Goalie Equipment Checklist

A goalie's equipment is crucial, given the importance -- and the exposed nature -- of the position. At any competitive level of ice hockey, a goalie typically faces 20 to 40 shots per game. While watching out for an incoming puck, a goalie must also endure contact from sticks, skates or physical forward. Here are the essentials for any goalie:

  1. The Mask

    • Having taken one too many pucks to the face, Montreal Canadian Jacques Plante introduced the goaltender mask in 1959. The goalie mask has evolved since Plante's first crude fiberglass edition. Now the mask unit consists of a helmet, face cage and a throat guard.

    Chest and Arm Protector

    • Much like the gear of a catcher or umpire in baseball, this piece of equipment is designed to protect a goalie's upper body. In the game's earlier years, however, a goalie's chest protector was little more than what a catcher wore. Now, materials, including higher density foam and carbon fiber, allow for the production of a protector that is both safe and lightweight.

    Blocker

    • A glove worn on the stick hand, with an attached flat square pad used to block shots. It's also called a "waffle" in reference to old leather blocker pads with a grid of square cut-out holes to lighten the weight, which resembled a waffle.

    Trapper

    • Also simply referred to as the glove, this is worn on the hand opposite the stick and is used to catch a puck or cover it up on the ice. It is similar to a baseball mitt, but with a deeper pocket. In fact, the first goalie's trapper was a first baseman's mitt, worn in 1948 by New York Rangers goalie Emile Francis.

    Stick

    • The blade (3.5 inches or 8.9 cm) and lower shaft are wider than the standard player's stick to create a larger blocking surface. While most hockey sticks today are reinforced with graphite and fiberglass, a goalie's stick is filled with foam to lighten its weight.

    Leg Pads

    • Goalies rely on leg pads to block low shots. Typically, the pads range from 26 to 34 inches. However, prior to the 2003-04 season, the NHL mandated that leg pads measure no more than 38 inches in length. The league also reduced its standard leg pad width from 12 inches to 11 inches for the 2005-06 season.