Hockey Fight Straps: What is a Fight Straps on Hockey Jersey?
While watching a hockey game, fans encounter many terms, and they always want to know what these terms stand for; the fight strap is one of the terms widely used during a hockey match.
A fight strap is an attachment or a fabric loop to the back of every player’s jersey. The purpose of this strap is to fasten the jersey on the player’s body in case of a fight. Thus, it protects the player from any injury, as it was the tradition to wrap the jersey around the player’s head when a conflict occurs and it causes damage to the player’s body.
This article will explain more about the fight strap, its history, the penalty, and many more, so keep reading.
Table of Contents
History of fight strap
Fight straps were introduced in the 1990s when the trick of one of the NHL players, Rob Ray, started revolving. He used to wear a loose jersey in all games, so if any fight occurred, he could quickly come out of it and gain more power over his opponent.
Other players also started following this habit during and after his time. The NHL was worried that this could lead to many injuries, so they introduced the fight strap that keeps the players’ jerseys on their bodies and protects them from damage. The players must wear it all the time. Otherwise, they would receive a penalty.
Hockey before fight strap
In hockey, before the fight strap, a game ends by wrapping the jersey on their heads, pulling it off, or pulling off their protection pads, such as elbow or chest protection pads which leads to many injuries during the fight.
Players were unable to keep their jerseys in their proper places. Due to all of there, players were facing a lot of serious injuries. It was the right time to introduce a fight strap to address all these issues.
How does the fight strap work?
A fight strap is a metal attachment that attaches the player’s jersey to their pants. It is connected to both the pant and the jersey, thus securing the jersey more. It keeps the player’s jersey on during the game.
Fight strap penalty
NHL players receive penalties if they are engaged in a fight during a game and their jersey comes off. This penalty is known as the misconduct penalty. So, the NHL players prefer the players to wear the fight strap to avoid these penalties.
Exceptions of fight strap
The players will not be penalized if their jerseys are pulled out for the following reasons.
- Fight strap breaks: It’s not the player’s fault if the strap breaks during a fight. If this happens, the players could not be penalized.
- Jersey comes out of strap: If the player uses a fight strap, but the jersey comes off, it will not be the player’s fault, so they are not penalized, but their opponent will be punished.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the fight strap introduced?
Players started removing their jerseys during the game, so the NHL introduced the fight strap in the early 90s when the trick of Rob Ray became famous.
Do authentic NHL jerseys have fight straps?
The jersey that professional hockey players wear during the game always has a fight strap that protects the jersey from being pulled from the player’s head during the fight.
What is the use of straps inside the hockey jerseys?
A loop made up of elastic is placed inside the jersey, known as a fight strap, which enables the jersey to be pulled off during a fight and thus protects the player from any injury.
Conclusion
A fight strap was introduced to ensure players’ safety during the fights in a game. It helps to keep the player’s jersey on their body when another player pulls it off. It is not compulsory in hockey, but players wear it due to the penalties for losing equipment. It is recommended that every player wear a fight strap during a game. It will protect them from any injury and penalty.
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