Will The NHL's Last Visor-Less Players All Return In 2026-27?
Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn re-signed for one year on Friday, meaning at least three NHL players who don't wear visors will return next season.
Benn's new contract carries a base salary of $850,000 and $1.15 million in potential performance bonuses. The 36-year-old had 15 goals and 36 points in 60 games this past season but no points in six playoff games.
Benn was one of only four NHL skaters who did not wear a visor in 2025-26. The other three were Ryan O'Reilly, Zach Bogosian and Ryan Reaves. After Benn re-signed on the third day of free agency, only Reaves remains unsigned.
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Will Ryan Reaves Return?
If Reaves does not sign a new NHL contract, the list of active visor-less players could shrink in 2026-27.
Reaves, 39, played 50 games for the San Jose Sharks this past season, scoring three goals and leading the team in hits, with 160. He completed a three-year contract with a $1.35-million cap hit.
In late March, Reaves told the Sharks' broadcast crew he'd love to return to San Jose next season. But Reaves may not get that opportunity.
On July 1, the Sharks signed left winger Mason Marchment to a five-year contract worth $6.75 million annually. At 6-foot-5 and 212 pounds, Marchment agitates opponents and provides secondary scoring, registering 19 goals and 45 points in 68 games in 2025-26.
After that signing, will Reaves return?
"Unfortunately, probably not," Sharks GM Mike Grier told reporters on Thursday. " 'Revo' was great for our group, added an element of toughness but also had the personality and some charisma, which I thought our group needed. It was great. But, you know, the way it shook out once we were able to get Mason, the forward group started to fill out."
Grier also said with new Sharks signings Darnell Nurse, Jacob Trouba and Marchment, the squad has enough toughness overall as well.
Reaves and the other three visor-less NHLers started their career before the league implemented the mandatory visor rule in 2013-14. The rule requires all players who appeared in fewer than 25 games before that season to wear a visor properly affixed to their helmet.
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This story was originally published July 3, 2026 at 12:22 PM.