Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice struggled to blow a whistle while wearing a mask. Barry Trotz couldn鈥檛 see if one of his New York Islanders players was skating toward him because his mask had helped fog up his glasses.
鈥淚t was ugly there for a while,鈥� Maurice said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 some challenges to it.鈥�
One of the new challenges for NHL coaches this season is the requirement to wear a mask behind the bench during games and on the ice for practices. Now that goaltenders won鈥檛 be the only masked men around the rink, coaches will learn and adjust on the fly like those in other sports have had to in recent months.
鈥淛ust being around the rink all day wearing one is an adjustment, but we鈥檒l work it out,鈥� Joel Quenneville of the Florida Panthers said. 鈥淪ometimes when you really want to get your point across, you might have to pull your mask down to make yourself clear. But I鈥檝e never changed lines with a face mask on.鈥�
Hockey coaches are more responsible than their counterparts in baseball, football or basketball to bark out directions in real time at a fast pace, which makes this an even steeper learning curve. Get ready for loud yelling and maybe a few more bench minor penalties for too many men on the ice.
鈥淚 used to have a big moustache, maybe that was kind of like a mask,鈥� Dave Tippett of the Edmonton Oilers said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a mumbler at the best of times. You鈥檒l have to be really clear with who鈥檚 going on line changes.鈥�
One thing that鈥檚 clear is most coaches won鈥檛 complain about the extra safety measure to prevent virus spread. Quenneville and his staff have talked about NFL coaches being fined for not wearing face coverings correctly and how they鈥檝e adapted.
Commissioner Gary Bettman told coaches and executives that protocols 鈥渁re not a suggestion or a recommendation鈥� and the NHL 鈥渨ill vigorously enforce them.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 going to have to do my absolute best to make sure it stays on and stays right,鈥� D.J. Smith of the Ottawa Senators said. 鈥淯ltimately the league鈥檚 doing it for a reason, and it鈥檚 the safety, and I鈥檒l abide by all the rules.鈥�
So will John Tortorella, who told the Columbus Blue Jackets on the first day of camp he doesn鈥檛 want to hear any complaining about health and safety protocols. He said wearing a mask is important and added: 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 affect me, it will not affect the other coaches.鈥�
Colleagues also see it as personal responsibility.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the right move under these circumstances,鈥� David Quinn of the New York Rangers said. 鈥淚f it helps a little bit, we should all do it, so certainly our staff is embracing it. Our organization鈥檚 embracing it and we鈥檙e just going to have to manage it.鈥�
There are some benefits. Maurice suggested keeping the television cameras off him during games because they won鈥檛 be able to pick up anything he鈥檚 saying anyway.
Gone 鈥� for now 鈥� are the days of reading lips of coaches swearing at officials or each other.
鈥淧robably be good for me,鈥� Peter Laviolette of the Washington Capitals said. 鈥淣obody will see what鈥檚 coming out of my mouth. My mother will be happy.鈥�
READ MORE: NHLers know not everyone鈥檚 happy they鈥檙e playing: 鈥榃e鈥檙e not blind鈥�
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The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
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Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
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