Surprising Changes to Warrior Gloves During the 2025-26 NHL Season

As we reach the midway point of the 2025–26 NHL season, the on-ice storylines are well established. Teams are settling into playoff races, young players are finding their footing, and veterans are grinding through another long year.

But from an equipment standpoint, something a bit more subtle has caught the attention of the gear-obsessed community. This being a handful of unexpected switches to Warrior hockey gloves.

These are not full Warrior transitions. In fact, that is what makes these changes so interesting. Each of the players involved has continued to use non-Warrior helmets, sticks, skates, and pants, making the glove swaps stand out even more.

In a league where equipment choices are often deliberate, contractual, or long-term, these brief and sometimes unexplained glove changes have raised eyebrows.

The first instance came right out of the gate in September during preseason. Alexander Wennberg of the San Jose Sharks was spotted wearing Warrior Covert QRE gloves.

At first glance, it felt surprising, but not entirely shocking. Wennberg does have a history with Warrior gloves earlier in his career. Still, it had been a significant number of years since he last wore them, and there was no obvious catalyst for the switch.

As the season progressed into January, Wennberg’s Warrior gloves remained in the lineup. He has not added any other Warrior equipment to his setup, and there has been no public explanation for the change.

That combination has led us to categorize this one as truly random. Comfortable? Curious? Simply liked the feel? At this point, we can only speculate.

Fast forward to early December, and another unexpected Warrior glove sighting popped up. This time it was Charlie Coyle of the Columbus Blue Jackets, seen wearing the same Covert QRE model.

Similar to Wennberg, Coyle has worn Warrior gloves in the past, but that history dates back several years now. The timing made the switch even more puzzling, as it came near the middle of the season without warning.

Unlike Wennberg, however, Coyle’s Warrior experiment was extremely short-lived. After roughly a week, he returned to his familiar Bauer Supreme Mach gloves. 

Why the brief detour? There is no confirmed explanation. It could have been boredom, curiosity, or simply wanting to try something new.

In the modern NHL, players are often sent gear to test, and sometimes that curiosity results in a brief on-ice appearance.

The most recent and perhaps most interesting Warrior glove switch came in late December from Chicago Blackhawks forward Nick Foligno. At first, this one felt like another case of “here we go again.” A veteran player, not typically associated with Warrior, randomly switching gloves midseason with no immediate explanation.

Fortunately, this mystery did not last long. Last week, Mario Tirabassi of CHGO Sports in Chicago reported that Foligno explained the reasoning behind his switch. 

After suffering a wrist injury in November, Foligno turned to Warrior gloves for added wrist protection. According to Foligno, he appreciated the extra coverage and protection the gloves provided, which made the change a practical decision rather than a random one.

How long Foligno plans to stay in the Warrior gloves remains unknown, but it was refreshing to finally have a clear explanation tied to performance and health rather than pure experimentation.

As for the other cases, it may be as simple as players having some fun with new gear Warrior chose to put in their hands. Sometimes, a glove just feels good, even if it does not lead to a full brand shift.

Regardless of the reasoning, the fact that this happened multiple times in a relatively short window has not gone unnoticed. The equipment community is watching closely now, wondering if more surprise Warrior glove appearances are still to come during the second half of the 2025–26 season.

Photo Credit: Icon Sportswire