undoubtedly make anyone’s top five for most beautiful masks in the history of the sport.
It would also be incomplete if we didn’t mention how insane Belfour actually was on the ice, both in terms of his skills and his temper. And it’s Friday the 13, so of course he’s on here.
He held the nickname “Eddie the Eagle” his whole life in the NHL, for obvious reasons. It’s such a cool moniker to begin with. Yet he also went by another term: Crazy Eddie.
That last one is usually what you’re called when you kick someone in the pants and try to turn their face into a Picasso painting with your blocker. Also, you’d pay a serious price if you obstructed his vision or flat-out played for the Detroit Red Wings in any way, shape or form. Yikes.
You only get away with those antics if you’re an absolute beast. You also better back those antics up if you decide to put an eagle on your mask and declare yourself an immediate top dog in the NHL.
Belfour won the Vezina twice, including his rookie year (!), when he posted 43 wins for the Blackhawks while topping the league in save percentage and GAA. He was awarded the Jennings Trophy four times, nominated for the Hart, backed Chicago to a Stanley Cup finals appearance and took the Dallas Stars there twice where they won it all in ’99.
A final thought with that incredible mask, though: Check out what’s on the chin. That’s the symbol for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Aside from having a really angry bird painted on his head, Belfour always had that logo on there as well. It was a serious source of pride for him. Take a peek at this article by Steve Rosenbloom for a more in depth look at Eddie’s intense support for children off the ice.
That isn’t a one-off instance, either. Belfour routinely made this happen for kids who were hurting and needed a reason to smile. You could attend virtually any Stars’ home game and find them there, courtesy of The Eagle. For that, this mask just gained 8,400 extra cool points.