25 most bizarre goalie masks in NHL history
By C.L. Kohuss
No. 1: Corey Hirsch
Yet another gorgeous and scary as hell mask, this one worn by Corey Hirsch. It’s from the classic Hitchcock film Psycho, and the story behind it is heartbreaking.
Before we continue on, and before we finish off this list, let’s make something clear: We love to poke fun at our goalies, but it’s all in pure fun. They are beyond supermen on the ice. It takes someone with extraordinary talent to do what they do. Off the ice, they are purely human with faults and lives outside of the rink, just like everyone else.
In the mid-90’s, Corey Hirsch was a third goalie for the Stanley Cup-winning New York Rangers. Later on, New York traded him to the Vancouver Canucks where he had this artwork designed for his mask. The reasoning behind the creation was due to the severe depression that Hirsch was facing at the time, though he had been keeping it hidden up until that point. He was still in his early ’20s and feared being ostracized from the NHL. At one point he even came close to suicide by driving his car off a cliff.
You can read the wonderful article by Hirsch himself here, and we hope that you do. It’s a great piece and really should be required for all NHL players.
The mask itself is masterful, creepy, and one of the absolute best the league has ever seen. The artwork is stunning and skilled. We would probably be way more terrified by this if we weren’t in pure awe.
Next: Which NHL mascot would you want with you in a bar fight?
Hopefully these face protectors have not only caused a few changes in underwear, but have provided some laughs, as well. Think we missed any of your favorites? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @FanSidedNHL!