A bunch of questions from a returning goalie

dsinn · Squirt Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 1 Location: Canada

Hey guys.

I used to play hockey quite a bit when I was in my teens, and was actually pretty good. I didn't ever play club level, but played at the highest non-club level. I took a break from hockey for about 8 years while I attended university.

I'm now trying to get back into playing, but things seem to have changed a lot. If you could help with the following questions I'd be very grateful:

How have blockers and catchers changed? I know that it's difficult to say anything without knowing what I have, but I don't even know what I have! They are from Simmons and I bought them like 10 years ago. lol

Thank you very much

canadian_man_44 · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 3:20 pm Post subject:

A lot of todays pads are made for the butterfly goalie. Your pads should be fine. They worked for you before and they'll work for you now. The only real advantage with the new style pads is they are generally constructed from lighter materials as well as generally being more squared at the top and bottom, which is great if you're a butterfly goalie but will really have no advantage if you're hybrid or a standup goalie.

With the plus sizing....really depends again on your style of play. If you're a butterfly goalie and you have difficulty completely closing the five hole or you want the have a wider butterfly then the plus sizing will definitely help you. This just adds extra at the top of the pad.

Blockers and trappers have changed as well. If you buy a new blocker or trapper now they will be sized along the rules that the NHL has established....which means they may be slightly smaller then what you currently have. They are also generally constructed from lighter materials. The size hasn't mattered to me at all, even though the trapper I currently have is a little smaller then the previous one because I am able to move it faster because of the lighter materials. Also, proper positioning really make the slightly smaller size inconsequential.

Hope this helps you out. Good luck with starting up again. There is nothing like strapping on the pads and having people take slap shots at you!
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