Patent ID: 8596650

Claim:
An ice hockey skate assembly comprising: a boot shell structure comprising: a heel end and a toe end: a heel portion at said heel end adapted to cover a human heel wherein said heel portion extends just above said human heel, a lateral ankle portion that extends above said heel portion, said lateral ankle portion adapted to protect a human lateral ankle from external impacts, a medial ankle portion that extends above said heel portion, said medial ankle portion adapted to protect a human medial ankle from said external impacts, said lateral ankle portion and said medial ankle portion spaced apart to form a notch extending towards said heel portion forming a U-shaped notch; and a tendon guard removably attached between said lateral ankle portion and said medial ankle portion, said tendon guard adapted to cover said U-shaped notch, said tendon guard including a narrow mid channel overlying the notch to facilitate flexibility of a human lower leg, that hinges above said human heel, towards and away from said toe end substantially uninhibited through the U-shaped notch, wherein said tendon guard is adapted to flex about the mid channel towards and away from said toe end.