Orr was reportedly questioned about why he wore a protective cup but not a helmet. He said that because there were no rules against it, he felt free to do so. In fact, at one point in his career, he played with no helmet at all. The NHL first began requiring players to wear helmets starting with the 1967-68 season. However, some players including Orr during this period of time did not wear helmets. Helmets are required by law for anyone playing football at any level. In hockey, there is no requirement to wear a helmet except as an option for players who choose to play without one. The lack of regulation led to many injuries over the years. In an effort to help prevent more damage to the head, the NHL made the change last season. Since then, there have been only two documented cases of players being injured while playing without a helmet. Both incidents occurred last year when Matt Duchene and Ryan Miller of the Avalanche and Wild respectively were hit in the head with shots from behind the net. Both players remained in the game after taking hits like this one. However, a few hours later they was reported to be suffering from headaches and nausea.