The nets rising above the glass at NHL arenas will be a little thinner next season, causing less visual obstruction for fans.
The league mandated that all teams install nets behind each end of the ice surface last season in response to the death of 13-year-old Brittanie Cecil, who was killed by a flying puck at a Columbus Blue Jackets game in 2002.
The nets were generally accepted by fans, but there were some complaints and teams have looked to make them less noticeable.
The league and its engineering firm Martin/Martin (which also developed the standard for glass systems) did extensive tests regarding net systems and the speed of pucks that leave the playing surface during NHL games. They determined that the nets did not have to be as strong as the ones in place last season, and therefore thinner threading can be used. Athletica, for instance, is marketing a net made of Kevlar where each strand measures just 1.2 millimeters across.
Clubs are not required to install new nets but now have the option of going to thinner materials. The nets cost from about $3,000 to $25,000, depending on the material and size.
— Andy Bernstein
