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The goalie mask revolution discussed in part one of this article was in many ways a precursor to a larger movement in the NHL towards player safety. By 1979, helmets were mandated for new players in the league. So to adhere to new safety standards, it was necessary for goalie masks to evolve as well. The early masks were often homemade, moulded from fibreglass, and held on the face with leather or fabric straps. They offered little to no protection to the back of the head. During the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the USSR, Russian net-minder Vladislav Tretiak wore a helmet with a cage attached to the front. This design became quite popular with many NHL goaltenders (notably Billy Smith of the New York Islander dynasty of the 1980s). This helmet and cage style of mask definitely provided better protection to the head, and vision compared with earlier goalie masks. However, this new style of mask took away the canvas which goalies had previously used to display their personalized artwork. Fortunately, in the 1980s, yet another style of goalie mask emerged, a hybrid between the cage and the moulded fibreglass models. This hybrid mask was the best of all worlds, offering safety, visibility, and lots of blank space that could easily be decorated and customized. By the 1990s, and ever since, the vast majority of NHL goalies has favoured this style of mask. So let’s pick up where we left off, and take a look at the top masks from the '90s and beyond. 1990s: Curtis Joseph                       Curtis Joseph's nickname and iconic mask were inspired by Cujo, the fierce dog from a Stephen King novel of the same name. This mask fits in the same tradition of intimidation which Gilles Gratton played into his mask. Joseph wore iterations of this design with each of the six teams he played for, and it evolved and modernized over the seasons. My favourite of the bunch is the original. It holds an unpolished rustic charm, reminiscent of a Sailor Jerry or Ed Hardy panther tattoo. The colour scheme definitely makes this mask design pop – I think it's the red of the tongue, balanced with the blue and gold of the rest of the Blues colour scheme. Without a doubt, when you mention Cujo, you've gotta talk about the mask.  2000s and Beyond: Steve Shields       Shield's throwback to Gerry Cheevers' "stitches" mask takes top spot in this category. Shields was the first to paint the hybrid mask with hair and ears to make it look like he was wearing an old-school moulded fibreglass mask. He is by no means alone in doing this, but as far as I can find, he was the first to do this, and chose a great goalie and mask innovator to honour with his bucket. With the advent of Winter Classic and Heritage classic games, many goalies are choosing to honour goalies from their team's past by throwing back to their classic masks. Carey Price's Jacques Plante throwback, Martin Biron's take on Giles Gratton, and Roberto Luongo's adaptation of Curt Ridley's mask are among my favourites. Honourable Mention: Alex Auld Auldy gets the nod for a mask he wore in Montreal. When you play for the Habs you are automatically steeped in a rich tradition, and in 2010-11 (the year Auld spent in Montreal), Montreal was coming off the of celebration their 100th season in the NHL and were looking forward to a spot in the 2011 Heritage classic in Calgary. History was thick in the air, and Auld's two masks that year both payed homage to  some great Montreal goalies of the past. Auld's initial mask featured Montreal goaltending greats Patrick Roy, Ken Dryden, and Jaques Plante, as well as the old Montreal Forum, a wonderful nod to the rich history of the Habs. But the mask he debuted at the Heritage Classic did the same in a much more significant way to us at The SPORT Gallery.  One side of Auld's mask appears very simple – a recreation of Ken Dryden's mask from the 1970s updated for the modern hybrid mask design with subtle images of Dryden incorporated into the striping. On the other side of the mask the simple stripes disperse into celebratory banners, and above a large Canadiens logo. Above that sits an image that pays tribute to Jacques Plante, perhaps the quintessential image of Plante. The one that highlights his tenacity, ability, and contributions to the goaltending profession best of all. The image of Plante that first appeared in SPORT Magazine, the moment he donned the mask for the first time. The moment Jacques Plante became the icon. To bring this look at goalie masks as pieces of artwork, we end where we began – with Jacques Plante and the image of him donning the mask for the first time. This photograph is a piece of art in its own right, and here it has been immortalized on Alex Auld's mask as a piece of wearable artwork, on the very piece of equipment and blank canvas that Plante pioneered.   *** Want more content? Check out our segment, The Art of Sport, on TSN Radio below!    

