In season nine of Rethink the Rink, 20 students from across Carnegie Mellon University competed in teams of four to design groundbreaking hockey goalie chest protector prototypes with guidance from experts at Covestro, a world-leading supplier of high-tech polymer materials, the Pittsburgh Penguins professional hockey team, and Bauer Hockey, the world’s leading hockey equipment manufacturer.
The winning team impressed judges from Covestro, the Penguins, CMU, and Bauer Hockey with their innovative design, which incorporated hexagonal impact plates and a unique cooling system—critical areas of focus for hockey goalie safety and comfort. The students drew inspiration from aerospace and motorsports applications, applying engineering concepts used in high-performance environments to improve protection and breathability for goalies.
