When Did The NHL Start Wearing Helmets?
Contents
- NHL players began wearing helmets in the late 1960s
- The first helmets were made of leather and had no face masks
- The first player to wear a helmet with a face mask was Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens
- The face mask became mandatory in the NHL in 1979
- Helmets have evolved over the years and are now made of lightweight materials with better protection
A look at the history of helmets in the NHL and how they’ve become an essential part of player safety.
NHL players began wearing helmets in the late 1960s
NHL players began wearing helmets in the late 1960s, but it was not until the 1979-80 season that all players were required to wear them. The decision to make helmets mandatory was made after the death of NHL player Bill Masterton, who suffered a fatal head injury during a game in 1968.
The first helmets were made of leather and had no face masks
In 1923, George Owen Rolland, a former professional hockey player, designed the first hockey helmet. His design was made of three leather pieces that were fastened together with seven brass rivets. The helmet had no face mask and did little to protect the player’s head from injury. Rolland’s design was not widely accepted by players and it would be another forty years before helmets became mandatory in the NHL.
players began to wear helmets in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Detroit Red Wings’ Bill Gadsby and Chicago Black Hawks’ Doug Mohns were among the first NHL players to start wearing helmets. By 1967, all NHL players were required to wear helmets. In 1979, plastic face masks became mandatory for all NHL goaltenders.
The first helmets were made of leather and had no face masks. In 1923, George Owen Rolland designed the first hockey helmet, which was made of three leather pieces fastened together with seven brass rivets. However, his design was not widely accepted by players and it would be another forty years before helmets became mandatory in the NHL. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, some NHL players began to wear helmets, including Detroit Red Wings’ Bill Gadsby and Chicago Black Hawks’ Doug Mohns. By 1967, all NHL players were required to wear helmets. In 1979, plastic face masks became mandatory for all NHL goaltenders.
The first player to wear a helmet with a face mask was Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens
The first player to wear a helmet with a face mask was Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens. He began wearing the device in 1959 after suffering a broken nose and stitches to his forehead during a game. While other players initially resisted wearing masks, they eventually became commonplace in the NHL.
The face mask became mandatory in the NHL in 1979
It was in the late 1970s that the face mask began to appear in the NHL. Pittsburgh’s Larionov was one of the first to wear one in Russia, and after being traded to Vancouver he convinced Canucks GM Jake Milford to let him wear one during NHL games, which he did for a couple of seasons. A few other players, including future Hall of Famer Brad Park, followed Larionov’s lead and wore face masks as well.
In 1979, after several seasons of experiments with different types of facial protection by individual players, the NHL made the face mask mandatory for all new players. Players who had signed professional contracts before June 1, 1979 were grandfathered and did not have to wear them.
Helmets have evolved over the years and are now made of lightweight materials with better protection
The use of helmets in the National Hockey League (NHL) has slowly evolved over the years. Early on, they were made of heavy leather and did not provide much protection. In the 1970s, lighter materials such as fiberglass and plastic were introduced, and newer designs provided better protection. Today, most NHL players wear helmets made of lightweight materials that offer a high level of protection.
The first recorded instance of a player wearing a helmet in an NHL game was in 1928, when goalie Ace Bailey donned a leather cap during a game for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bailey was involved in a collision with player Eddie Shore of the Boston Bruins during the game. The collision left Bailey with a serious head injury that ended his career.
Following Bailey’s retirement, it would be another 40 years before another player would wear a helmet in an NHL game. In 1969, Bill Goldsworthy became the first skater to wear a helmet during an NHL game. Goldsworthy had suffered several concussions during his career and decided to wear a helmet for added protection. However, he only wore the helmet for one season before returning to play without it.
it wasn’t until 1974 that the NHL made wearing helmets mandatory for all players who had not played prior to 1979. This rule was implemented following the death of veteran player Bill Masterton, who suffered fatal head injuries after colliding with two players during a game. The rule required all players who had not played at least 25 games in the NHL prior to 1979 to wear helmets while on the ice.
In 1979, the rule was amended so that all players were required to wear helmets. Players who had already played 26 or more games in the 1978-79 season were exempt from this rule and did not have to wear helmets while playing. However, those players who chose to not wear helmets were required to sign a waiver indicating that they understood the risks involved with doing so.
The following season, all players were required to wear helmets while on the ice. This rule has remained unchanged since then and all NHL players now wear helmets while playing.
