Are Pro Goalie Sticks Narrower Than They Used to Be?

For most hockey players, the stick serves as the primary device for moving the puck. They use it to control the puck, which they pass and shoot. For goalies, though, the stick serves another important purpose. Goalies use their sticks--along with other equipment--to stop the puck before it crosses the goal line. Rules developed over the sport's history limit the equipment goalies use.

  1. History

    • The hockey stick traces its history to the mid-1800s, when the sport appeared for the first time in Quebec, Canada. The oldest-known hockey stick still in existence was made from hickory and sold at auction for $2 million in December 2006.

      Hockey stick evolution has been slow. Few changes in dimension have been introduced. In the 1940s, however, companies introduced sticks made from layers of wood that offered greater flexibility. In the 1960s, players began to curve their stick blades after discovering it led to more erratic shots, which made it more difficult for goalies to predict the path of the puck.

    Size

    • The goalie stick features a shaft and blade. Rules limit the width of the goalie's blade to 3.5 inches. The heel of the blade is limited to 4.5 inches in width. The length of the blade is limited to 15.5 inches from the heel to the end of the blade. The limit on sticks used by other players on the ice is 12.5 inches in length and a maximum width of 3 inches.

      The National Hockey League limits stick length to 63 inches for all players. The lower 28 inches of the goalie's stick shaft is allowed to be as wide as 3.5 inches. A knob is required at the end of a goalie's stick handle. The knob must be at least a half-inch thick.

    Function

    • Blade lie describes the angle of the blade as it relates to the angle of the shaft. A lie value of 5 corresponds to a lie of 135 degrees. Typically, players prefer a lie between 5.5 and 7. Goalies, though, prefer a lie of 11 to 15. A higher lie is preferred by goalies who do not crouch as much while guarding the goal.

      Since the 1960s, players have used curved blades. Rules do not dictate a maximum curvature for the goalie's stick blade, but other players are limited to a half-inch.

    Significance

    • In the popular National Hockey League, goalies are the only players allowed to use a broken stick. Other players whose sticks break must release the sticks or face a penalty. The goalie also is allowed to use another player's stick if he becomes separated from his stick.

      Because goalies must remain in the net, other players are allowed to carry a goalie's stick to him if he should lose it during game play.

    Goalie Equipment

    • Unlike other players on the ice, goalies wear leg pads, a mask, a chest protector, a blocker and a trapper. Each is used for protection and to help with stopping the puck. The trapper is a glove much like the catcher's mitt in baseball. It allows the goalie to catch and scoop up shots. The blocker is worn on the stick hand.

    Rule Changes

    • In 2005, the National Hockey League introduced rule changes that affected goalies. The rules were deemed an attempt to increase scoring. Leg pad width was reduced to 11 inches from 12, and blockers and trappers also were reduced in size.