A trapper, or catch glove, is a piece of equipment that is worn by ice hockey goaltender

Goaltender

In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...

s on their non-dominant hand.

Evolution

Often referred to simply as the "glove", it was originally shaped in the same fashion as a baseball

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 first-baseman's mitt

Baseball glove

A baseball glove or mitt is a large leather glove that baseball players on the defending team are allowed to wear to assist them in catching and fielding balls hit by a batter, or thrown by a teammate.-History:...

, but evolved into a highly specific piece of equipment that is designed specifically for catching the puck

Puck (sports)

A puck is a disk used in various games serving the same functions as a ball does in ball games. The best-known use of pucks is in ice hockey, a major international sport.- Etymology :The origin of the word "puck" is obscure...

. The pocket is the area between the thumb and first finger of the glove, and is where most goaltenders try to catch the puck, as it reduces the discomfort of the goaltender and the chance of the puck falling out of the glove and creating a rebound

Rebound

Rebound can refer to:In films:* Rebound , a 1931 movie starring Ina Claire and Robert Ames* Rebound , a 1959 movie starring Lyndon Brook and Jane Hylton...

 possibility. Some of the more significant changes have been the use of a "string mesh" in the pocket of the trapper, and a substantial increase in palm and wrist protection.

Positioning

The trapper can be held in a variety of positions by the goaltender depending upon individual style and preference, but the trend among younger goaltenders is to hold the glove with the palm facing towards the shooter, instead of the "shake hands" position that was popular for so long. The "Cheater" portion of the glove is the part that covers the wrist of the goaltender, which evolved from the gauntlet-type gloves of the 1920s.