By the very nature of the position, goaltending attracts individuals. In the past, that often meant players who were a little — wink! wink! — unstable, or at the very least eccentric. The occasional "normal" goaltender was the exception to the rule.
But with the tremendous advances in protective gear developed over the past 25 years, the position is far less daunting in terms of getting hurt physically. That’s encouraged far more kids to take up the "tools of ignorance" and try goaltending. But the sense of personality, of being distinct, among goaltenders is as strong as ever.
