The hockey jersey has evolved significantly over the years from a simple sweater--designed to shield players from the chill of the ice rink--to a kind of full body armor. Today's hockey players face numerous threats on the ice--including pucks knocked around at 160 kilometers per hour, sharp skates, hard ice, and intentional battery from opposing players. Jerseys offer limited protection against all of these forces.

Typical professional hockey league jerseys are numbered from one to 98. The number 99, which adorned the back of ice hockey's all-time greatest player, Wayne Gretzky, has been permanently retired by the league. Captains wear the letter 'C' on their jerseys, and alternative captains (two to a team) wear the letter 'A' on their jerseys. Both twill and conventional replica hockey jerseys sell well, particularly to young fans.

Professional hockey jerseys are made of state of the art synthetic polymers designed to stretch and adapt to rink abuse. That being said, you still need to care for your jersey by washing and drying it according to manufacturer's instructions. Some polymer jerseys shouldn't be washed or dried at high temperatures. Cotton jerseys can also shrink when dried under high heat.

Hockey players require more than just jersey protection. Ice skaters require mouth guards, shin guards, jockstraps, extensive padding, and lots of other protective gear. Goalies, in particular, need full battle fear. Goalies wear face masks, special mouth guards, and an array of devices to protect them against the impact of fast flying pucks. Curiously, hockey players didn't have to wear helmets until the 1980s.