Goalie Stick Knob Rules: Why the Knob Must Be White

Skaters can tape the top of their stick any colour they like. Goalies in the NHL and in IIHF hockey cannot. Here is the rule, where it came from and how it is enforced.

What the NHL rule says

NHL Rule 10.2 says a goalie stick must have a knob of white tape, or other protective material approved by the league, and that the knob must be at least 1/2 inch thick at the top of the shaft. If a goalie’s stick does not comply, it is deemed unfit for play.

Two parts, then:

1. Colour: white tape, or another approved material.
2. Size: at least 1/2 inch thick at the top of the shaft.

The IIHF rule

The IIHF Official Rule Book (2023/24 edition) has the same requirement in metric: a knob of white tape or other protective material approved by the IIHF, at least 1.3 cm thick at the top of the shaft. A stick that breaks the rule is unfit for play, and the goalie must change it without a minor penalty.

Hockey Canada and USA Hockey

• Hockey Canada Rule 3.3 does not set a goalie knob colour in the text we reviewed. It requires the end of every stick’s shaft to be covered, and a hollow shaft to have a protective cap as well.
• USA Hockey’s 2025-29 Junior Hockey Edition says the knob at the end of a goalkeeper’s stick must be made of tape or other approved material. It also requires the end of a hollow shaft to be fully covered.

If you play under either body, check your league for any local rule on colour.

Why white?

Former pro goalie Mike McKenna explained the history in Daily Faceoff in 2021. Before video review, goal judges sat behind the net and helped decide whether the puck had crossed the line. A black knob could be mistaken for a puck. When the rule was written, black and white were the main tape colours, so requiring white removed the confusion. McKenna argues the rule is outdated now that replay exists. It is still in the book.

What happens if you break it

There is no penalty in the NHL. The stick is changed, or the knob is covered with white tape at a stoppage.

Scouting The Refs recorded several cases:

• Frederik Andersen, blue knob tape in 2017 and red in November 2021. In 2021 the Anaheim Ducks pointed it out during a stoppage, and officials covered the knob in white tape.
• Anton Khudobin, green tape in 2020.
• Ben Scrivens, orange tape in 2014.

In the 2021 Andersen case, Scouting The Refs, citing McKenna, noted that the timing can be tactical: the delay gave Anaheim’s top players a rest and may have unsettled the goalie.

Size: the minimum, not the maximum

The rule sets a minimum thickness, not a maximum. Many goalies go far bigger. InGoal reported in 2020 that Braden Holtby builds very large knobs because they make a dropped stick easier to pick up.

How to stay legal

1. Finish the knob in white. Any colour underneath is fine as long as white is on the outside.
2. Build it at least 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) thick at the top of the shaft.
3. Check it before games. Coloured tape can show through as the white wears.
4. Carry a roll of white tape in your bag for quick fixes.

The goalie tutorial shows how to build a big white knob step by step. For the rest of the goalie stick, see how goalies tape their sticks.