Hockey sweaters are undoubtedly pieces of art. They are colourful, unique, and evocative. If jerseys are like paintings, goalie masks are more like tattoos – one of a kind, handmade. Pieces of art that you have to be a little bit crazy to wear. Goalies are a notoriously eccentric bunch, and it takes a unique breed to attempt to stop a slapshot bare-faced. This of course was the way that goalies operated up until 1959, when Jacques Plante donned a homemade fibreglass mask (against his coach Toe Blake’s wishes) after taking a puck to the face off of the stick of Andy Bathgate – and returned to the ice. Plante faced ridicule for the rest of his career; whenever he let in a goal it was was blamed on his vision being impaired by the mask.  “I thought I proved myself in the 1960 playoffs when we won eight straight and I scored three shutouts. But every time I’m beaten by what looks to be an easy shot to the fans, they say I couldn’t see the puck because of the mask”                                          – Jacques Plante (Hockey News, March 10, 1962) Plante’s legacy lives on today with the goalie mask being a mandatory piece of equipment for the modern netminder. Beyond that, the mask didn’t seem to hinder Plante’s play, as he backstopped the Habs to a Stanley Cup that season. He went on to win his fifth consecutive Vezina Trophy that year, and added two more in 1961 and 1968 – with his homemade mask on. He won the Hart Trophy for league MVP with a mask on in 1961 as well.Plante definitely paved the way for goalies in terms of safety, but his sense of style was lacking. It wasn’t until Gerry Cheevers started painting stitches on his mask in the 1960’s that masks became canvasses for art as well. As the story goes, Cheevers took a shot off the mask during practice. Although unfazed, he used it as an excuse to throw the towel in for the day and retreated to the dressing room. Whilst enjoying a beer and a cigarette, he was discovered by coach Harry Sinden who ordered him back to practice. The bruins trainer, John Forristal painted a row of stitches on at the mask as a joke, which was popular with Cheevers’ Bruins teammates, and each subsequent time a pick hit Cheevers in the mask another set of stitches was added.Only a handful of goaltenders adopted masks in the 1960s. Notably Tony Esposito, who broke into the league in 1968, was the first goaltender to wear a mask his entire career. The mask didn’t hold him back either as he won the Calder Trophy in his rookie season, and three Vezina trophies throughout his career. Cheevers talks about masks changing the way goalies played the game – allowing them the confidence to drop to their knees without worrying about a puck deflecting into their face, or throwing your entire body in front of the puck to make a desperation save. In a way the mask paved the way for the acrobatic goaltending that we know and love in the modern game. By 1974, there wasn’t a goalie in the league that didn’t wear a mask. And following Cheevers’ lead, many netminders began to decorate their masks. In art terms, for goalie masks in the NHL, the 1970s was the renaissance. Masks were blank canvasses for goalies to express themselves, intimidate opponents, or spread team spirit. They truly are unique pieces of art, and perhaps the purest intersection of sport and art that the world has ever seen. Here is a look at my top goalie masks by decade. Part one with be the 1970s and the 1980s. Part two will take us from the 90's up to the present. 1970s: Giles Gratton This mask is all about intimidation. If you put yourself in the skates of a player on a breakaway, looking up to shoot and seeing that the goaltender is part man, part beast is could definitely be a bit jarring. Anything for a mental edge – advantage Gratton. As for the artwork, not only is the lion portrayed as fierce, it seems quite lifelike. Even though the viewer cognitively knows that it is just a hockey mask, the ferocity of a snarling lion baring its teeth absolutely comes through. And maybe Gratton did somehow take on that lion’s strength, and his eyes peek through the mask where the lion’s eyes should be, making himself and the predator one and the same. 1980s: Murray Bannerman This mask was brilliant, lightyears ahead in terms of the artwork featured. Bannerman’s mask does two very interesting things that have actually become quite modern conventions in the goalie mask. The first is turning his mask into the head of the team’s mascot (see Andy Moog’s Bruins mask, or Brian Hayward’s with the Sharks). You can see the markings on the hair and face of the Blackhawks crest featured prominently on Bannerman’s mask. Secondly Bannerman appears to be the first goalie to employ a “mask on a mask” idea, as the hair peeks out from behind a painted white “mask” on Bannerman’s mask. All of this makes for a very meta mask treatment that in retrospect is actually modern beyond its years. *** Want more content? Check out our segment, The Art of Sport, on TSN Radio below!

