Women's Hockey Players Have an Additional Layer of Protection — Why?

The world of men's hockey is enjoying a day in the sun thanks to Heated Rivalry's release coinciding with the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

But there's another hockey league that people are buzzing about: women's hockey.

Like their male counterparts, women's hockey players are fierce on the ice, playing with their full bodies and making the graceful sport a battle over strength and agility.

But unlike their male counterparts, women's hockey players wear a full face cage on their helmets as they play. Here's why they do that.

In hockey, there are some requirements for the uniform: The jerseys and pants are usually slightly baggy and oversized, and that applies to both men's and women's hockey. There are protective pads and skates, of course, and helmets.

But what's different between men's and women's hockey is the face protection on women's helmets, known as cages.

So, why the difference?

According to a Reddit post debating the bizarre discrepancy, it's not clear why women wear cages, and men don't. One user posited that it might be due to one bizarre reason: misogyny. They explained, "While it is totally sexist, the women’s league knows people will likely not tolerate women getting bloodied in the face. The average consumer and the audience they want to attract wouldn’t like it. So cages."

However, is it really that simple?

Starting Hockey expands on the topic, explaining, "Female hockey players wear cages because women’s hockey is considered an amateur sport. The higher up you advance in hockey, the fewer gear requirements there are. Only professionals are not required to wear cages."

Ultimately, it seems to come down to the fact that women's hockey is viewed differently from men's, even on the Olympic level. But at the end of the day, extra protection in all pro sports is something all fans should cheer. While it may restrict vision slightly, it's better than the possibility of irreversible damage.

In 2026, the women's hockey team for USA proved that they're not just messing around: they're serious contenders. Against world champion teams like Canada's and Germany, they proved their mettle and brought home the gold.

It all came down to Team USA and Team Canada in Milan, and the fight was long and brutal.

Team USA's women's hockey went into the Olympics favored, and they proved that they earned that attention honestly. SB Nation called the gold-winning game, "an absolutely staggering performance for the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team that prevailed through adversity in the final to prove they really were that good."

It's hard to look at performances like what happened in Milan in February 2026 and consider the women's team on a lower level than the men's team, despite the differences in helmets.

As fans push for greater recognition of women's hockey elsewhere, the Olympics reminded the world that women's hockey has its own story to tell.