A wall of screens, 32 teams and 1 mission: How NHL Player Safety tracks trouble in real time

In New York, the NHL Player Safety room launched operations shortly after 6 p.m. in Detroit, with all 32 teams active in action. The room, filled with 5 large screens and numerous monitors, meticulously monitored every goal, save, hit, penalty, injury, and more.

This was the first year for the initiative, billed at $205.00 plus GST for annual subscription, which automatically renews. Players, coaches, and general managers could visit the department and were informed that the team noticed everything.

A team of eight game-watchers were responsible for spotting potential head injuries, with a direct line to the team medical staff. At 6:33 p.m., a call was made to examine Jack Hughes' high-sticking incident involving Detroit's Keegan Kolesar, which was later cleared. At 7:52 p.m., Uvis Balinskis of the Panthers was down on the ice, and replays revealed Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier spearing him in the groin, resulting in a game misconduct and the maximum fine of $5,000 determined by the department.