In ice hockey, players use specialized equipment both to facilitate the play of the game and for protection.
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Background
The hard surfaces of the ice and boards, pucks flying at high speed (over 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph) at times), and other players maneuvering (and often intentionally colliding, also known as "checking") pose a multitude of inherent safety hazards. Besides ice skates and sticks, hockey players are usually equipped with an array of safety gear to lessen their risk of serious injury. This usually includes a helmet, shoulder pads, elbow pads, mouth guard, protective gloves, heavily padded shorts, a 'jock' athletic protector, shin pads/chest protector and a neck guard. Goaltenders wear masks and much bulkier, specialized equipment designed to protect them from many direct hits from the puck. The hockey skate is usually made of a thick layer of leather or nylon to protect the feet and lower legs of the player from injury. Its blade is rounded on both ends to allow for easy maneuvering. Goaltenders' skates, however, have blades that are lower to the ice and more square than round; this is advantageous to the goalies, for whom lateral mobility and stability are more important than quick turns and speed.
History of Hockey Equipment
The first skates had simple metal blades tied to regular shoes. The sticks were thin pieces of wood until the 1930s. In 1897, G.H. Merritt introduced simple goalie pads by wearing the wicket-keeper's pads. All players played in simple leather gloves, until a Detroit goalie introduced the trapper and blocker in 1948, by experimenting with a of rectangular leather, and a baseball catcher's glove. Jacques Plante was the first regular user of the goalie mask; Clint Benedict used a crude leather version in 1928 to protect a broken nose. The goalie mask evolved to Vladislav Tretiak design, the first helmet and cage combo. Considered primitive by today's standard, that sort of mask is only used by Chris Osgood. The other helmet and cage combo, used today only by Dominik Hasek and Dan Cloutier is often questioned, citing safety concerns. The most recognized goalie mask today resembles a highly fortified motorcycle helmet with a cage attached. The composite hockey stick era is very new. Tom Barrasso, when the Penguins won the Cup, was still using a wood stick.
General Equipment
Two things that are general, non-protective equipment are the hockey puck and the hockey sweater. On top of the protective gear, players wear a jersey or sweater which displays the team's logo or crest and colours, as well as the player's name and number.
Equipment used by regular players
- Helmet Combo
- Neck Guard
- Shoulder Pads
- Elbow Pads
- Hockey Gloves
- Hockey Pants
- Jock/cup
- Shin Guards
- Mouthguard
- Ice skates
- Hockey Stick
Goaltending equipment
- Goal stick
- Goal skates
- Goalie mask or helmet and wire facemask
- Chest and arm protector
- Blocker, worn on the hand that holds the stick
- Catch glove, worn on the opposite hand
- Goal jock or jill
- Goal pants, which are typically more protective than players pants
- Goal pads,up to knees
- Socks, covering the leg from the foot to just above the knee or above
Equipment Brands
See List of hockey equipment brands.
Certification of hockey equipment
Many leagues require players to wear equipment, especially head and face protection, certified by trusted agencies. As of 2005, there are four groups that specify standards for hockey head and face protection:[1]
- European Committee for Standardization (CEN)
- International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
- Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
- ASTM International
Most countries requires youth players to wear helmets and facemasks certified by the Hockey Equipment Certification Council (HECC). This group certifies equipment based on the ASTM standards; it does not write standards.[2]
Facemask Controversy
Youth and college hockey players are required to wear a mask made from metal wire or transparent plastic attached to their helmet that protects their face during play. Professional and adult players may instead wear a visor that protects only their eyes, or no mask at all; however, some provincial and state legislation require full facial protection at all non-professional levels. Rules regarding visors and face masks are mildly controversial at professional levels. Some players feel that they interfere with their vision or breathing, or encourage carrying of the stick up high in a reckless manner, while others believe that they are a necessary safety precaution. In fact, the adoption of safety equipment has been a gradual one at the North American professional level, where even helmets were not mandatory until the 1980s. The famous goalie, Jacques Plante, had to suffer a hard blow to the face with a flying puck in 1959 before he could persuade his coach to allow him to wear a protective goalie mask in play.
References
- ^ Certification of Hockey of Equipment. BJMS.
- ^ HCCC FAQ's. Hockey Equipment Certification Council.
