GIVEN SLASHER-FLICK ICON Jason Voorhees first donned his signature goalie mask in 1982’s Friday the 13th Part III, perhaps the horror-movie aura emanating from this November 1983 shot of Murray Bannerman is intentional. Regardless, the Chicago Black Hawks goaltender’s piercing blue eyes staring out from behind his mask makes it feel as though he’s looking right at you.
But while this cover suggests goalie-mask art was on the rise, the concern was the opposite. Editor in chief Bob McKenzie wrote that the emergence of the helmet-and-cage combination threatened “to bury what has been one of the most colorful, interesting eras” in NHL history.
Undeniably, the shift away from fiberglass face coverings meant less design opportunity – the cage era simply didn’t lend itself to eye-catching artwork. But as the evolution of goalie…
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