Some of you may already know about our new partnership with The Sport Market on TSN Radio and our segment called The Art of Sport. For those who don't know, every Saturday the gallery's James Siddall will be bringing our own unique take on sports history to the airwaves, a blast from the past that will highlight the intersection of art, sports, and culture.  We're also excited to announce that last week James and The Sport Market host Tom Mayenknecht recorded an hour long taping of the Art of Sport, which you can listen to below! The special, which here is broken into five parts, touches on a number of topics. First, the history of SPORT Magazine and The SPORT Archive. Next, the unique beauty of the hockey, then a dive into the seemingly endless annals of baseball history. And finally, a quick summary to wrap things up. It's an action packed hour, so be sure to check it out!

Fall is upon us once more, the best time of the sporting year. The NHL, NBA, NFL, and NCAA football seasons are now underway, and for the MLS and MLB, it's been playoff time. As the summer dies out, sport blossoms.  It makes sense, then, that at this time of rebirth there are some exciting goings-on at The SPORT Gallery, too. We have new product rolling in, an exciting partnership with TSN Radio to announce, and the launch of our new website.  First and foremost, the website. No drastic renovations have been made to our home on the World Wide Web -- it's merely received light remodelling and a fresh coat of paint. The site is hopefully more of a visual experience now, a better reflection of what you might find in one of our physical galleries.  The new site -- sites, really, we have one for Canadian visitors and another for US -- has all of the prints, apparel, accessories, and books you'll recognize from our three locations. The interface is simple and user-friendly. And the beautiful thing about thesportgallery.ca and thesportgallery.com: they allow our doors to be open 24/7.  Next on the docket is TSN Radio and The Art of Sport. For those who don't know, TSN is ESPN's Canadian brother, the best the North has to offer in terms of sports coverage. TSN Radio has a wide reach on the dial, from Vancouver to Montreal with five stops in-between. One of its top programs is The Sport Market, hosted by Tom Mayenknecht. As of October 7, The SPORT Gallery will be content partners of The Sport Market. In addition to sponsoring part of the show, we'll be contributing a segment called The Art of Sport. Just as we do with our galleries, the segment will analyze and discuss the points where sport, art, aesthetics, and history intersect.  In The Art of Sport, we'll use artwork and other product from the gallery as a jumping off point for conversation. Our prints, for example, can help bring a period of history to life. The much over-used saying, 'a picture paints a thousand words,' is, in this case, fitting.  We have a gallery favourite called "Turning Point, 1948," a black-and-white shot of Jackie Robinson narrowly avoiding the tag of a Phillies third baseman. It serves as a fitting metaphor for Robinson’s greater struggle for tolerance and acceptance. In 1947, a year prior, Robinson weathered a now-infamous verbal assault; Phillies manager Ben Chapman directed endless racial slurs and taunts towards Robinson mid-game, the severity of which inspired considerable backlash At a time of inequality and segregation, it was significant to have the public defend Major League Baseball’s first African-American. This is the sort of thing we'll be discussing on The Art of Sport -- why certain products we carry are popular, their artistic qualities, and the story behind them. It's going to be a fun project to continue to work on, and if you'd like to catch us on the air, tune in between 7:00 and 11:00am PST on Saturdays on Vancouver 1040 and Toronto 1050. Additional airings will occur on a tape delay throughout Canada. You can also hear past shows online here. The last bit of news to touch on is our new product. As those familiar with the gallery will know, our apparel and headwear tends to change with the seasons. A big haul of hockey, plus some basketball and football product will be on its way, while baseball is dropping off. We have great new NHL kids and youth gear, for teams like the Canucks, Oilers, Flames, Canadiens, and Leafs. Being a fan is a life-long endeavour, and we can help get your little ones started early. There's plenty of options for adults too. American Needle is a really great brand that's hard to find here in Canada, and right now we have three sleek Canucks headwear styles to check out. Our favourite is the Waxed Taylor, a '90s-style distressed flat-brim with the now-famous "flying skate" logo. The body of the hat is, as the name suggests, waxed, which is a unique feature. The wax waterproofs the hat, making it perfect for those rainy Vancouver winters.  If you don't either find your team or a style you're fond of at the gallery or online, odds are that over the course of the fall and winter we'll have something come in -- be sure to keep checking back and to put your name in our customer request list! That's all the news for now. Enjoy your time on the site, and be sure to also give us a look on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

