Equipment In ice hockey , players use specialized equipment both to facilitate the play of the game and for protection as this is a sport where injuries are common , therefore , all players are encouraged to protect their bodies from bruises and severe fractures . Background . The hard surfaces of the ice and boards , pucks flying at high speed ( over 160 kilometers per hour [ 100 mph ] at times ) , and other players maneuvering ( and often intentionally colliding , also known as " checking " ) pose multiple safety hazards . Besides ice skates and sticks , hockey players are usually equipped with an array of safety gear to lessen their risk of serious injury . This usually includes a helmet , shoulder pads , elbow pads , mouth guard , protective gloves , heavily padded shorts , a ' jock ' athletic protector , shin pads / chest protector and a neck guard . Goaltenders wear masks and much bulkier , specialized equipment designed to protect them from many direct hits from the puck . The hockey skate is usually made of a thick layer of leather or nylon to protect the feet and lower legs of the player from injury . Its blade is rounded on both ends to allow for easy maneuvering . Goaltenders ' skates , however , have blades that are lower to the ice and more square than round ; this is advantageous to the goalies , for whom lateral mobility and stability are more important than quick turns and speed . History . The first skates had simple metal blades tied to regular shoes . The sticks were thin pieces of wood until the 1930s . In 1897 , G . H . Merritt introduced simple goalie pads by wearing the wicket - keeper ' s pads . All players played in simple leather gloves , until a Detroit goalie introduced the trapper and blocker in 1948 , by experimenting with a rectangular piece of leather , and a baseball catcher ' s glove . Jacques Plante was the first regular user of the goalie mask ; Clint Benedict used a crude leather version in 1928 to protect a broken nose . The goalie mask evolved to Vladislav Tretiak design , the first helmet and cage combo . Considered primitive by today ' s standard , that sort of mask is used by Chris Osgood , and Tim Thomas . The other helmet and cage combo , used today only by Dominik Hasek and Dan Cloutier is often questioned , citing safety concerns . The most recognized goalie mask today resembles a highly fortified motorcycle helmet with a cage attached , however the construction is very different , being a true mask rather than a helmet . The composite hockey stick era is very new - when the Penguins won the Cup , Tom Barrasso was still using a wood stick . Goaltending equipment . Main article : Ice hockey goaltending equipmentGoalies are allowed special variations on equipment , both to increase their chance of stopping pucks and for extra protection . They offer more protection from frontal impacts , while generally providing little or no protection to the goalie ' s back . This is because a goalie should always face the action and a hit on a non - padded area is generally a mistake on the part of the goalie . Normally the stick is held in the right hand with the blocker , and the catch glove is on the left . However , " full right " goalies reverse this , holding a right - hand curve stick in the left hand and catching with the right . This is largely personal preference , depending mostly on which hand the goalie is most comfortable catching with . The stick blade may be flat or curved to assist in playing the puck , depending on personal preference and stick handling style . The shaft of the stick blade may be slightly curved to assist in picking it up off the ice when dropped . Facemask controversy . Youth and college hockey players are required to wear a mask made from metal wire or transparent plastic attached to their helmet that protects their face during play . Professional and adult players may instead wear a visor that protects only their eyes , or no mask at all ; however , some provincial and state legislation require full facial protection at all non - professional levels . Rules regarding visors and face masks are mildly controversial at professional levels . Some players feel that they interfere with their vision or breathing , or encourage carrying of the stick up high in a reckless manner , while others believe that they are a necessary safety precaution . In fact , the adoption of safety equipment has been a gradual one at the North American professional level , where even helmets were not mandatory until the 1980s . The famous goalie , Jacques Plante , had to suffer a hard blow to the face with a flying puck in 1959 before he could persuade his coach to allow him to wear a protective goalie mask in play .