Ice hockey is a fast paced, high contact sport, which has been around since the late 19th century. The first ever recorded indoor ice hockey game took place on March 3, 1875 at the Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal, but it was much different than modern day hockey in that each team had 9 players and it was played with a wooden puck.
Aside from skates and a stick, the remainder of the equipment that we see today was non-existent. The clothing that they wore was more to protect them from the cold than anything else.
Modern dayhockey players have highly sophisticated equipment which has been designed to offer maximum protection to the players, while also being flexible and light weightto give them optimal comfort.
This article will explore the evolution of hockey gear from the early days of the sport to the advanced equipment that players wear today.
Hockey Gear in the Early Days
Hockey gear in the early days of the sport was vastly different from what we see today. For example, instead of skates players attached blades to the bottom of their boots, sticks were made out of a single piece of wood and pucks were made out of wood or out of rubber balls which had the top and bottom cut off to give it a flat surface.
With regards to protective gear, players did not wear anything of significance to protect themselves from the physical dangers of the sport. The first piece of protective gear that players started wearing was make-shift shinguards in the 1880’s using strips of leather reinforced with cane or wood.
Even goaltenders, who are exposed to some of the greatest dangers with high speed shots being fired at them did not have much gear that protected them from physical injury. The first leg pads, for instance, were worn by Winnipeg Victorias goaltender George Merritt in the 1896 Stanley Cup challenge game. He used cricket pads for protection and the added confidence helped him shut out the Montreal Victorias 2-0.
Hockey Gear in the Early 1900’s
In the early 1900’s, players began taking protective gear more serious but for the most part, players had to take matters into their own hands. One of the star players in the early 1900’s, Fred “Cyclone” Taylor, is a great example of this as he is one of the first players to incorporate back and shoulder protection to his gear. He used scrap pieces of felt and stitched them into his undershirt going over the shoulders and down the back.
Another common upgrade that players made to their gear in the early 1900’s was wearing knee caps made of leather and felt. They also upgraded their gloves to include padding in them made out of felt or animal hair and some even usedpieces of bamboo to reinforce their wrists.
By the 1920’s, players began attaching their makeshift shinpads and knee pads together to offer a higher degree of protection to their legs.
Hockey Gear during the 1930’s
Prior to the 1930’s it was rare to see a player wearing a helmet, and even when they did, it was not a consistent thing. That is until 1933 when Ace Bailey, a star player forthe Toronto Maple Leafs, suffered a career ending head injury after colliding with Eddie Shore from Boston and severely banging his head on the ice. After this injury, Eddie Shore became the first NHL player to wear a helmet regularly. Even after this collision it was still rare to see a player wear a helmet regularly until around 1970.
Hockey gloves also went through an important transformation in the early 1930’s after Babe Siebert, star player for the Montreal Marooons, broke his thumb. His trainer had a clever idea; to fit a shoehorn into Sieberts glove for reinforcement to his thumb. This idea quickly led to the invention of the reinforced fiber thumb which became a common protection that players used in their gloves throughout the 1930’s.
Another area of protection that players started taking more serious during the 1930’s was their elbows and forearms which used to take blows regularly as they fell on the ice. Players began wearing leather elbow pads on the outside of their jerseys and also began sewing felt pads onto their undershirts to protect their forearms.
The Introduction of Goaltender Masks
Goaltender Clint Benedict was the first goalie to wear facial protection in 1930 after having his nose broken by a powerful shot. He quickly stopped wearing his leather mask after 2 games though, because it obstructed his vision.
The first goaltender to consistently wear facial protection was by Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante on November 1st 1959. While playing a game against the New York Rangers, Plante was struck in the face by a powerful shot which wounded his cheek and nose. He was quickly stitched up and returned to the ice wearing his self designed fiberglass mask which he had only previously worn during practice. His coach at the time was reluctant to let him wear the mask and spectators ridiculed him questioning his toughness.
After an 18 game winning streak people began to widely accept the face protection and it started to be worn by goalies across the league. Some goaltenders, however, opted to not wear masks all the way until March 31, 1973 which was the last time that a goaltender played without a mask.
Hockey Gear Advancements Post World War II
With the boom in the plastics and fiberglass industries after World War II, previously used leather shoulder and elbow pads began being replaced by plastic and fiberglass. These were protective for the player wearing them, however, they soon proved to be dangerous for opposing players.
In 1950, NHL president Clarence Campbell stated that although this new protection is good for the wearer of it, the true danger rests on the opponent who gets struck by this heavy armour. As a result, he emphasized the necessity to re-examine protective gear and get rid of anything that may be of danger to other players.
In the 1950-51 season a new rule was established to minimize the injuries that were resulting from elbows. It was required that all elbow and shoulder pads need to have a soft outer covering to minimize impact. There was also a new rule that gave major penalties to players who injured others with their elbows.
