Hockey players are involved in a dangerous sport. They skate at great speeds and can shoot a hard puck made out of vulcanized rubber at speeds approaching 100 mph. The tools of the trade are hockey skates and a hockey stick, but players need to be outfitted with safety equipment to go out on the ice and play a game while avoiding injury.
Helmets
Hockey helmets are mandatory at all levels of the game. Youth hockey players are required to wear cage masks as a part of their helmets, and they are worn all the way through the college level. Most players at the professional level have visors that protect their eyes, but that is an option and not a requirement.
Shin Guards
All skaters wear shin guards underneath their hockey socks. Defensemen wear larger shin guards than forwards, and they help protect their legs from hard shots that are fired on goal. This allows players to get in the path of those shots that block them.
Hockey Gloves
The hockey gloves are not about giving the players flexibility and ease of motion when they handle a hockey stick. If that's what was intended, players would not have to wear any gloves. The hockey gloves protect a player's hands from errant passes, shots and sticks wielded by other players. The gloves are quite flexible, but they are designed to protect the player's hands.
Goalie Equipment
The goalie wears far more protective equipment than the other skaters on the ice. Start with the goalie mask that protects his face. The goalie also wears a chest protector and pads for the groin and upper legs. The goalie pads worn on the lower legs are protective and functional because they help when kicking shots away from the goal. The goalie skates also are enforced with steal to avoid foot injuries.
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