Behind the Mask - by Randi Druzin (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"Hockey goaltenders have forever been thought of as unique, eccentric, weird and wacky. Also misunderstood. Randi Druzin's Behind the Mask is a fascinating examination of a dozen of those who have played the position at the highest levels. This well-researched and well-written book is revealing and delightful at the same time."--Roy MacGregor

While his teammates rush up the ice in a coordinated attack, the goalie is alone in his net. And when the play turns back toward him, he's prepared to step in front of a frozen rubber disc traveling 100 miles an hour. He's the last line of defense in a pitched battle. The goalie stands apart, on and off the ice. Like the relief pitcher in baseball and the place kicker in football, he is a maverick.

Behind the Mask profiles 12 legendary NHL goalies, emphasizing the traits that make each one unique. It blends accounts of the goalies on-ice exploits with anecdotes about their lives off the ice information gleaned from archival research as well as interviews with teammates, family members and the goalies themselves.

The careers here cover the last half-century of professional hockey from the personal struggles of Roger Crozier and Ed Giacomin on their way to stardom in the 1960s, to the recent brilliance of Carey Price, whose character blends stoicism with a deep warmth and pride in his Indigenous background.

Told with author Randi Druzin's trademark mix of knowledge and wit, Behind the Mask has all the insight and color to make it a bestseller like her previous book on NHL goalies, Between the Pipes.

Hockey goalies profiled include:

• Roger Crozier, Detroit Red Wings / Buffalo Sabres
• Rogie Vachon, Los Angeles Kings
• Gerry Cheevers, Boston Bruins
• Ed Giacomin, New York Rangers
• Tony Esposito, Chicago Black Hawks
• Vladislav Tretiak, Soviet Red Army
• Mike Palmateer, Toronto Maple Leafs
• Grant Fuhr, Edmonton Oilers
• Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks
• Marc-André Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins / Vegas Golden Knights
• Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
• Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens

Review Quotes

"Hockey goaltenders have forever been thought of as unique, eccentric, weird and wacky. Also misunderstood. Randi Druzin's Behind the Mask is a fascinating examination of a dozen of those who have played the position at the highest levels. This well-researched and well-written book is revealing and delightful at the same time."
--Roy MacGregor, award-winning author, journalist, and an officer of the Order of Canada.

"Goaltenders are undeniably the oddballs of the hockey world. Fearless and idiosyncratic. Eccentrics of the highest order. Druzin's incisive storytelling helps us better understand some of the game's most compelling characters."
--Jeremy Allingham, author of Major Misconduct: The Human Cost of Fighting in Hockey

"This book is a kick save and a beauty. Randi Druzin unmasks legendary goaltenders of the modern era, telling their wonderful stories as only she can in this gem of a book."
--Steve Simmons, sports journalist, Toronto Sun

"In Behind The Mask, Randi Druzin has done a masterful job of charting the lives and careers of twelve goalies, bridging the NHL's so-called Original Six era to the League's modern day, with a mid-book deflection into the international game. For all of their many differences, Randi illustrates that what links these dozen men is a common love of their sport. Enjoy her fascinating, illuminating stories about these legends, the last line of defence in a game that for more than a century has been about six ounces of vulcanized rubber and a net six feet wide and four feet tall."
--Dave Stubbs, NHL.com columnist and historian

"With a keen eye and unique tone, Randi Druzin has created a series of vivid character sketches of the most important characters in hockey: Goaltenders. Each profile is a snapshot of an era, offering the reader a glimpse into how the position has evolved, even if the burden of being in net hasn't changed."
--Sean Fitz-Gerald, sportswriter and author of Before the Lights Go Out: A Season Inside a Game on the Brink

About the Author

Randi Druzin is an author and journalist. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Time magazine, the Globe and Mail and several other major publications. She is the author of three books including Between the Pipes. She lives in Toronto.