the.com/throat guard
The thin plastic bib standing between a hockey throat and a flying frozen rubber bullet.
means A piece of protective equipment, typically a hanging plastic or padded shield attached to a goalie's mask or helmet, that covers the throat against pucks, sticks, and skate blades.
from A plain compound of two old workhorse words. "Throat" descends from Old English "throte" (related to "throttle," the act of seizing one by it). "Guard" arrived later from Old French "garde," meaning watch or protection, itself a cousin of "ward" and "warden" through a shared Germanic root meaning to watch over. Stuck together, they do exactly what they say — and the hockey-specific gear is a modern safety addition, popularized after a few infamous neck injuries made the league rethink what "protected" should mean.
- Death prevention
- Sparked after a skate severed a goalie's jugular in 1989
- Speed gap
- Pucks fly 100 mph; necks were once unguarded
- Fencing too
- Sabre and foil masks include a throat bib
- Pro resistance
- Many NHL players still skip them for comfort
riddell speedflex — nfl-standard throat protector worn by football players since 2015
under armour throat collar — hockey throat guard required by iihf regulations for all players
evenflo embrace dual protect — infant car seat neck support to prevent choking, used since 2008