Your Complete Guide to Hockey Goalie Equipment

The secret is out—kids just love to play goalie. And we don’t blame them. Not only are goalies a part of the most exciting moments in the game, but they also get to don the coolest equipment.

Luckily, all NHL STREET leagues receive complimentary goalie equipment from our partner, Franklin Sports. So all they have to do is show up and put it on. Let’s walk through each piece of equipment and how it’s used in street hockey.

Leg Pads

Think of leg pads as two fluffy pillows strapped to the goalie’s legs—usually by a plastic clip or Velcro. They give them a chance to successfully block shots down low. And even more importantly, they help protect their hips, legs, and thigh areas from any unwanted hockey sticks.

Chest Pads

Chest pads protect a goalie’s midsection—just like a catcher in baseball or softball. It loops over their head and is buckled around their waist to stay in position. They may look heavy, but today’s equipment is more advanced than it used to be and they’re actually lightweight, while offering the same upper body protection.

Blocker

Kids will begin to feel like transformers as they put on their street hockey blocker. It’s primarily designed to help with net coverage and stopping the ball. Hockey players wear the goalie blocker on their dominant hand—the same hand used to hold their goalie stick. It’s made of high performance foam, helping them swat and block shots to the net.

Gloves

Every youth hockey goalie needs at least one glove-diving save in their career. While blockers are worn on the dominant hand, goalie gloves are worn on the opposite hand and used to help catch the ball. Street hockey goalies can freeze/cover the ball to stop game play.

Goalie Stick

Goalie sticks might not offer any body protection, but they do help the goalie cover the net and redirect shots from the goal. These sticks are different from other street hockey sticks, with a skinny handle and wider base. The base is called the paddle and is the part of the street hockey stick that touches the ground.

Goalie Mask

The goalie mask protects the goalie from being hit, while also providing a clear line of vision of the play in front of them. That way, our youth hockey players can feel confident and safe when facing even the most difficult shots. NHL STREET leagues have masks of varying sizes, so every player can feel snug and protected when playing.

There you have it! Your goalies are officially geared up and ready for game day!