Is there a limit to goalie pad size?
You couldn't have a 175 pound goalie wearing a 220 pound goalie's gear, as it would be too big for his body. In other cases, there are one-size-fits-all sizing rules for specifics of equipment, as is the case for goalie pads. The NHL Rulebook states: “Pads can only be ten and one-half inches (10 ½”) deep.”
The goalie's knee must fit securely where it is designed to, in the pad's "knee cradle" or "knee lock.” Pads that are too big or too small will cause the goalie's knee to miss the inside pads and land directly on the ice, which can cause significant injury.
There is no weight or size limit for NHL goaltenders, though there are restrictions on the size of the equipment these goalies can use. Over the years, NHL coaches have swayed back and forth between preferring tall goalies who take up maximum space versus smaller, more athletic goaltenders.
All thigh pads must follow the contour of the leg, or be placed under the pant, and the maximum width of the thigh pad across the front of the leg is 10 inches.
If your ankle bone to knee cap does not fit the goalie pad, your knee will either be above or below the knee cradle, meaning the pad and goalie can not properly function together.
The +1 sizing system is standard for leg pads, meaning that “+1” is an extra inch added to the top of the leg pad. This addition helps goalies with their butterfly position as well as with their five-hole coverage. Some goal pads come with a +2” sizing system, which is more common with high level, experienced goalies.
PROPER FIT
Each thigh-rise should reach halfway up the thigh when in the standing position and sealed together when in the butterfly. For younger goalies looking to have some growing room, we recommend having the kneecap no more than 1" below the center of the knee stack.
The legendary Frank Patrick introduced a numbering system in 1911-12 in the PCHA, where players were numbered from the goal out: Goal #1, Point #2, Coverpoint #3, Rover #4, Left Wing #5, Center #6, and Right Wing #7 (this was, of course, in the days of seven-man hockey).
No. No one is fat enough to cover all the angles, and you need to be fit and able to move very quickly in order to be a goalie in ice hockey.
The simple answer is that fat goalies are less mobile and therefore less able to make the quick saves that are often the difference between winning and losing in hockey. But there's more to it than that. Fat goalies also tend to tire more easily, meaning they would need to be replaced more often during a game.
Did the NHL make goalie pads smaller?
All arm and shoulder pads were reduced in height by approximately an inch. Which is to say, it suddenly became a lot easier to tell a 180-pound goalie from a 250-pounder. That, according to the NHL's vice president of hockey operations, was the idea.
Their pants have molded thigh and waist pads. Their leg pads cushion their landings and, when horizontal, lie flush with the ice. But in its constant desire to increase scoring, the NHL reduced the height of leg pads by an average of two inches starting in 2013-14, and more changes are on the way.
> Goalies do not typically have to wear hockey socks. Often track pants are more comfortable and less likely to bunch up under their pads. > Goalies sweat a lot so a good dry-wick t-shirt is recommended.
The width of the leg pads is a big factor. Senior size leg pads are 11 inches wide. Intermediate leg pads are typically between 10 and 10¾ inches. Junior pads are around 9 or 10 inches wide, while youth/beginner pads are even narrower.
An ideal fit is 2-3 inches above the middle of the thigh. Any higher and the pad will come up into the bend of the leg/bottom of crotch and will restrict skating movement. If the pad comes below the middle of the thigh, the five-hole may not be covered and the knees could be exposed to sticks and pucks.
The double-cup Elliott referenced has become a minimum standard for most NHL goalies. They are typically made up of what most people think of as a standard jock protector in any sport: a protective cup built into a holder and attached to a waistband.
The first-choice goalkeeper is usually assigned the number 1 shirt as they are the first player in a line-up. The second-choice goalkeeper wears, on many occasions, shirt number 12 which is the first shirt of the second line up, or number 13.
The 27" Goalie Set from Road Warrior is designed specifically for youth aged 13+. Embedded with MicroFiber technology and high density foam padding, this set reflects NHL quality equipment, designed for the street.
NHL goaltenders commonly go through several pairs of pads in a season, have a few pairs of gloves on the go at any given time, and commission new masks for special events. This is not the case for chest protectors, which goaltenders tend to keep for years at a time.
The rules of the IIHF, NHL and Hockey Canada do not permit goaltenders to be designated as on-ice captains, due to the logistical challenge of having the goaltender relay rules discussions between referees and coaches and then return to the crease.
Why is 99 not allowed in hockey?
Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 is retired throughout the NHL not only because he is considered the greatest player in League history, but because the number and his name are synonymous. Though there is no debate over who the best player to wear that number is, there are 98 other numbers with more than one worthy candidate.
3, 2011, and played seven seasons in the League, including winning the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 (wearing No. 11). Fun fact: Desjardins and forward Melvin Angelstad (two games with the Washington Capitals in 2003-04) are the only players in NHL history to wear No. 69.
- #1: Goalkeeper. Football. Sure, soccer goalkeepers only face a handful of shots each game.
- #2: Goalie. Hockey. ...
- #3: Quarterback. American Football. ...
- #4: Pitcher. Baseball. ...
- #5: Scrum-Half. Rugby. ...
- #6: Goalie. Lacrosse. ...
- #7: All Positions. Water Polo. ...
- #8: Catcher. Baseball. ...
The biggest goalkeeper in representative football was the England international Willie Henry `Fatty' Foulke (1874-1916), who stood 1.90m 6ft 3in and weighed 141kg 22st 3lb.
Who Is the Heaviest NHL Goalie Ever? Robin Lehner takes the cake for the heaviest NHL goalie of all time. As the game of hockey has grown over the years, so has the size of the goalies.
A black knob on the end of a goaltender's stick could easily be mistaken as a puck. And when the rule was written years ago, players had two tape colors to choose from. Black and white. By mandating goaltenders use white tape, the NHL was lessening the chance of blown calls by the goal judges.
