Andy Hall

Mastering the Basics: the history and roles of equipment in hockey

By: Greg Makarov, Sports Writer One might think defensive equipment has existed in hockey since its beginnings, but that would be wrong. The first-ever sticks were made from “a single piece of wood,” while skates were simply shoes with a blade added to the bottom, offering players little support. The quality of the ice did not make things any better. With artificial ice not having been invented yet, ice rinks were just rectangular frozen puddles. Until the 1900s, sticks, padding, and skates were all that was offered for hockey players. Before the introduction of the National Hockey League in 1917,…

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