Trevor Zegras has already run into the NHL's jersey crackdown, and Rick Tocchet made it clear the Flyers can't afford a repeat.
Zegras received a two-minute delay-of-game minor Thursday against Boston after beginning a shift with the back of his jersey tucked into his pants. Officials had already warned him earlier in the game.
The NHL is putting a renewed emphasis on equipment rules this season, requiring players to begin shifts with their jerseys untucked. A jersey riding up during play isn't treated the same way.
That distinction caught Zegras. He explained afterward that he normally plays with his jersey tucked and simply reverted to a habit that has followed him for years.
Then he took the response public. Zegras posted childhood and teenage hockey pictures to his Instagram story showing the exact same tucked-jersey look, reinforcing that this wasn't some new choice.
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On the ice, the sequence showed Zegras heading directly toward the penalty box after officials spotted the jersey tucked into the back of his pants.
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Zegras now has a habit he must break
The frustration is easy to understand from Zegras' perspective. Something he has done since childhood can now put Philadelphia shorthanded if he forgets to correct it before hopping over the boards.
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There's an important distinction here: this isn't simply a brand-new rule personally introduced by commissioner Gary Bettman. The NHL is enforcing its equipment standards more aggressively, with the jersey tuck receiving renewed attention this season.
Zegras became the first player reported to receive a tucked-jersey penalty since 2013, making his preseason infraction an immediate example of how seriously officials intend to enforce the emphasis.
Tocchet's message afterward was straightforward. He said Zegras needs to use his tie-down to keep the jersey from getting tucked and stressed that Philadelphia can't take that penalty once the regular season begins.
That's where a quirky preseason moment becomes a real coaching issue. Zegras can dislike the enforcement, but the Flyers need him available for his next shift, not sitting in the box because of an old habit.
And after his Instagram response, nobody can question how long that habit has been there. The childhood photos made his point without needing another word.
Should the NHL stop penalizing players for tucked jerseys?
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