Equipment in ice hockey : a butterfly on the ice

A hockey goalie who likes to change his equipment. Can finally bring benefits in its defense against the Puck. Danny from the birch must smile when he hears such a thing in the year 2019. The German national goalkeeper, has heard with his 33 years in this regard, a lot, and experienced, especially at the beginning of his time in the German hockey League (DEL). "My former colleague Patrick Ehelechner has cut off pieces from the top of the plastic edge of the pant and the sewn in addition as shoulder pads. Six, seven years ago this sort of thing was still possible.“

Today, everything is standardized, even the goalie helmets and grid protection. Even earlier than before from the Birkens time, the tight old face masks were painted as scary, to scare the opposing players. Today, such masks are often used in horror movies. Also, the protection equipment below the head has been filed, the leg guards had to be as broad as possible so that the Puck had less space to slip through. It was also cobbled at the catcher's MITT, the small basket between the thumb and index finger, in which the Puck is caught. In addition, since shoelaces were confiscated in the basket. Finally, the outfit of a goalkeeper is not only protection from the hard rubber disc, the ansaust with up to 170 kilometres an hour, but also for, no shots over allow.

"In the League there are strict controls."

But then the Revolution came for the goalkeeper: Their equipment was always solid, which is to Protect the bidder and the room was always become smaller. "In the past, it was a matter of fact, it was in the leg pads: The wider, the better," says the birch. "Today, there is no room for more, but firm rules." Exactly 28 inches of the "mats", as the goalkeeper of the call it must be wide. "It is meticulously taken care of. In the League there are strict controls. In the case of international tournaments, the commissions come before and after the game, the measure of our equipment.“ The standards for the equipment have consequences: protection of The goalkeeper is, in fact, gotten worse, says the goalkeeper of RB München. As it is now, it is "borderline", but still good. Narrow should be but nothing more. The Whole weighs 22 or 23 pounds as in the past, but five, six pounds less. "I have not put but still in full gear on the scale," says the birch.

South Korea in January 2018: players from Germany to cheer on the Olympic final.Photo: Daniel Karmann/dpa

in Addition, has changed the style of play as last time more clearly, what is caused also in part by the lighter and more space-filling equipment. Earlier, the Goalies were in hockey, today you will slip, as soon as the danger in front of goal is threatening, with angled pads on the ice. Because it is quite far-fetched, to a butterfly reminds, it is called "Butterfly-style". In the "Stand-to do Up-style", so the defense work more or less standing, to defend almost not a professional. "We call this ,reverse', we work a lot with the post," said the birch.

Modern goalkeeper as the man of RB München to see that you always keep closed the gap between posts and guards, if the page shot is in danger. Disadvantage: The goalkeepers are overcome in the upper corners easier than in the past. So has collected from the birch trees in the Olympic final in 2018 against Russia, an unfortunate goal for 3:3 – at the end of won from the birch trees with the German silver, and was awarded as the best goalkeeper of the tournament.

equipment can cost up to 4,000 euros

As a professional in the DEL not, must take out the birch, of course, as young times, the condition of its facilities. Because the equipment has become smaller, the wear is greater than in the past, says the birch. The cost the club a lot of money. Each season, a professional goalkeeper consumptions of three sets of equipment, says of the birch with the bat more often would need to be replaced. "But I'm going to put everything and to be honest, I know me at the prices is not so." Would buy from the birch trees, his leg pads, Stick glove with the Blocker, skates, goalie mask, Goalie stick, torso protection, and the pants itself, costs at the highest level up to 4 000 Euro.

A not-so-visible equipment is for the goalkeeper to be particularly important: The cut in the Skate. The is different than the field players can be in the middle of the blade is not hollow, but angflacht, in order for the goalkeeper to slip better on the page ("slide"). "Since a lot can be, even today, when you cut right or wrong – at the highest level, however, it has become always better," says Danny from the birch trees.

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The national goalkeeper finds it right that the world monitored the Association strictly, what may carry the Keeper to the body and to fend off use. Off the equipment's antics are of course still allowed. Patrick Roy was the best goalie of all time and had a nice Spleen. He always spoke with the goalposts. After all, the Canadians told, until 2003, once his children had no fear of masks, figures in horror movies. "You think the Goalies."

In sports it is not only on the athletes. In our series, "battle of material", we describe, how much is determined by technique and Material in different types of sports. Previously published: "sled at the sledding", "Material and technique in Alpine skiing" and "The rifle at Biathlon".