Winnipeg Jets Player Wounds NHL Linesman Resulting In New Rule Being Enforced Now

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Tom Banks
March 19, 2024 (5:20 PM)

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After revealing some new rules that result in more video reviews and coaches challenges, the NHL has now reacted to an incident involving a linesman and the Winnipeg Jets with another proposed new rule.

NHL to enforce new rule after incident involving Winnipeg Jets

Recently in a game involving the Minnesota Wild and Winnipeg Jets, a linesman was cut by a skate of a player who was sitting on the board awaiting a line change, and they are taking immediate action.

According to a report, the league have instructed officials to give a warning first, but will then be instructed to enforce a penalty if players sit on the boards awaiting a line change.

Effective immediately, players can't sit on boards awaiting line changes. A team will get warning first, then refs will be instructed to apply penalty that's already in rulebook. NHL feels it's not good hockey + dangerous. Linesman was cut by skate in Wild-WPG game by a Jet

While the simple act of sitting on the boards awaiting a change appears to be such a small advantage, the NHL don't believe it should be allowed after the recent incident, and it's hard to blame them. Will this effect players looking to make quick changes? Sure, but given what we've seen in recent years with players being cut by skates, a small move like this to protect officials is an easy and worthwhile change to make.