Hockey players need a lot of equipment to play the game. The equipment is proprietary and protective of the body. The game is played on a sheet of ice, so it wouldn't be possible to move on the ice without skates. Since the idea is to propel a puck into a net by shooting it, players also need hockey sticks in order to accomplish this.
Hockey Skates
Hockey skates allow players to move with great speed and precision on the ice. Hockey skates have two edges and a hollow in the middle part of the blade. The player gains speed by pushing off to the sides with the edges of the skates. The player turns by putting his weight on the forward part of the skate and using the hollow to facilitate the turn.
Sticks
Hockey sticks are made of wood, aluminum, fiberglass, graphite and titanium (or a combination of any of these materials). Hockey players tape the blade of their stick to increase the "feel" they have when the puck is on their stick. By slapping the puck or flicking their wrists, hockey players can shoot the puck at great speeds (approaching 100 miles per hour). They can also pass the puck accurately, dig the puck out of corners and receive passes. Hockey players can also use their sticks to deflect shots and change their direction to make it impossible for the goalie to stop them.
Helmets
All hockey players are required to wear helmets. All non-professional players--youth, high school, college and junior--are required to wear helmets with face masks. Professional players are not required to wear face masks.
Shin Guards and Shoulder Pads
Players wear shin guards under their uniform socks to protect their lower legs from getting hit by the hard puck, which is made of vulcanized rubber. Defensemen, who tend to block more shots than forwards, wear large shin guards, while forwards wear smaller shin guards. Players wear shoulder pads to protect their upper bodies. Most shoulder pads are form-fitting, and they are not as bulky and hard as shoulder pads worn by football players. Some players wear larger shoulder pads, especially when they are coming back from injuries and want extra protection.
Goaltenders' Equipment
Goaltenders wear more equipment than other hockey players. Goalies wear masks that protect their faces from hard shots, and they wear chest protectors and shoulder pads. They wear arm guards and pads to protect their arms and thigh pads under their uniform, along with a protective athletic cup. They also wear thick leg pads that protect the lower legs (and are also tools to kick away shots on goal). Goalie skates have steel reinforcement around the toe area and also have flatter blades than normal hockey skates. Flat blades enable the goalie to slide from one side of the net to the other with ease.
History
Hockey helmets were not required in the NHL until after the death of player Bill Masterton in 1968. Masterton was a forward for the Minnesota North Stars when he was checked by two members of the Oakland Seals, fell backwards on the ice and hit his head. He lost consciousness, never regained it and died as a result of the fall. Masterton's death started a series of events that mandated helmets at the professional level. Helmets were required by the NHL in 1979.
Goaltenders did not wear masks until Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens donned a mask in 1959. Eventually, other goalies followed his trend and all goalies wore masks by the early 1970s. Andy Brown of the Detroit Red Wings was the last goalie to play without a mask in 1974.
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