2017 has been a special year for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the NHL. Both venerable establishments turned 100 and celebrations were had. The Leafs hosted the Red Wings in the Centennial Classic on New Year’s Day, a birthday party of sorts. The outdoor game (played at BMO Field) was essentially the Winter Classic, but gussied up with additional historical elements. There was no official word on whether party hats and cake were on offer, however. The Leafs dressed the part all season as they have moved to a new (old) logo and uniforms, which harkens back to the club’s look of the 1960s. Gone is the simplified 11-point leaf. In its place is the more detailed 31-point throwback. For the Centennial Classic the Leafs altered their jersey slightly, adding a white band around the chest and silver accents. They went green for the St. Pats back on March 18th and will wear "Arenas" across their chest this 2017-2018 season, salutes both to the Buds’ previous identities. While the Leafs have been in party mode, some disgruntled Torontonians are very aware of their sustained lack of success and are surely weary of celebratory acts. This year is also the 50th anniversary of the club’s 1967 Stanley Cup win, of course, the last time they captured the cup. There have been some good times since then — the Leafs made the Conference Finals four times between the 1992-93 and 2001-02 seasons — but no Stanley Cup Finals appearances. And, since 2004-2005 the they have missed the playoffs every year but one. Sorry, Leafs Nation, before we move on there is a little more failure to relay: that one playoff appearance of the 2000s, in 2012-2013, ended with the Buds coughing up a three-goal, third period lead to the rival Bruins in game seven of the Conference Quarterfinals. It sums up Toronto’s suffering quite well, sadly. Things are looking up as of late. No, really. Mike Babcock, who was so successful with the Wings, is bench boss, and Lou Lamoriello — another winner — is GM. The Leafs also snatched up the much fawned over Auston Matthews in the 2016 draft with their first round pick, and the young man has already been labelled the franchise’s saviour after scoring 40 goals last season. And while the kids couldn't get past the first round of the playoffs in 2016-2017, they look primed for an extended run in the near future. And, really, why not like the Leafs? They have a long history, a great look (with a symbol shared with Canada itself), heroes to idolize, and a dedicated fanbase. There is still a long waiting list for season tickets despite the club’s strong ties with futility. The Leafs are — or should be — the Cubs of the hockey world. Lovable losers. Now that the Cubbies have their trophy, the Leafs can even take full reign of that title across all North American sport. But, instead of being loved, they are hated as much as the Yankees and do not have the same wealth of championship rings to keep them warm at night. The funny thing is that, while the love and respect for the Cubs has grown with their winning percentage, if the Leafs were to win their division, and then a title, they would be despised even more. No pat on the back, no ‘job well done’ from fans of the opposition or even the general public, just more fuel added to the fires of hate. Much or all of this dislike is due to Toronto’s self-importance; the country’s biggest city, its financial and cultural mecca, is therefore the country’s best, or so it goes. Put simply, Toronto: The Centre of the Universe. The rest of Canada rails against this, though it is hard to tell whether the average non-Torontonian actively brings the city down, or if that notion is generally understood, but incorrect. There is, however, absolutely no way to claim bias against two other Toronto teams. Countless Canadians — coast to coast — adore the Blue Jays. Just look at their recent series in Seattle, where west coast Jays fans have repeatedly invaded, turning Safeco Field into a sea of blue for three games. The Raptors have a big following now too, as their pre-season tradition of playing sold-out games in different Canadian cities (Vancouver and Calgary last season) indicates. So, why not the Leafs? The obvious reason is that the Jays and Raptors are now the only Canadian teams in their respective leagues. There are six other teams (Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Montreal) in the NHL that represent the Great White North. For most, there is no need to love the Leafs with so many other, more local options. The NHL also has a high number of Canadian players on successful American teams, which draws some fans south. Those actually from Toronto have, for the most part, stuck by their club despite the down years. 