San Jose Sharks Face $40,000 in Fines for Helmetless Warmups

Under Rule 9.6 the league requires any player who debuted in 2019-20 or later to wear a helmet during pre-game warm-ups.

The Sharks' decision to ignore that was quite expensive. Personally, I call the rule way too overly cautious or even dumb, and this incident highlights how strictly the league enforces compliance.

There's irony for fans of the Chicago Blackhawks, because back in 2023 their young stud Connor Bedard also took to the ice helmet-free during his first warmup for his «rookie lap.» He ended up with a $2,500 fine. Many thought the fine was a rite-of-passage price well worth paying just to soak in that first NHL moment.

Some may call the league's helmet mandate overboard, but fines like these prove the NHL means business. For the Sharks it's a clear statement-a tradition or statement moment doesn't trump rules.

Still, there's a certain stubborn charm in the gamble. In a league where image and flash matter, a unified helmet-free warmup is bold. But now the Sharks must answer to the ledger rather than nostalgia.

This fine might stir debate: is safety worth $40,000 and some old-school bravado, or is it just another pointless enforcement hamstringing hockey's rituals? Either way, it lands as a costly lesson with its pucks dropped and stats tallied.