The History of Hockey Helmets

I remember one person saying the JOFA helmet was only good for keeping all the parts of your skull together while they took you to the hospital.

I always called the CCM Pro Standard the 'Henderson Helmet', and sure enough that is your picture. Also reminds me of Mike Bossy. You should also mention Goring wore the SAME helmet home and away and repainted it every time. That is why the weird blue in the Islanders shot.

Bravo, Monsieur! You didn't miss a beat! 😊

@5:59 or in Gordie Howe's case, an exemption for players who were old enough to be a grandfather ... ;) I still see guys rocking Jofa helmets. The refs never enforce the helmet rules -- A) it's not allowed period and B) it's obviously expired (some plastic has a shelf life until it's more likely to be brittle and crack/shatter).

Very well done. All accurate info and great production value. My new favourite channel.

Back when i played in the 1970s I had some cheap Cooper helmets, but when I started working and earning I went out and got the helmet that Guy Lafleur, Stan Mikita, and Lanny McDonald wore. It gave good protection and was solidly built.

This was awesome, i love this style of video. this one and the goalie one were super informative!

The worst helmet I had was a Bauer 5100 L with cage . Its shape wasn't fitting me correctly and it was just large itself. The next one I had was the Bauer 2100 with cage. I loved the ear protectors that were built in and the color matched the helmet instead of being clear. I had it for 3 seasons then had to turn it in with he rest of the gear that isn't mine. Today my current use is the CCM 7100 M, I prefer the Faceshield and its great. The fit and visibility I get form the shield over the cage. I bought 3 of the helmets and now unfortunatly CCM discontinued this one. For me I mainly would start with the fit, then I would go with what color do I want it. I was at a AHL Gulls game and a player took a puck to the face and he was out for a bit. I think it is time for the NHL and AHL to mandate full face protection on all players. Its already mandated in college levels and and below. Who cares if it looks silly, It'll protect the eyes, face, and such. Look at Drew Miller from detroit.

Ahh the SK-600, my first and only hockey helmet! (I never pursued hockey after my childhood)

I'm for Utah Express - in honor of the state's connection to the Pony Express. Cheers!

Nice we got the history of hockey helmets, now we just need the history of hockey jocks and we'll have covered the two most important pieces of protection

The Cooper SK2000 and CCM HD2 were the helmets of choice when I played.... sans ear protection. I couldn't imagine wearing that Lemieux/Selanne bucket.

The Cooper SK300, worn by Bubbles who called it The Cooper Crash. https://youtu.be/hrB_XCpWtO8?t=210 The CCM HT1 (this is the first time I've ever heard the model number) is the perfect blend of style and substance. It is like looking at a 747 with that hump or an SD40-2 locomotive with the tree axles and that gigantic porch at the end of the long hood. Aesthetic perfection and more than adequate protection. Back when I played hockey into my mid teens, I had a green one because the PA Raiders were my favorite SJHL team and they had many good bench clearing brawls with my hometown Humboldt Broncos (who might have also worn green, I didn't notice.......). Back in those days the helmets also had a little foam pad with a white CCM sticker over the 2 screws on the side. Without question the most beautiful helmet design ever. https://youtu.be/O8VutLh0N0Q?t=273 As with everything in modern life, designers have improved design into a failure. Modern CCM helmets are a joke, the designers probably have rainbow tape on their sticks and rainbow flags in their home; these modern designers stand on the shoulders of whomever designed the HT1 and they think they are flying. As for head protection from concussions, if the new modern rainbow designed helmets cannot provide 100% protection (and if 100% protection isn't the objective or the outcome, what is the point....?), then perhaps the answer isn't newer more ugly helmets, perhaps the answer is don't run your opponent into the boards at top speed, perhaps keep the stick down in the corner (like in the old days when guys didn't wear helmets to you didn't run at them). Perhaps the answer is smaller shoulder pads (like Shanahan displayed, look it up), smaller elbow pads. Kariya could have had a football helmet on when the neanderthal Stevens shoulder padded him in the head long after Kariya had passed the puck. The real answer is to bring back fighting with a vengeance, to pound into powder chippy players (and Bettman) who are protected now by armor and rules to make the game safer. If the game is safer, why the need for ever more hardened equipment?

10+ years ago everyone had a Bauer 4500 because they looked awesome. 2nd place were those Reebok helmets that looked alright. Absolutely no one wanted to be caught dead wearing a Cascade.

WE NEED MORE HISTORY ONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a great vid. I'm rather surprised - and pleased at the same time - that the venerable Cooper SK100's are still available for GAA hurling players. Mind you, if I'd be mad enough to play a game of hurling, I'd rely on my Bauer 5000. I still use it, as a cycling helmet. That Jofa VM lid that The Great One wore, to my mind, is good enough for one purpose only - as a colander. I wonder if that gigantic helmet is still on the roof of their old factory.

Most concussions are body checks with no head contact. Tell that to Virginia Tech

I still have my Cooper SK100 helmet

Loved the info.......can you do one for Old School Full Fiberglass Goalie Masks? You missed one style of Helmet and Cage.....which RULED American Collegiate Hockey , just before The Miracle on Ice....Pro Tec Helmets and Cages are largely forgotten but were the best from '77 to '84

I looked into the Virginia Tech safety ratings and was shocked that the $400 CCM Tacks X helmet is the worst performing helmet on the market in terms of safety. There's a large percentage of the NHL that uses that one. Just goes to show that the pros will continue to prefer comfort over safety.