During the 1955-56 season a new elbow pad was made by Lippmans Tool Shop in Detroit which included a covering over the plastic made out of a soft sponge rubber and was first worn by players on the Detroit Red Wings.
New Guidelines for Hockey Gear
In June 1958, NHL president Clarence Campbell announced a new protocol for equipment manufacturers that all new equipment must first be approved by the NHL rules committee to ensure that the equipment is safe for both the wearer and opponent.
In 1959, CCM began developing a new type of leg protection after Montreal Canadiens star Bernie Geoffrion severed his tendon in the back of his leg from colliding with another players skate. By 1961, CCM released their new lightweight leg protection made from the same material as shrapnel vests in the Korean War. This new shin guard wrapped around the back of the leg giving players full protection from blades and was one of the first pieces of protective gear approved by the NHL rules committee. To further protect players from tendon injuries caused by skates, CCM also designed a new skate in 1961 by placing a hard plastic cover on the heel of the skate.
In 1979 helmets finally became mandatory for all players in the NHL that signed their first contract after June 1, 1979. It was not mandatory, however, for all players that had signed their first contract prior to this date. The last player to play without a helmet was Craig MacTavish who retired in 1997.
Hockey Gear Advancements since the 1980’s
A new pant system called the Cooperall was designed in 1980 which was 80 percent lighter than previous pants worn in the NHL and offered greater protection to players. It was made out of nylon and covered from above the players knees all the way up to their lower rib cage. This system only lasted 2 years in the NHL because the material tended to rip easier and caused players to slide uncontrollably when they fell on the ice.
In 1988, a new glove with shorter cuffs was implemented which eliminated the previous wrist protection but allowed
players to have better stick handling. As a result of eliminating previous wrist protection, gear manufacturers began producing longer elbow pads which stretched down to the wrists for greater protection.
One of the latest developments in protective hockey gear was displayed at the all-star game in 2007. Reebok and the NHL introduced a new uniform system called the Rbk EDGE Uniform System. It was designed with four different fabrics that is intended to give the players maximum protection while also maintaining a lightweight and keeping them drier than ever before.
Hockey Gear Maintenance
From the beginning of the sport of Ice Hockey to the modern game, the protective gear that players worehas gone through many changes. Initially players only wore jerseys and gloves to keep them warm. Nowadays the extent of gear that must be worn by a player is sophisticated and bulky to protect them from high impacts.
This new hockey gear, as is the case with all other sports, gets dirty very quickly and entrenched with bacteria as a result of players sweating in them. It is very important to make sure that you maintain your hockey gear as clean as possible during your season to eliminate any foul odours from the bacteria that grows on it.
Due to the extensive amounts of gear required to play hockey it can be difficult to keep your gear clean on your own and highly advised to give your equipment to aprofessional hockey gear cleaner from time to time.
FAQs
Equipment was slowly introduced throughout the 1900s. The equipment grew from simple felt and leather coverage to protective plastic and fibreglass materials for players and goalies. Goalie masks and hockey helmets were also eventually invented and made mandatory.
What was the first hockey gear? ›
According to the International Ice Hockey Federation, the first organized ice hockey game took place in Montreal in 1875. The players then had rudimentary skates strapped to leather boots and wooden hockey sticks, and they played with a wooden puck.
How have hockey helmets changed over time? ›
The first set of helmets were made from leather. Now helmets are made of a hard plastic-like material with foam padding inside to better protect against head injuries. Today, almost all players wear helmets while playing and it's mandatory in professional leagues.
What is the evolution of hockey? ›
Ice hockey is believed to have evolved from simple stick and ball games played in the 18th and 19th centuries in Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere, primarily bandy, hurling, and shinty. The North American sport of lacrosse was also influential.
What is the dead puck era? ›
The New Jersey Devils have often been criticized for popularizing the trap, using it to win the Stanley Cup in 1995, and again in 2000 and 2003. This period has been called the dead puck era.
Did they start wearing helmets in hockey? ›
Abstract. Objective In 1979, the National Hockey League (NHL) announced that helmets would become mandatory for incoming players.
What is the oldest hockey stick? ›
Known as the Moffatt stick, it was hand hewn in the 1830s in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, from a single piece of sugar maple. The Museum purchased the artifact from Mark Presley of Nova Scotia through its donor-supported National Collection Fund.
What does CCM stand for? ›
Customer communications management (CCM) is defined as the strategy to improve the creation, delivery, storage and retrieval of outbound communications, including those for marketing, new product introductions, renewal notifications, claims correspondence and documentation, and bill and payment notifications.
What was used before the hockey puck? ›
The first hockey pucks were made from frozen cow dung and leather liver pads. These early pucks had a lifespan of about one game before they were too soft or too hard for playability, so they were replaced with wooden ones.
