The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has announced a series of rule updates and key dates for its second season, emphasizing player safety and encouraging more offensive play.
The PWHL is making history as the first professional hockey league to introduce a major penalty and game misconduct as the standard punishment for all illegal checks to the head during play. These types of incidents will also be subject to review by the league's Central Situation Room, which may uphold the call, downgrade it to a minor penalty if deemed accidental, or overturn it entirely if no head contact occurred.
Additionally, harsher penalties are now in place for head-butting, hair-pulling, and grabbing an opponent’s facial or throat protection under Rule 47 and Rule 51. These infractions will now automatically result in a major penalty and game misconduct.
“These updates ensure we’re putting player safety at the forefront while maintaining the integrity of the game,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations.
New measures also aim to enhance offensive opportunities while keeping the pace of the game dynamic. Among the most notable is the introduction of the "No Escape Rule," which requires players penalized during a stoppage to stay on the ice for the ensuing face-off. This rule mimics the existing No-Player-Change Rule for icing infractions and may result in unique situations, such as defenders being stuck on the ice during penalty kills.
These rule changes were developed by the newly formed Rules & Competition Committee, chaired by Cassie Campbell-Pascall and Meghan Duggan. Mini-camps are scheduled to begin on November 20, 2024, with the first game of the regular season slated for November 30.