2012-2013 may have been it for some, the game seven collapse the final nail in the coffin. There were empty seats at the Air Canada Centre a couple of years ago, with tickets available for cheap on online resale sites. Nevertheless, hope springs eternal, and the arrival of Matthews and other young talent has rejuvenated Leafs fans. The franchise’s first 50 years saw great success, maybe the coming 50 will too. Cleveland won an NBA title, and the Cubs the World Series, so anything is possible. Win or lose, let’s all give the Leafs a big birthday gift: some love. They are never going to be number one in the hearts of many, but that does not mean so much negative energy must be directed their way. To hate the Leafs is to hate Tim Horton, and to hate the man is to hate his donut and coffee franchise. Timbits, Double-Doubles, and the Toronto Maple Leafs: all much needed, and very Canadian. Cheers to 100 years of the Buds   

Let’s play a quick game of word association. When you hear, “Canada,” what comes to mind? Hockey, you say? But of course. As Ron MacLean and those at Hockey Night remind us in their latest commercial, “You want to teach someone about Canada, you go to the television Saturday night, and it becomes crystal clear.” The only things capable of unseating hockey’s place as the symbol of Canada are snow and maple syrup. (Many would point to the maple leaf, though taking the national flag into consideration, it’s in a different, more official weight class.) While maple syrup is very Canadian, there’s no way it beats snow. ‘The Great White North’ is not a nickname bestowed freely. So, it’s between snow and hockey. Winter, and winter’s game. Perhaps it shouldn’t be a competition, as one would not exist if not for the other. When the temperature drops and the snow falls, backyard rinks pop up in communities across the country. Kids face off against each other in their favourite team’s sweater. This image can be found in stories and songs. It was, for a long time, depicted on the five dollar note. But, what about the temperate West Coast? Outdoor hockey doesn’t exist in and around Vancouver. The game is certainly played on indoor artificial rinks, but there are not many postcard winters, only rain. This would seemingly make the far West less Canadian than the rest of the nation. In a sense, it does. We, and others beyond our borders, have developed a particular image of Canada, and the West Coast is not it. Vancouver does have a hockey leg or two to stand on, however. There have been strong individual players to come out of the area: Joe Sakic, Paul Kariya, Evander Kane, and Milan Lucic to name a few. The city has seen success in minor league hockey, with the Giants winning the 2006 President’s Cup (WHL) and the 2007 Memorial Cup. Vancouver was also the site of Team Canada’s memorable Olympic gold medal game victory in 2010. The NHL dominates the hockey world, so the Canucks’ lack of success has unfortunately received the most attention. Vancouver is still searching for its first championship since joining the NHL in 1970. The Canucks have reached the finals three times, and game 7 twice, but have never been able to close the deal. The last (and only) Stanley Cup win by a Vancouver team came 102 years ago; the Millionaires won it in a series against Ottawa in 1915. The Cubs’ famous World Series drought, now broken, lasted 108 years. Longer, though not by much. Our inclination may be to laugh at the city’s inhospitable hockey climate and sustained ineptitude, but we should really be celebrating the history that’s there. Vancouver has not only been home to some real talent, but to hockey pioneers. The first 30 years of the 20th century were dark days for the sport, a period when even successful teams had a life expectancy of only a dozen years. Those involved in the game weathered financial difficulties, ever-changing leagues, and stadia lost to fire. Hockey would not be what it is today if not for their determination and grit. *** The Millionaires (later known as the Maroons) played in the PCHA and the WCHL between 1911 and 1926 and, due to that 1915 Cup win, are the best known Vancouver team of the era. They had a number of talented players on their roster over the years, including 13 future Hall of Famers. The star among stars was Fredrick “Cyclone” Taylor, who captured five PCHA scoring titles and wowed fans with his dazzling speed. Frank Patrick owned, managed, and played for the Millionaires for their entire 15-year run. He and his brother Lester were huge figures in hockey and are responsible for many of the game’s current rules and features. The blue line, forward pass, jersey numbers, and playoff system are all product of a Patrick mind. Using the funds from the sale of their family’s lumber