NHL goalies, then and now

Gilles Gratton was a strong goalie three decades ago, starring in the Ontario Hockey Association and the World Hockey Association before joining the NHL. He played for the St. Louis Blues and the New York Rangers before retiring in 1977.

Gratton was a colourful figure who dazzled teammates with his ability to play classical music on the piano, and even claimed to have been a Spanish count in a past life.

He also delighted fans by painting wild designs or animal faces on his masks.

Gratton now works at Classic Auctions, a Quebec-based auction house. He recently spoke to Global News Online about professional goaltending, then and now.

In terms of performance, what is the biggest difference between goalies of today and goalies from your era?

Well, it is a lot tougher to score on goalies these days. To start, the goalies are bigger than they used to be. I was almost 6 feet tall when I played and I was one of the biggest goalies in the league. That wouldn’t be the case now. Secondly, the equipment is bigger now. Third, goalies now have better coaching. When I played, I was just told to stand up and stop the puck. That’s it. The coaches emphasized the importance of standing up. They said, “If you fall down, you won’t get drafted.” That changed later on, especially with Patrick Roy.

Some people say today’s goalies are bettter positionally. Do you agree?

Oh, yes. They are much better now thanks to good coaching and video analysis. I would have five bad games and not know why. Then I would have five good games and not know why. The coaching and video analysis just wasn’t there. There is no way Gretzky would get 215 points in one season now. (Gretzky set that record in the 1985-86 season.) When I watch tapes of some of those old games, I just shake my head.

Some people say that goalie equipment has made a big difference. Do you agree?

Today’s goalie equipment is not just bigger but also lighter and better. In 2004, I played in an Oldtimers’ game. It was my first time in net in 25 years. I wore my nephew’s equipment, and felt it didn’t weigh anything at all. In my days, the pads were really heavy by the end of the game because they were so wet. Also, we could feel every shot through our equipment, and we got hurt. In that Oldtimers game, guys were shooting at me and I felt nothing.

Has fitness played a big role in the evolution of NHL goalies?

Oh yes, the players’ fitness is much better today. In my playing days, I would go to Florida or the Bahamas as soon as the season ended and get drunk. Then I would come home and play some tennis. I wasn’t in great shape when training camp opened, and neither were the others. In those first few practices, some of the guys would be puking by the boards.

Who is your favourite goalie today? Why?

Jaroslav Halak is good technically and very tough-minded. The Montreal Canadiens kept him on the sidelines for three seasons then he helped them get to the playoffs. Then they got rid of him. Now I am a Toronto Maple Leafs fans. I also like watching the Buffalo Sabres’ Ryan Miller play. He is really quick and anticipates the play very well. He is also good at dealing with screen shots. He never seems to be out of position.

If you were zapped off the ice during a game in 1976 and put on the ice in a modern NHL game how would you fare?

I wouldn’t do too well. I would be too small and too out of shape. Players are bigger, faster and stronger now than they were in my playing days. Also, the shots are much harder now than they were in my day. Today’s players use high-tech sticks. They seem to be from outer space.