In August 1979, then President of the National Hockey League (NHL), John Ziegler, announced that protective helmets would become mandatory for incoming players in the NHL. "The introduction of the helmet rule will be an additional safety factor, '' he said. The rule allowed players who signed professional contracts prior to June 1, 1979 to continue to not wear a helmet provided a liability waiver was signed, if they so desired. The last player to play without a helmet was Craig MacTavish, who played his final game during the 1996 -- 97 season for the St. Louis Blues.
when did helmets become mandatory in the nhl
August 1979