NHL to Send Reminder for New Mandatory Helmet Rule

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and the NHL will be sending out a memo warning teams against taking warmups without helmets due to recent rule violations.

As first reported on Dec. 2, league insider Greg Wyshynski reported that Daly told ESPN the the league will be sending out a memo to serve as a reminder to league teams that helmets are a requirements in warmups for "all players who entered the NHL beginning with the 2019-2020 season or later," per Rule 9.6.

The memo will be sent out following the Ottawa Senators skating out for warmups without helmets — also referred to as "buckets" by fans — in a game at the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov. 26. The San Jose Sharks also went without wearing helmets in Vegas as recent as Nov. 29.

NHL to Send Memos Surrounding Rule 9.6

On the night of Dec. 2, the New Jersey Devils opted for wearing hats instead of helmets to honor defenseman Brenden Dillon's 1,000th career game in the NHL.

Dec 1, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon (5) shoots the puck during pregame warmups for their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Prudential Center. Dillion is playing in his 1000th NHL game. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

The league previously amended its rules in 2022 to mandate helmet usage in warmups due to player safety concerns. Rookie laps remain an exception for the rule, due to the nature and honor surrounding a player appearing in his first league game taking to the ice for warmups first and then skating a lap around the rink prior to the other players.

Rule 9.6 is as follows:

"It is mandatory for all players who entered the NHL beginning with the 2019-2020 season or later to wear their helmet during pre-game warm-up. To be clear, all players who entered the League prior to the 2019-2020 season and who are currently playing are exempt from this mandate," the subsection in the official rulebook reads.

NHL teams are skating without helmets in warmups this season. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league will remind them that this new trend violates the rules.

My latest on ESPN:https://t.co/1A7ygQhvcC
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) December 2, 2025

Per reports, the memo sent out to teams will reiterate to players that helmets are a required part of their uniform when they take the ice for warmups.

Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic implied most teams reasoning for leaving their helmets in the locker room surround wanting to bring a sense of fun-nature to the sport.

"Just to have a little bit of fun," San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic said, per The Athletic's Eric Stephens and Jesse Granger. "It's a fun city. Everyone wants to have a good time. Maybe play with a little bit of swagger. Everybody feels good with the hair flowing and all of that. I thought it was fun. Maybe we'll do it again, who knows?"

As previously stated, tenured veterans continue to have the option of skating without their helmets in warmups, while everyone else will need their buckets.

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