helmets
 

Was watching a Junior Tier III A USA Hockey game last night, & a fight broke out. One of the players involved got a 10 minute game ejection due to taking helmet off before the fight.

I was wondering where/when it is ok for a player to remove their helmet.

How about when in the penalty box?

This became an emphasis in hockey when a player lost his footing during a fight and ended up hitting his head on the ice.

I don't know the specific details, but I believe that removing your own helmet during a fight is a penalty at all levels now, up through the NHL.

According to Wikipedia: It was not until the death of Bill Masterton that the stigma started to change. On January 13, 1968 in a game between the Minnesota North Stars and Oakland Seals, two Seals' players, Larry Cahan and Ron Harris, hit Masterton, sending him flying. Masterton's head hit the ice hard. With blood running from his nose and ears, he was rushed to the hospital. Four doctors worked for 30 hours to try to save him, but were unsuccessful as he died of "massive brain injury". Eleven years later, the NHL mandated the use of helmets. By that time, 70% of players were already wearing them.

I thought I remembered seeing somewhere within all the different rule sets, that throughout the course of a game, the helmet is not to be removed on purpose (except during intermissions or to treat an injury).

In a game Tuesday, a player received a game ejection as he removed his helmet before fighting.

Tri-City Outlaws vs. Eugene Generals<-Video of the game being mentioned

The fight occurred in the 3rd period at the 5:16 mark (14:44 on the game clock)

Not totally sure about the USA rule set, as I'm Canadian, but I know in Canada, the only acceptable times to remove the helmet are a) to take a drink....obviously, this doesn't apply to half visors b) to affect repairs and c) in the dressing room after the game...

I just reviewed where the game ejection happened, & from what I saw it looks as if they penalized the wrong player for the removing of helmet.

That's what I remember reading in all the rules books I've read.

In USA Hockey junior levels, those under 18 are required to wear face mask/cage.