Helmet off during play: stop play, and the skater sits out the face-off
Rule numbers: USAH 304(e)
In every classification, Adult included, play is stopped immediately when a skater's helmet or facemask comes off during play. The skater is ruled off the ice and may not return until the ensuing face-off is completed, so the player cannot fix the helmet and line up for the draw. A goalkeeper whose helmet or mask comes off also causes an immediate stoppage, but the goalkeeper is not ruled off before the face-off. A skater or goalkeeper who deliberately removes the helmet or facemask during play to cause a stoppage gets a minor for delay of game. Blow the whistle right away; this is a safety rule.
- On the ice
- Immediate whistle; the skater leaves until the face-off is completed.
- Clock
- No penalty unless the removal was deliberate (delay-of-game minor).
Example
A Team B defender's helmet pops off in a board battle. The referee blows the whistle at once. The defender goes to the bench, a teammate takes the face-off spot, and the defender may return once the face-off is over.
Common mistake: Letting play continue until possession changes, or letting the player buckle up and stay on for the face-off.
Sources
- USA Hockey 2025-29 Official Rules and Casebook of Ice Hockey, Rule 304(e), p. 47 (PDF p. 81)
- USA Hockey 2025-29 Official Rules and Casebook of Ice Hockey, Rule 304(e) (goalkeepers), p. 48 (PDF p. 82)
Verified