business, Frank and Lester also established the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, stealing away a number of high-profile players from the east to populate their new league. And, thanks to the Patricks, men weren’t the only ones hitting the ice. Frank owned and managed the Vancouver Ladies Hockey Team, who played competitively against teams from Victoria and New Westminster in the 1910s. Unfortunately, the VLHT couldn’t inspire enough support and folded with the start of the First World War. Patrick then formed another club, the Amazons, who competed in and won larger women’s tournaments Rossland and Banff. During this period there was also a plethora of local amateur clubs. Vancouver Amateur Hockey Club is one example. Not much is known of VAHC, aside from the 1929-30 roster. Only two photos of the team or its players are known to exist. Despite being such a small part of Vancouver’s hockey history, VAHC are a lasting image, their logo as iconic as any other local club’s. After the Millionaires dissolved, the minor league Vancouver Lions took their place as the city’s professional club. The Lions shared both logo and stadium — Denman Arena — with the Millionaires, playing in different forms of the PCHL from 1928-1931 and 1933-1941. The PCHL, like most leagues of the early 20th century, struggled to stay afloat. Despite being shuffled around, the Lions were successful, winning titles in 1929, ’30, ’31, ’40, and ’41. Denman was once the second-largest indoor stadium in North America, behind New York’s Madison Square Garden. With a seating capacity of over 10,000, it played host to Vancouver’s premier events, including Stanley Cup contests, boxing matches, concerts, and more. Fans from all over the Lower Mainland packed the wood and brick arena to see the Millionaires take on Ottawa for the cup. Then, in 1936, only 25 years after being built, it burnt to the ground, leaving the city without a major sports venue. It wasn’t until 1945, with the formation of the Canucks, that hockey found true stability in Vancouver. The minor league club played in the PCHL and WHL for 25 years with no interruptions and were a successful team, winning 4 championships. In 1970 the city was finally granted its own NHL franchise, which took the ‘Canucks’ name. Vancouver has now seen 71-straight years of professional hockey in three different arenas (the Forum, Pacific Coliseum, and GM Place/Rogers Arena), none of which have fallen victim to fire. *** Update: Sometimes us Vancouverites can be part of the Canadian narrative. December 2016 was been a frosty month for the Lower Mainland, granting hockey lovers the chance to play in the great outdoors. These cold-spells come so infrequently, a scene like the one featured here (Killarney Lake, Bowen Island) truly feels like a dream.

Hockey is an intense sport. As spectators we’ve become accustomed to the nature of the game itself – so much so that we soon forget the risks involved during each 60 minutes of play. The truth is, much respect is in order for the men and women who can play the sport and appear to do so with ease. Not only can these individuals take checks, dodge pucks, and endure injury – they do all of this in front of crowds that are always hungry for a win. As a hockey player, being under pressure comes with the territory. Some would argue that goaltenders carry the most weight on their shoulders. During the 1963 season, SPORT Magazine journalist Dave Anderson got to sit down with Gump Worsley, Johnny Bower, Jacques Plante, and Glenn Hall to discuss the hazards of their job. Here is a bit of what each goalie shared: There’s a lot of pressure on a goalkeeper in a close game. The goalie is the backbone of the club and if we make a mistake, we’ve had it. – Bower, page 24 It’s a natural gift a goaltender has, as far as I’m concerned. You learn things as you go along from your own mistakes. You just improve with age. Some of it is luck, too. You’re standing there and the guy shoots and you look in your glove and it’s there. It’s a crazy way to make a living. – Worsley, page 68 […] now that I have the mask I wouldn’t play without it. Until you have a broken cheekbone – cuts don’t mean anything – you don’t realize it. But the feeling you get when you have a bone broken, you take it home with you and you’re in the hospital and you say to yourself, ‘I’m never going to play again.’ Then, two weeks later, you want to go back and you’re out there again. – Plante, page 70 There’s one guy in the league – I’m not going to mention his name – he’ll come in wide and you’re standing right at the crease and he’ll run into you and carry you out of the net. He does it to me all the time… My theory is that if I get hit, I can go out and play ten games because I’m not going to get hit back-to-back. The percentage. – Hall, page 70 Excerpts from the article “A Crazy Way to Make a Living,” as published in the March, 1963 issue of SPORT Magazine.