No. Goalies do not have to wear neck guards, nor do they have to wear plastic throat protectors. In fact, at the NHL level, many do not wear either.
On March 5, 2014, Murphy formally announced his resignation. In 2017, Murphy was living in Costa Rica. He ended up living on the streets and was eventually deported back to Canada.
There is a curve at the top of the blocker that helps deflect pucks forward or upward, rather than backwards into the goal. Some goalies prefer larger curves as opposed to smaller ones. However, with the NHL's new size limitations, most blocker curves are fairly similar.
Goalie cups/jills offer additional protection of the groin area from a skater's. A curious fact: many NHL goalies wear 3 cups; a single players cup under a 'double' goalie cup.
Why are all NHL goalies wearing true?
Until 2019, CCM was the most popular brand of goalie pads in the NHL, largely because of the partnership with Lefevre. When that deal ended and Lefevre partnered with True in April of 2021, masses of goalies made the switch.
Next come the hockey stocks – if you choose to wear them. Wearing a layer between your pads and your legs helps prevent strap irritation, but many goalies choose compression pants instead of hockey socks. Also know that certain leagues require goalies to wear hockey socks.
It is not until age 32 when a significant decline starts and by 35, a goalie's performance begins to fall off a cliff. Of course, there are the rare instances like Dominik Hasek, Martin Brodeur, and Roy who were all productive into their late 30's.
So, if it's not due to the quality, then.. Why do NHL goalies not wear Warrior Gear? The short answer is, Warrior doesn't pay the National Hockey League.
Many pro goalies wear a forward's jock and a goaltender's jock over that. The best way to keep the hockey socks in place is to use a garter belt to securely hold them. There are hockey shorts now that have Velcro straps that are used to hold socks in place.
In the past, pads were often made out of leather and stuffed with horse hair. Professional pads were stuffed with deer hair, which is hollow, giving more protection. The National Hockey League (NHL) specifies maximum dimensions of goaltending equipment to prevent goaltenders from having an unfair advantage.
100% of goalies currently playing in the NHL wear some form of knee protection. Knee guards not only protect against pucks shot towards this vulnerable area of the body, they also help to alleviate the wear and tear on a goalies knees when entering the butterfly position.
Sumo Goalie
The problem is legs. Your torso might be huge, but it's still supported by your legs. No sumo wrestler is going to cover most of the lower net, even in pads, while standing up.
When it comes to creating the perfect toe-tie gap between pads and skates, most goalies right up to the NHL go by the number of knots they tie into the skate lace that connects the two, or perhaps some combination of two knots with a small loop in between to approximate the desired length.
| Goalie Name | Pads | Glove |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan Binnington | True L12.2 | True L12.2 |
| Jeremy Swayman | True L12.2 | True L12.2 |
| Philipp Grubauer | True L12.2 | True L12.2 |
| Frederik Andersen | True L12.2 | True L12.2 |
What does the size of a goalie pad mean?
The plus 1 (+1) sizing system for goalie leg pads means that an extra inch is added to the top of the pad, in the thigh area. Most goalie pads today are automatically +1 sizing, so you'll see a number +1. For example, 33+1. Means 33 inches, plus 1 inch on the top.
While the overall height between a 32” Intermediate and a 32” Senior pad will be the same, the important thing to note is often the widths will be slightly different. Most brands use a 10.5” or 10.75” core to Intermediate pads while Senior pads use an 11” core.
How tight should you feel your goalie pads? It is best to loosen the boot strap at the bottom of the pads, the calf straps can be snug or loose, and the knee/thigh straps should be loose to allow for skate movement.
No, there isn't a size limit for hockey goalies in the NHL or any other hockey league. There is no limit on goalie height or weight. Goalies in the NHL typically weigh just over 200 pounds and are about 6 foot 2 inches tall.
> When all the gear is on, goalies should look somewhat comfortable and hopefully excited to get out on the ice. > Goalies do not typically have to wear hockey socks.
Leg pads were reduced to a height not greater than 45 percent of the distance from the center of the goalie's knee to his pelvis. The NHL has even forced change during a season, as when it ordered goalies to wear uniformly slimmer pants starting in February 2018.
A goalie's equipment is big because a puck is hard, can be shot with great velocity, and can injure, sometimes seriously, an inadequately protected goalie. In most of hockey's first century, heavy, stiff, wooden sticks limited a shot's speed and lessened the need for goalies to have anything but rudimentary equipment.
I believe Juuse Saros and Jaroslav Halak are the two shortest current NHL goalies, and both are 5'11”. 2019-20 was the year he showed he could be a future NHL prospect, with save percentages of . 923, . 927, .
History of equipment changes
First, let's take a look back at how this all began and the timeline that followed: Summer 2011 – NHL implements rule restricting the height of a goalie's pad to only come 55% up their thigh. March 2016 – NHL announces big changes will be coming to goalie equipment in the upcoming season.
INNER KNEE PADS
Some older goalie pads do not offer a lot of inner protection; so when a goalie drops to his knees, it's sometimes directly to the ice. Also, accidents do happen, and sometimes a puck will find its way to an exposed area. Extra knee pads underneath goalie pads are great extra layer of protection.
How wide should my goalie stance be?
Body Position:
Feet – Little more than shoulder's width apart, slight ankle bend with weight slightly on inside edges of the balls of feet. Skates – Parallel to each other. Knees – Push knees forward creating a slight bend which applies pressure to the balls of the feet.
Goalie Pants
The bottom of the pant should measure just above the knee, and allow ample room for knee pads and cup/jill underneath. Whenever possible try on pants with a chest protector, pads, skates, etc. to ensure the pieces interact well with one another.
