When it came to picking his favourite goalie masks of all time, Jake Allen wanted time to ponder his list. “There are so many great ones, so I’m going to have to put some serious thought into it.”

And that’s just what the 28-year-old backstopper (who has a pretty sweet mask of his own) decided to do. As for what made his Top 5, the St. Louis netminder chose a pair of cat-related masks, one that featured a bird and two other eye-catching creations.
 

Allen's top goalie masks

1. Cat be beat

 “John Vanbiesbrouck was my favorite goalie growing up and the cat mask with the red cage will not be beaten. That logo created on the mask was a thing of beauty and tops my list.”

 

2. Stitch in time

“Gerry Cheevers’ old school mask with the stitches will never be able to be beaten too. It defined what it meant to be a goalie in that era and prior…tough.”

3. Fin-tastic

“Brian Hayward’s mask with the San Jose shark mouth was fierce and got your attention right away.”

4. Eagle eye

“I like Ed Belfour’s mask too. The eagle was an iconic look that never wavered and had a presence about it.”  

5. Feline good

“Felix Potvin’s mask would be up there too. I loved the “Cat” and it was just such a recognizable mask in an era when masks started to become something special.”