Dallas Stars Under Fire: Optional Practice Controversy Explained

Under the league’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the NHL Players’ Association, the NHL requires a holiday season break from December 24 to December 26. All players are told it is a head-clearing mandatory off day, meaning there’s no team travel or any practice allowed. But the Dallas Stars are currently being investigated for allegedly breaking this rule.

Stars head coach Pete DeBoer started the controversy when it appeared he let it slip that the team had an optional practice during the break. “I was at the rink yesterday,” DeBoer said of the Stars’ 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild, speaking to the media before the game. And of course the young guys show up for the optional, cause they’re supposed to do.”

His comments quickly raised eyebrows, as Article 16.5(b) of the CBA explicitly states: All purposes, including travel, shall include December 24, Christmas Day and December 26 for which December 24, Christmas Day and December 26 shall be off-days for all purposes, including travel, and no Club may request a Player’s consent to practice on any such days for any reason.”

The Stars have since commented by stating the team will cooperate with the NHL’s investigation, while their own internal review takes place.

Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes said it could have been a misunderstanding, though, meanwhile. Perhaps DeBoer had misspoken, and the rink was, in fact, open for players to use on their own volition, he speculated.

While the incident seems silly at first—everyone has seen that rule in others during this season, it’s possible they simply didn’t know they violated the policy or that the Stars didn’t means raise Arms by the policy. Whatever the case, if the league determines the violation occurred, the investigation could amount to penalty.

For now, hockey fans are left to the suspense of whether this was pure dumb mistake or a major league protocol violation.