Ryan Lopano Blog

Hockey is known as this masculine sport: big hits, fist fights on the ice, 100-mile-per-hour slap shots, and so much more. According to Gettysburg College, “Notably, this sport includes many different expressions of physicality and aggression which is seen within body checks and physical contact that happen at all levels. But it is most easily seen within fist fights that occur at the professional level, in which players are minimally punished.” Obviously, all of these big moments are the ones that are talked about by mainstream media and fans alike. Regardless if this is considered good or bad, there is a huge aspect of hockey no one talks about: the gear and how it works.

When coming up with concepts for a research-based creation, I thought I could mend that gap. It seemed like an untapped market that many hockey fans could care about. I believe seeing the progression of this gear could be quite interesting, and showing off the safety facts on social media could aid hockey players and fans alike. I took this concept and created a TikTok page that created short-form content that showed these topics off.

The four topics I created content about are:

Hockey Skates
The video explored how modern hockey skates have evolved beyond a simple boot and blade. The content examined the construction of the boot, tongue, tendon guard, and blade, while connecting those components to performance and player safety. The video also explored the evolution of skate blades and the safety concerns that influenced modern blade designs.

Neck Guards
The video starts by talking about the unfortunate and unexpected death of professional hockey player Adam Johnson and the effect it had on the hockey community and the overall safety regulations. The story was used in the hockey world to demonstrate the importance of neck laceration protection and the research surrounding cut-resistant materials, coverage, sizing, and fit.

Goaltender Gear
The point of the video was to go through the major parts of goalie equipment, from the mask and chest protector to the gloves, blocker, and leg pads, while comparing modern gear materials to the heavier and bulkier equipment used in the past.

Helmets and Concussions
The video explained how helmets are designed to reduce impact forces and protect against serious head injuries, while also discussing the role of helmet construction, liners, fit systems, and rotational forces.

Overall, the entire goal of the series was to spread the information about hockey technology and safety in an easy-to-digest way, and it seemed to be successful. In the words of five-time Stanley Cup winner and NHL legend Mario Lemieux, “We, as a league, must do a better job of protecting the integrity of the game and the safety of our players.”

To learn more about “Beyond the Boards,” check out the case study here.