NHL to release Braille edition of rule book for officials

The Elbow staff

Image: Troy Parla

NEW YORK, NY – NHL commissioner Gary Bettman today announced that the league will be releasing a Braille edition of the NHL rule book, allowing its officials to read it for the first time.

The move comes after a recent report was published by the North American Optometric Society, revealing that 100 percent of the league's officials are legally blind.

"This is something that the Officials Association has been asking from us for years," Bettman said on Sunday. "As it stands, over half of the referees in our league don't know the rules."

"The ones that do, have relied on their partners to read the rules to them over the years."

The NHLOA today praised the move, saying it was a step in the right direction. 

"This is a big break for our officials," spokesman Danny Richmond said. "The next step is allowing guide dogs on the ice, but we'll take some time to appreciate this great step forward."

In addition to the Braille edition, the league has commissioned Kiefer Sutherland and Jay Mohr to be the voices of the recorded version that will come out in mid-2018.

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