In some sports, officials will stop games to make sure that players have their jerseys tucked in.
That’s not the case in hockey, though. The NHL wants players to have their sweaters untucked. Trevor Zegras of the Philadelphia Flyers learned that lesson the hard way recently.
It’s not yet a given that the jersey tuck rule will be a prominent feature of the season, but with the opening week of the 2026-27 campaign just getting rolling, it’s certainly something that will be worth watching.
What is NHL’s Jersey Tuck Rule?
The NHL’s jersey tuck rule is officially Rule 9.5 in the league’s rule book.
This is the full rule:
“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.”
In essence, this means that when a player takes to the ice for a shift, his jersey top must be untucked.
It should be covering any protective equipment or padding they have on.
It should also have the uniform number fully visible.
If the jersey isn’t in proper position, the rule states that the referee will ask for it to be fixed, and that a second violation results in a two-minute minor penalty.
Trevor Zegras Controversy
Flyers star Trevor Zegras got involved with this rule late in the preseason when he was penalized for “improperly wearing equipment” against the Bruins. He had his jersey tucked in in the back, and his back pad was visible.
“My jersey was tucked in for the shift,” Zegras said after that preseason game.. “So after a warning, they said that’s an automatic penalty… I started the game with it tucked, because that’s how I usually play, and then it must have just went back out on the bench, and then when I went out, (I) just forgot.”
The Flyers then skated with their jerseys tucked in during warmups before their next game as a bit of a statement of solidarity.
Is This Rule New?
The rule isn’t new. It’s been on the books for a while. It just appears the league is deciding to enforce it this season.
Whether it’ll actually get called during the regular season and as the games matter more remains to be seen. But the officials certainly found a way to use Zegras as an example in the preseason, and the attention that got might prevent other players from taking too many chances with tucked-in sweaters.
How NHL’s Jersey Tuck Rule Impacts Flyers’ Trevor Zegras