NHL gurus (i.e. Canadians): Who is responsible for...

[Wedge Rock]

...requiring the teams to put the numbers on the front of the helmets?

NHL? NHLPA?

I don't like it.

[Trann]

The NHL made this due to a combination of broadcast requirements and officiating.

Generally, I'd think it's primarily for television: the sleeve numbers are often known as "TV numbers".

I don't believe for a minute it's for officiating.

[Wedge Rock]

The NHL made this due to a combination of broadcast requirements and officiating.

Source? Link?

[Trann]

Have some Google.

Player numbers will be added to helmets to help identify NHLers | ProHockeyTalk (http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2011/09/29/player-numbers-will-be-added-to-helmets-to-help-identify-nhlers/)

TV’s numbers game - thestar.com
(http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/nhl/article/1105869--tv-s-numbers-game)

[Wedge Rock]

Dziękuję

“The new number placement is designed to aid on-ice officials, broadcasters, et al. by providing an additional point of player identification.”

How about the face? No? I mean, the face is a fairly particularized point of player indentification...

...unless you are the Sedin twins.

Broadcasters have seemed to be doing just fine figuring out which player is which on the ice for the last fifty years and on-ice officials do a pretty good job figuring out which player belongs in the penalty box.

This.

Now if they could just change home teams back to wearing white, then we might be onto something.

And this FTW!

The reason is to help camera operators and directors find players on the benches.

When the director calls for a shot of Nikolai Kulemin sitting on the bench, camera operators often have difficulty finding him — especially as they became less and less specialized. Camera operators often do multiple sports and aren’t as familiar with the players as those who do hockey regularly.

Okay. I'll buy this. But fuck. Isn't that your job, to know what Nikolai Kulemin looks like? You need someone else to do your job for you?