The Hockey News Goalie Issue 2022

AT ONE POINT IN TIME, it appeared Marc-Andre Fleury had a chance to become the winningest goalie in NHL history. After all, the Pittsburgh Penguins star had started so young and had so much success over the years. As time wore on, that success continued in Vegas and will undoubtedly do the same in Minnesota (see pg. 38). Now 37, Fleury still looks like he’s got a few more years in him, though he told me he’s only looking as far ahead as his current contract, which ends after two more seasons, in the summer of 2024. He enters this season with 520 wins, and when all is said and done, he’ll end up in the Hall of Fame. But he’s not going to be the titleholder in career wins,…

BEER-LEAGUE ADULT GOALIES DON’T pay to play because their teammates know that their gear costs a fortune, so they divvy up their share of the cost of the ice. Kids who want to be goalies cause their parents heartache in knowing that they will have to cancel all future vacation trips. As the chairman of Bauer in 2008, I negotiated with Bob Naegele, then the owner of the Minnesota Wild, and Kevin Compton, then the owner of the San Jose Sharks, who together owned Mission Itech Hockey, to acquire their company. In September 2008, the deal was done, and that relegated Mission to in-line hockey equipment exclusively, and Itech gear became the backbone of Bauer’s goalie line today. All of the Bauer goalie gear, from the NHL professionals all the way to…

OF THE 87 INFRACTIONS listed in the NHL rulebook, it is Rule 69 that riles players, coaches and fans more than any other. Goaltender interference, or “Interference on the Goalkeeper” in NHL rulebook parlance, is arguably the most difficult call a referee has to make, and the one that sends fans to the madhouse most often. The game has become so fast that scoring attempts frequently occur in bang-bang fashion, whether a player is driving to the net or a goalie is battling traffic on his doorstep while trying to track high-velocity shots. Add in melees around the net in which attacking players make contact with the goalie inside the crease (the “blue paint”) or outside the crease (the “white paint”), and the pressure on referees intensifies. Put in place for the…

MARTIN JONES >SEATTLE KRAKEN AT A TIME WHEN masks tend toward sparkle and flash, there’s something to be said for subtlety. Martin Jones’ first Kraken helmet does have some bright, bold coloring, and the vibrant blues of Seattle’s logo pop, but it’s the fine details that set this lid apart. The left, right and back panels of the mask feature intricate, hand-drawn designs, including a kraken’s tentacles enveloping the Space Needle and cracking open a treasure chest to reveal the Stanley Cup. EyeCandyAir’s Steve Nash estimated the sketching and painting of Jones’ mask took nearly 48 hours.…

HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS >2022-23 THE QMJHL’S HALIFAX Mooseheads reimagined their uniform this summer, not straying too far from their past but certainly carving a new path. The team originally received financial backing from Moosehead Breweries in 1994, and their logo was basically the same as the company’s crest. The new moose head is less realistic but has more of a sports logo feel, and the ‘H’ is stronger, too. They also added a sweet shoulder logo, featuring the city’s famous Old Town Clock on Citadel Hill. Halifax’s colors have always been unique, and now the Mooseheads have a logo they can truly call their own.…

CAROLINA HURRICANES EQUIPMENT MANAGER Jorge Alves donned the pads as the team’s emergency backup goalie on Dec. 31, 2016 – and he made history in the process. Alves, a former high-school and minor-league goaltender, was put in to replace starter Cam Ward for the final 7.6 seconds of a 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, setting the record for shortest NHL career. Later that season, Alves received a special Upper Deck “Young Guns” rookie card that was free with purchase at participating North Carolina card shops. The back of his card humorously states that “this 37-year-old rookie is sure to be a hot prospect for years to come.”…