Who was the last NHL to not wear a helmet? ›
The last player to play without a helmet was Craig MacTavish, who played his final game during the 1996–97 season for the St. Louis Blues.
It took 18 years for every player in the league to wear a helmet. The last player without one, Craig MacTavish, retired in 1997.
Did they used to play hockey without helmets? ›
It wasn't until Bill Masterton's fatal incident in 1968 that NHL players became more open to the idea of wearing helmets. It took the National Hockey League until 1979 to make helmets mandatory for players entering the league, veteran players still had the option of wearing one or not.
What country invented hockey? ›
The modern game of hockey emerged in England in the mid-18th century and is largely attributed to the growth of public schools, such as Eton. The first Hockey Association was formed in the UK in 1876 and drew up the first formal set of rules.
Is hockey one of the oldest sports? ›
Dating back to the Greek classical era, field hockey remains one of the world's oldest team sports. Hurling, the sport played during the Greek classical era, closely resembled the modern sport. However, field hockey received its name in fourteenth century England.
What was the golden era of hockey? ›
The Original Six Years (1950-1967) In 1942 the Brooklyn Americans quit the NHL and set the stage for what many consider to be the "golden era" of hockey. The "original six" era is not an accurate label, of course, but is in common use especially by those who cannot recall an NHL without the Pittsburgh Penguins.
When did Gretzky stop playing? ›
Gretzky retired from professional play after the 1998–99 season and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999. His career totals include 2,857 points and 894 goals. The NHL retired his jersey number (99) after his final game.
Does the NHL freeze pucks before games? ›
All NHL and AHL pucks are frozen before the game. There are reasons for that. They glide smoother and faster when frozen, and freezing eliminates bouncing. Since pucks are made of vulcanized rubber, they tend to bounce like tennis balls when smacked with a stick.
Why do they freeze pucks before hockey games? ›
“Freezing a puck eliminates bouncing, and game officials monitor the puck for temperature changes that affect performance while in play. A coating that changes color when the puck is above freezing will more accurately alert the officials that it is time for a replacement.”
Did Wayne Gretzky wear a helmet? ›
Known NHL players who used Jofa helmets include such stars as Wayne Gretzky, Jaromír Jágr, Mario Lemieux, Jari Kurri, Marty McSorley, Claude Lemieux, Mats Sundin, Markus Näslund, Peter Forsberg, Phil Housley, Teemu Selänne, Esa Tikkanen, Daniel Sedin and his brother Henrik Sedin.
Why did hockey players not wear helmets? ›
“It was more comfortable without one,” he said. “I never had any injuries where a helmet would have helped me. The guys who wore Jofa helmets – that's no more protective than what I was not wearing.” By 1993-94, MacTavish, then 35, was the only player in the league without a helmet until he retired at 38 in 1997.
This is based on two concepts: peripheral vision, and something called the “gladiator effect.” The concerns about peripheral vision come from the fact that full facemasks have a chin cup, which blocks a player's view toward their feet, and the puck.
When did the NHL stop using wood sticks? ›
When they began using lightweight aspen wood reinforced with fiberglass. By the 1980s, aluminum sticks were being made. In 1981, they were made legal in the NHL.
What stick did Gretzky use? ›
The movement was started by none other than Wayne Gretzky who signed an endorsem*nt deal to use an HXP 5100 aluminum shafted stick made by Easton. The late 80's saw initial use of aluminum shafted sticks, but it was Wayne Gretzky who made them popular in the early 90's.
Why are there no left handed hockey sticks? ›
Why were left handed sticks band? Left handed sticks cause a high risk to injury in the game of field hockey. If a right handed player came in for a block tackle against a left handed stick they would most likely get hit on the follow through swing.
Is Bauer better than CCM? ›
Bauer equipment is more accurate when it comes to sizes and also has better quality overall. Other than the equipment aspect of the brands, another factor plays in: pricing. The most expensive pieces of equipment are the skates and sticks. The majority of people use Bauer more because of the cheaper prices.
Is Bauer owned by Nike? ›
In 1994, Canstar, the parent company of Bauer, became a wholly owned subsidiary of Nike. In 2006, beginning with the release of the Nike Bauer Supreme One90, the company's products were rebranded as Nike Bauer.
Does Bauer own CCM? ›
CCM Hockey is currently owned by Canadian private equity firm Birch Hill Equity Partners, after the Adidas Group sold the brand for around $100 million in 2017. As of June 2021, the newly appointed CEO by Birch Hill Equity Partners is Marrouane Nabih.
What was the first hockey stick called? ›
It's believed Mi'Kmaq (pronounced "mee-gum-ah" or "meeg-mah") carvers in Nova Scotia made the first ice hockey sticks during the 1830s, when they concurrently invented the sport. The "Mik-Mak stick" was manufactured by the Mi'Kmaq and remained popular sticks for a century. into the 1930s.
