NHL’s Helmet Rule Reminder
Bill Daly, the NHL’s Deputy Commissioner, has issued a caution to teams regarding the recent trend of players participating in warmup sessions without their helmets. This practice contravenes established NHL regulations, particularly Rule 9.6, which mandates helmet use during warmups for all players who entered the league from the 2019-2020 season onward. In light of this, the league will distribute a memo to reinforce the requirement.
Recent Helmetless Warmups
The Ottawa Senators made headlines last Wednesday when they took the ice for warmups without helmets before facing the Vegas Golden Knights. This decision followed the Senators’ six consecutive losses in Las Vegas, and according to forward Shane Pinto, it was a choice made during a team dinner aimed at reversing their fortunes.
“It was pretty cool to do,”
Pinto remarked after the Senators emerged victorious with a 4-3 shootout win.
Similarly, the San Jose Sharks also opted for helmetless warmups in Las Vegas, as they had suffered five straight defeats against the Golden Knights. However, unlike the Senators, the Sharks’ gamble did not pay off, resulting in a 4-3 loss. Forward Will Smith stated,
“It was a team decision. It was Saturday night in Vegas, so I think all the guys were pretty easy to [do] it.”
Celebrating Milestones
Notably, the New Jersey Devils took a more celebratory approach by wearing hats instead of helmets during warmups to acknowledge defenseman Brenden Dillon’s milestone of playing 1,000 NHL games.
Emphasis on Player Safety
The NHL revised its rules in 2022 to enforce helmet usage in warmups as a safety measure, particularly for rookies who traditionally took the ice without helmets prior to their first official game. Players who entered the NHL before the 2019-2020 season are exempt from this rule, similar to how certain veteran players are allowed to forgo the visor requirement due to the ‘grandfathering’ provisions; however, the emphasis on rookie safety remains a priority for the league.
In response to the recent instances of teams disregarding the helmet rule, Daly’s warning underscores the NHL’s commitment to player safety and the importance of adhering to league regulations.
