The Ontario Hockey League is getting tough on players who remove their helmets during a fight.
The OHL announced a new rule Wednesday that states a player who removes his helmet or undoes his chinstrap during a fight will receive a minimum one-game suspension.
Helmets and player safety has become a prominent issue in hockey after senior league player Don Sanderson died after suffering head trauma sustained by falling in a fight during a game.
"If a player should remove his helmet or undo his chinstrap prior to or during an altercation, such player shall receive a game misconduct in addition to any other penalties assessed and an automatic one (1) game suspension. If a player should remove his helmet or undo his chinstrap prior to entering into an altercation, and his opponent does not remove his helmet, the player removing his helmet shall receive a two minute minor penalty, a game misconduct penalty in addition to any other penalties assessed and an automatic one (1) game suspension," the new rule says.
"If a player should remove an opponent's helmet or undo an opponent's chinstrap prior to or during an altercation, such player shall receive an automatic game misconduct penalty in addition to any other penalties assessed and a one (1) game suspension. If during the course of an altercation a player or player's helmets should become dislodged, the linesmen are to intervene immediately."