Blocker (ice hockey)

Refer to caption. — A blocker designed for roller hockey

The goalie blocker^[1] is a rectangular piece of equipment worn by goaltenders in the sports of ice hockey, roller hockey, rink hockey, broomball, and ringette. It is generally worn on the dominant hand.^[2] This article deals chiefly with blockers worn by goalies who play winter sports.

The blocker is a close-fitting glove augmented on the back of the hand, wrist and part of the forearm by a rectangular "block" of padding and fabric (leather or synthetic). Goaltenders hold their stick in that hand and use the padded rectangle to block shots -- bouncing them away from the net, as opposed to holding them in the catching glove. Experienced goalies can "steer" the shot by angling the blocker as the puck strikes. The padding also serves to protect the hand and lower forearm of the goaltender.

Notes

^1 A blocker may also be referred to as a 'waffle' or 'waffle-board' stemming from the visual appearance of the blocker in pre-modern ice hockey equipment era.
^2 Typically a right-handed person would wear the blocker glove on the dominant, right hand. For left-handed persons, the blocker would be worn on the dominant, left-hand. Typically, blockers are manufactured for right-handed players, this is referred to as a standard setup. To avoid confusion, a left-handed player's equipment setup may sometimes be referred to as 'full-right' setup.