What did the first hockey stick look like? ›
The stick was carved from a single piece of sugar maple, and its shape is halfway between that of a field-hockey stick and a modern ice-hockey stick. The shaft is rounded, and the bottom of the rockered, ¾-inch-thick blade forms a continuous curve from heel to toe.
What did hockey rinks use before plexiglass? ›
It's hard to imagine today, but for the first half of the 20th-century, chicken wire surrounded the ice rink during hockey games. While it offered some means of protection, it made it difficult for fans to watch the games, and it was relatively easy for fans to interrupt games.
Perhaps the most important improvements for player performance has been the technology of the equipment. For decades we used the same types of equipment for hockey, and until recently, things never really changed. Now, equipment is lighter, more protective, and even has extra ventilation for airing out odors.
Do NHL players get new gear every game? ›
In recent years NHL teams generally give players 3-4 sets of white and dark jerseys annually, with special sets being introduced for alternate/heritage designs or special games.
When did goalie equipment change? ›
Starting around 2000, the "box" style leg pads became popular as goaltending playing technique evolved to a blocking style versus the reacting style of the past.
When did hockey skates change? ›
Short-lived innovations, such as molded-plastic skate boots, made a splash in the 1970s, but the next real game-changer came with the introduction of Bauer's Tuuk blade holder in 1976. Suddenly, hockey skates could be much lighter and it was easier to change runners.
Who modernized hockey? ›
The development of the modern version of organized ice hockey played as a team sport is often credited to James Creighton. In 1872, he moved from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Montreal, bringing skates, hockey sticks, and a game with a basic set of rules with him.
Who changed hockey the most? ›
The Great One
No one knew that when Wayne Gretzky first stepped on the ice when he was two-years old living in Brantford, ON, that he would change the game of hockey forever. Gretzky shattered every single NHL scoring record and still holds many of those records today.
What is the new technology in hockey? ›
Puck and Player Tracking Technology
Each of the 32 arenas has 14-16 infrared cameras that track sensors in pucks and jerseys throughout each game, generating data for teams, media, and fans. The tracking technology data help coaches improve their pre-game tactics and training programs.
Do NHL players shower between periods? ›
Some players will take a shower during the intermission to feel revitalized for the upcoming period. Other players choose to meditate, closing their eyes, staying silent and visualizing their success for the remainder of the game.
Why do hockey players take their gloves off between periods? ›
Some players even rotate through gloves during games, allowing them to keep their hands fresh and dry.
Can you wear 0 in the NHL? ›
Beginning with the 1996-97 season, the NHL decreed that Nos. 0 and 00 could no longer be worn since they confused the League's digital database; today, only No. 1 through No. 98 are allowed, No.
Numbers in the thirties were seen as "safe" for goaltenders, since most numbers below thirty were already spoken for by forwards and defensem*n (remember that "high numbers" were essentially-unheard of at this time).
Why did goalkeepers not wear gloves? ›
Futsal goalkeepers tend not to wear gloves. Bare hands give the stopper a better feel on the ball for rolling and throwing distributions. The futsal keeper blocks the ball more than they save and catch it, so you could argue there is less need for gloves.
When did goalies not wear helmets? ›
Brown's final NHL game, the last in League history to feature a barefaced goalie, came when he and the Penguins lost 6-3 to the Atlanta Flames on April 7, 1974. After that, he played three seasons (all without a mask) for Indianapolis of the World Hockey Association before retiring for good.
When did hockey sticks become curved? ›
The stick blade that controls the puck remained flat for the hockey stick's first 130 years. Then things, well, took a curve during the 1960s. Chicago Blackhawks legend Stan Mikita is often credited with experimenting with a bend in his blade to get more lift and velocity on his shot.
When hockey players didn t wear helmets? ›
It wasn't until Bill Masterton's fatal incident in 1968 that NHL players became more open to the idea of wearing helmets. It took the National Hockey League until 1979 to make helmets mandatory for players entering the league, veteran players still had the option of wearing one or not.
Does Nike still own Bauer? ›
In 2006, beginning with the release of the Nike Bauer Supreme One90, the company's products were rebranded as Nike Bauer. This was the first time Nike had ever used a partner brand name on a product. Nike sold the company to investors Roustan, Inc.
made out of wood or out of rubber balls which had the top and bottom cut off to give it a flat surface.
The first goaltender to consistently wear facial protection was by Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante on November 1st 1959. While playing a game against the New York Rangers, Plante was struck in the face by a powerful shot which wounded his cheek and nose. He was quickly stitched up and returned to the ice wearing his self designed fiberglass mask which he had only previously worn during practice. His coach at the time was reluctant to let him wear the mask and spectators ridiculed him questioning his toughness. 
to rip easier and caused players to slide uncontrollably when they fell on the ice.