Here's Why Hockey Players Drop Broken Sticks Instead of Skating Them to the Bench

Thanks to the Winter Olympics, hockey is bigger than ever. However, some viewers have noticed that broken hockey sticks are always left on the ice. It looks dangerous, but it also makes total sense once you know why the rule exists.

Ice hockey became an Olympic sport before the Winter Games even existed, according to the Olympics. The men’s tournament debuted at the 1920 Antwerp Games, which were technically part of the Summer Olympics. Four years later, when the first official Winter Olympics took place in 1924 in Chamonix, ice hockey became a permanent fixture of the Winter event. Now, folks are digging deeper into the sport, and some are curious about abandoned, broken hockey sticks left on the ice.

In hockey, a broken stick instantly becomes illegal equipment. Players have to drop it before they can keep playing the puck, and refs can hit them with a minor if they don’t.

“Any player whose stick is broken must drop their stick prior to participating in the play,” USA Hockey’s rules state. “A player or goalkeeper shall be allowed reasonable time to be aware that the stick is broken. A minor penalty for an equipment violation shall be assessed for participating in play with a broken stick.”

And while it may seem like a simple task, picking up hockey sticks mid-game is dangerous for players. If a player stops to collect stick shards, they risk coughing up the puck and creating a turnover. If they look down while 200-pound opponents barrel toward them, they risk getting flattened. Abandoning their position can also open up a passing lane, a clean shot, or a dangerous 2-on-1 the other way.

Instead, they drop the broken stick immediately to avoid a penalty and stay in the play. If they can safely nudge it toward the boards with a skate, they will. However, the move is discouraged.

Team USA’s hockey team is the strongest it has been since 1980. The U.S. men won gold with a 2–1 overtime win over Canada in Milan. According to Reuters, Jack Hughes buried the game-winner 1:41 into three-on-three overtime, breaking America’s decades-long Olympic gold drought. U.S. head coach Mike Sullivan made it clear the victory meant more than just a medal.

“This game in a lot of ways was an inspiration to our country,” Mike said.

The U.S. women matched that energy and brought home gold as well. They beat Canada 2–1 in overtime, sealing the win when Megan Keller scored 4:07 into OT, according to USA Hockey’s Team USA site.