Arizona Coyotes to become first NHL team to relax dress code for players
A monumental moment for the National Hockey League and its players this season as the Arizona Coyotes will become the first team to relax the dress code for players.
The news was unveiled by ESPN Thursday following a survey of all 32 teams showing the ‘Yotes would be the only team to do so. The NHL is the only professional sports league that carries a strict game day dress code.
The shift, according to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, came from Alex Merulo Jr. — the clubs’ chief brand officer. He reportedly approached former team captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson with the concept.
“[Meruelo] is very open to the idea of going to the game and growing our fan base and anything we can do to be a little unique and different, they’re always open to trying different things,” Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun told ESPN. “To be the first team to go no dress code was awesome. The guys loved it. I think it’s great to be able to show a bit of your personality and your closet other than just your suits. I had fun with it. I enjoyed it. I’m glad it’s something we’ll continue to do.”
Spelled out in exhibit 15, paragraph five of the CBA, “Players are required to wear jackets, ties and dress pants to all Club games and while traveling to and from such games unless otherwise specified by the Head Coach or General Manager.”
But in the 2020 postseason bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton, the NHL relaxed these rules for the first time.
Others around the league are in favor of it, too.
“I wish there was no dress code for games and stuff,” Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews told ESPN. “I don’t mind wearing a suit, but it gets old, I guess. It gets old pretty quick. I think it’d be fun to wear different things and be able to express yourself, similar to what the NBA does or even the NFL a little bit. I just wear what makes me happy outside of the rink and even in the rink. But when it comes to games, obviously we have a certain attire that we have to meet. Hopefully it’s not too much longer we’ll be doing that.”
Sources told ESPN that the NHLPA has been pushing behind the scenes for dress code rules to come down to allow players to “express their personality through fashion” and to “help players build their individual brands.”
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.