Posts Tagged ‘mask’
Hockey’s Jacques “Jake the Snake” Plante.
Joseph Jacques Omer “Jake the Snake” Plante (January 17, 1929 February 27, 1986) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He grew up in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, and began to play hockey in 1932. Because he suffered from asthma, his skating ability was restricted; thus, he began playing the goaltender position. Plante started to play organized hockey at age 12, and his first professional game was at age 18. He played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1953 to 1963; during his tenure, the team won the Stanley Cup six times, including five consecutive wins.
Plante first retired in 1965, but was persuaded to return to the NHL to play for the expansion St. Louis Blues in 1968. He was later traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1970, and to the Boston Bruins in 1973. He joined the World Hockey ociation, first as coach and general manager for the Quebec Nordiques in 197374; he then played goal for the Edmonton Oilers in 197475, ending his professional career with that team.
Plante is considered one of the most important innovators in hockey. Most notably, Plante was the first NHL goaltender to wear a goalie mask in regulation play on a regular basis. With the istance of other experts, he developed and tested many versions of the goalie mask, including the forerunner of today’s mask/helmet combination. Plante was the first goaltender to regularly play the puck outside his crease in support of his team’s defencemen, and often instructed his teammates from behind the play, as the goaltender usually has the best view of the game.
Duration : 0:2:18
