Kevin Hayes is not especially concerned about the NHL’s crackdown against faceoff violations. But the Blueshirts’ center told The Post he does have an adjustment to make regarding the league’s decision to enforce the visor regulation to the letter of the law in an effort to advance player safety.
Rule 9.7 of the NHL code mandates all players with fewer than 25 games of experience prior to 2012-13 wear visors “[that] are to be affixed to the helmets in such a fashion as to ensure adequate eye protection.”
In his first three seasons, Hayes was among those players, including former Blueshirt Carl Hagelin and Maple Leaf winger Leo Komarov, to wear visors cut high above the eye in such a fashion as to almost negate its purpose.
“I didn’t even know about it until I was going to play in the second exhibition game,” Hayes said. “I had to adjust the way the visor is. Now there’s a line when I look through it.
“I may have to get a bigger one. I wish I had known before now. It’s going to take getting used to.”
Hayes at first wanted to remove the visor and play bare-faced, but was told he did not qualify for the exemption.
Komarov, after being told during the first exhibition game that his visor required adjustment, played the rest of the game without one as a player who had been grandfathered into the rule. On Friday, he had his visor pulled down by referee Frederick L’Ecuyer on the opening faceoff and played the remainder of the match with the shield, even as it rode upward.
The Rangers on Saturday assigned Alexei Bereglazov to the AHL Wolf Pack, but it is unclear whether the 23-year-old lefty defenseman will remain in Hartford or exercise his out-clause to return to Magnitogorsk of the KHL.
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Bereglazov, who seemed to have issues adapting to the smaller ice surface, played in one preseason game, Friday against the Islanders in Bridgeport. Ryan Graves, the 22-year-old lefty still on the roster, has had a strong camp.
Plus, Nick Holden and Brendan Smith, lefties who predominantly play the right side, have each played a preseason game on the left. Smith worked on the left partnering with Steven Kampfer in Monday’s 3-2 overtime victory over the Flyers at the Garden.
Henrik Lundqvist, who faced 39 shots in going the distance in his final game action prior to the season opener a week from Thursday against the Avalanche, said he got what he needed out of this one and his three preseason starts.
“I wanted a lot of action so I would have to make a lot of decisions,” Lundqvist said. “It was a good test for me in different ways. I have a week to push myself hard with high-quality and high-intensity practices.”
Mika Zibanejad’s score at 5:29 of the third period that tied the match at 2-2 was the Rangers’ third 5-on-5 goal in five games. The Blueshirts are 3-2 with all three victories in overtime at the Garden.
Andrew Desjardins was assessed a suspension of two preseason games (including Monday, for which he was not scheduled to play) for his illegal check to the head of the Devils’ Miles Wood at 8:06 of the first period of Saturday’s game in New Jersey. Desjardins, in camp on a tryout, is not expected to make the team.