On Thursday, September 24th, Anaheim Ducks player Trevor Zegras received the first minor penalty in over a decade history for tucking his jersey in the back of his pants. The reaction from fans was incredibly negative, as they called the league ‘soft’ and ‘no-fun’. Some may wonder why there’s a penalty for the jersey tuck, others may wonder why fans would even care about the jersey tuck. In this article, I’ll breakdown the history of the jersey tuck, the new rule against it, and advocate for the new rule.
Hockey style is subtle, yet iconic. In order to be the least bit flamboyant, you have to have the skill to back it up. Ovechkin’s yellow skate laces, Jagr’s gorgeous mullet, and, of course, Gretzky’s jersey tuck. For such a humble man, Gretzky said more than he intended with this fashion choice. You don’t need to see his number. No one in the building is wondering who he is. The jersey tuck was Gretzky’s alone. It became easier to identify him with the jersey tuck because no one else would dare try to replicate The Great One’s style.
Naturally, as the kids who fell in love with hockey because of Wayne Gretzky grew up, the jersey tuck was seen all across Canada and the United States. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Kids tucked their jerseys, fans tucked their jerseys, beer-leaguers who thought they were too good for their league tucked their jerseys. Soon enough, a jersey tucked in the back of one’s pants became a very normal sight in rinks across the world.
Gretzky is easily the most influential person in the history of the NHL. He revolutionized the game in dozens of ways, most notably his on-ice vision and his skill behind the net. However, the most wide-spread contribution to the game that The Great One made, in terms of impacting every level of the game, might just be his iconic jersey tuck.
Here is the rule concerning the jersey tuck in the official NHL rule book, added at the start of the 2013-14 season:
NHL Rule 9.5. All protective equipment, except gloves, headgear, and goaltenders’ leg guards must be worn under the uniform. Should it be brought to the attention of the referee that a player is wearing, for example, an elbow pad that is not covered by his jersey, he shall instruct the player to cover up the pad and a second violation by the same player would result in a minor penalty being assessed.
Rule 9.5 governs all protective equipment, including pants. Players are not permitted to tuck their jersey into their pants in such a manner where the top padding of the pants and/or additional body protection (affixed to the pants or affixed to the player’s body) is exposed outside the jersey. The back uniform number must not be covered or obstructed in any fashion by protruding pads or other protective padding.
Now, with this rule being added in 2013, why is it making headlines now? Well, it was never really enforced. NHL players made a bit of a stink back then about the rule. Most notably, Alex Ovechkin, a very stylish man in his own right, called the rule “kind of stupid”. The league seemed to agree. Alexander Semin got the first ever penalty for an improper jersey tuck in a preseason game, and Evgeni Malkin received the only regular season penalty ever after ignoring multiple warnings from the refs. After that, nothing. Until Trevor Zegras, in 2026.
I believe the officials just didn’t want to be “that guy”. God forbid an elite athlete look good, thus, feeling good, and therefore, playing good. Well, the jersey tuck seems to have been a point of contention for NHL refs over the offseason. Trevor Zegras’s penalty on Thursday was not just a two minute penalty. It was a warning shot for the rest of the league. Zegras was warned, he chose not to untuck his jersey, and was subsequently given a penalty. That subsequent punishment is the part that hasn’t really happened in the NHL for many years.
I don’t hate this rule. No, I don’t just hate fun. I’m advocating for my fellow zebras. I ref hockey games on the side, and the jersey tuck is flat out annoying. As a ref, there’s a million things going on at once, and you have to be able to react and adapt to every piece of information circling around you in a split second.
Yes, I just ref beer league, and yes, it can be that intense. I’m not saying the work is hard, but it’s the reality of the line of work. There are few things more irritating than having to call a player over, awkwardly reach my hand into their pants, and pull out the back of their jersey so that I can make the proper call. I can only have nightmares about what NHL refs have to put up with on a daily basis. Obviously, the situation different in the show, but with everything the boys in stripes have to deal with, the jersey tuck is just one more annoyance.
It’s easy to sit on a couch or stadium seat, and easily recognize who is who. On the ice, it’s a different story. Trevor Zegras is just another player who the refs have to manage. I don’t mean to degrade Zegras or any other player who tucks their jersey. Their not “bad” for doing so. However, not tucking the jersey just makes the game run smoother, and helps the referees out. If you’re the type of person who thinks refs don’t deserve such decency, look up what happened when the NFL’s refs went on strike. Officials make the game happen, one small stylistic issue is the least you can part with.
Needless to say, the jersey tuck is not the biggest deal in the world. It’s not even in the top one thousand issues facing the NHL. It’s a stupid little thing that, in the grand scheme of things, is pointless. However, it’s the fan’s reaction to the crackdown that bothers me. Fans seem to see this new development as an “NHL Vs. Fun” or “NHL Vs. Personality” way. That’s not it at all. All this new crackdown is trying to do is make the process of NHL hockey more seamless, as well as potentially helping out a few fans in the nosebleeds.
If you take anything from this article, or if I could impart you with some advice, just remember that refs are people too. They have eyes that can’t be perfect all the time, they have emotions, annoyances and pet peeves. Next time you’re watching a game, especially if you’re at an amateur event, take a moment to humanize the hourly workers that make the sport you love happen.
Read the rest of my work here: https://www.stadiumrant.com/author/joefogler/
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