The game of hockey is constantly changing, in terms of money, pace, skill and, of course, the rules. One of the newest rules reintroduced this season, and already making waves, is Rule 9.5. Also known as the tuck rule, prohibiting players from starting a shift with their jerseys tucked into their waistbands. The official rulebook states, “All protective equipment, except gloves, headgear and goalkeepers’ leg pads must be worn under the uniform.”
New Rule?
While many hockey fans only learned of this rule recently, the general equipment rule has been around for decades. However, the rule against tucking in jerseys took effect only during the 2013-14 season. Although officials issued a few warnings and minor penalties during that first season, enforcing the rule proved too difficult, and it quickly faded over the next 12 years.
Just before this season, the NHL announced that players who start a shift with their jerseys tucked in will first receive a warning, followed by a two-minute minor penalty and eventually a game misconduct. Clearly, the NHL is not messing around, as it intends to fully stop players from tucking in their jerseys.
Tucking Solidarity
The league has already made an example of one player during the preseason: Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras. Zegras has notably tucked his jersey in for nearly every game he has played in his six-year NHL career. “ I started the game obviously with it tucked because that’s usually how I play.”
Many players and fans are confused and disappointed with the new rule. In the game following Zegras’ jersey penalty, he seemed to have strong support. Many of Zegras’ Flyers teammates skated in the team’s warmups with their jerseys tucked in as a show of solidarity. Some fans even made signs at the game to show their support. One spectator’s sign read, “I have [my jersey] tucked for you, Z.”
https://twitter.com/NBCSPhilly/status/2103311195058909616?s=20
Style of the Game
Clearly, the hockey world is still trying to grasp and adapt to the newfound enforcement of this decade-old rule. After all, jersey tucking has been popular at every level since the days of Wayne Gretzky in the 1980s. Gretzky completely revolutionized the one-sided jersey tuck, leading by example and making it a mainstay in hockey. Many now consider it an integral part of the modern game’s style.
Players are being caught off guard, and after wearing their jerseys tucked in their whole lives in some cases, it can be hard to remember the rule in the heat of a game. Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale commented, “It’s something [Zegras has] been doing his whole life, and I think he rocks it.”
Many skaters are bound to have a hard time breaking this habit throughout the season. Though Zegras is the only player to have been penalized during the preseason, don’t be shocked if your favorite team gets reprimanded for a tucked jersey, especially in the first few games of the season.
Why the NHL Did It
Many disagree with the rule; however, a major reason it is now being enforced is that it obstructs players’ numbers. When a jersey is tucked, the numbers on the back are not fully visible. This could make broadcasts more challenging for commentators, camera operators and directors.
Again, the jersey tuck has been an integral part of NHL style for more than four decades. If tucked jerseys have not caused a problem for the last 40 years, why enforce this rule now? This is especially notable considering the NHL has many more camera operators capable of capturing players’ names and numbers from around the ice than it did in the 1980s.
Here To Stay?
Even with the broadcast concerns, many players and fans still believe the NHL is forcing out a key aspect of hockey that has been a staple for decades. The looming question facing the league is whether it will enforce the rule strictly and try to phase out jersey tucks entirely, or whether the rule will fizzle into obscurity, as it did before.
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