What equipment must ice hockey players wear?
Officials' detail · The game · 1 of 1Every player must wear an approved helmet with the chin strap fastened, and players born after 1974 must wear at least a visor. A neck laceration protector is compulsory. Sticks may be no longer than 1.63 metres, with a limited blade curve. The puck is vulcanised rubber, 7.6 cm across and 2.5 cm thick, kept frozen.
How it works
- Helmet: approved for ice hockey, chin strap fastened, on the bench and in the penalty box too.
- Helmet off in play: the player must leave the ice; they may not put it back on during play.
- Facial protection: at least a visor for players born after 31 December 1974; no tinted visors.
- Neck laceration protector: compulsory for all players.
- Under the uniform: all protective equipment except gloves, headgear, mouthguards, neck protectors and goalkeepers' pads.
- Stick: up to 1.63 m long, blade up to 32 cm, 5 to 7.6 cm wide, curve no more than 1.9 cm.
- Stick measurement: a captain may request it; a legal stick costs the requesting team a bench minor.
- Broken stick: must be dropped; a replacement comes from the bench or a teammate's hand.
- Puck: 2.5 cm thick, 7.6 cm across, 156 to 170 g, kept frozen.
The glossary has the stick, the puck, the goalkeeper, the delay of game, the minor penalty and the misconduct penalty.
Tricky cases
A player's helmet comes off in a battle. Can they keep playing?
No. They must leave the ice. Putting it back on mid-play is a minor penalty.
A player's stick breaks. Can they keep using the shaft?
No. A broken stick must be dropped; playing with it is a minor penalty.
Can a teammate throw a stick to a player who lost theirs?
No. It must be handed over; throwing it is penalised.
Can a player use an opponent's dropped stick?
No. That is an illegal stick and a minor penalty.
Why the rule exists
Pucks fly fast and sticks are swung close to faces, so head, face and neck protection is a safety rule. Stick limits stop curves that would make shots unpredictable.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Senior men | Visor at least | IIHF 9.7 |
| Women and under-18 | Full face protection | IIHF 102.1, 202.2 |
| Under-20 men | Visor plus a compulsory mouthguard | IIHF 202.1, 202.3 |
| Goalkeepers | Size limits on pads and gloves | IIHF 11 |
From the rule book
International Ice Hockey Federation, Official Rulebook 2026/27 (version 1.0, June 2026), Rules 9, 10, 12 and 13. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the IIHF Official Rulebook, revised each season.