Which goaltender popularized the regular use of the goalie mask?

Jacques Plante popularized the regular use of the goalie mask. The Montreal Canadiens goaltender made the mask part of everyday NHL equipment after a facial injury during a game against the New York Rangers on November 1, 1959.

A shot by Rangers forward Andy Bathgate struck Plante in the face, and Plante returned to the game wearing the fiberglass mask he had previously used in practice. Canadiens coach Toe Blake initially opposed the mask because he feared it would restrict Plante’s vision, but Plante refused to play without it. Montreal won the game, and the team then went on an 18-game unbeaten streak while Plante continued wearing it.

Plante was not the first goaltender ever to wear facial protection. Clint Benedict used a crude leather mask in 1930, and other goalies had experimented with masks earlier. Plante’s importance was making a practical mask acceptable in elite hockey and helping refine its design. Goaltender masks later evolved into helmet-and-cage and modern composite designs.