Special Focus on Player Safety And Offensive Play In 2024-25 Rulebook
NEW YORK AND TORONTO (Nov. 19, 2024) – As part of a continued focus on player safety and innovation, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is unveiling new and updated rules, as well as key dates, for the 2024-25 season.
Player Safety
This season, the PWHL will become the first professional hockey league to assess a major penalty and game misconduct as a default penalty for all illegal checks to the head that occur during play. Announced today as part of the 2024-25 Rulebook, application of Rule 48 – Illegal Check to the Head will automatically initiate a further review with the PWHL Central Situation Room, by which referees may confirm their original call, reduce the penalty to a minor if the hit was accidental, or rescind it entirely if the review determines the head was not the main point of contact.
Additionally, the severity of the penalty for head-butting (Rule 47) has been upgraded to a major penalty plus game misconduct, while a major penalty and game misconduct has been added for any player who pulls her opponent’s hair or grabs her opponent’s chin strap, facial protection or throat protection (Rule 51).
Innovation
To maintain a forward-thinking approach to hockey while respecting the sport's rich tradition and history, the PWHL has introduced rules designed to favor offensive play.
The new No Escape Rule (Rule 15.5) requires players on a team that take a penalty, which leads to penalty time on the clock, to remain on the ice until after the face-off that resumes action. This requirement, similar to the current No-Player-Change Rule that governs icing the puck, could lead to situations such as teams opening a penalty kill with three forwards and one defender on the ice until an opportunity for substitution arises.
Further, an additional penalty for delay of game will be assessed to a team if it intentionally places too many players on the ice to cause a stoppage of play and create confusion about which players must remain on the ice in the application of the new rule (Rule 70.6).
“We’re always looking to make the game safer for our players and more fun for our fans,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Senior VP of Hockey Operations. “We believe these rule innovations take strides toward both objectives.”
The rules were vetted through the Rules & Competition Committee, which was created during the off-season, and approved by the PWHL Hockey Operations. The Committee, chaired by Cassie Campbell-Pascall and Meghan Duggan, includes players, a Head Coach, a General Manager, the Associate Manager of Player Safety and a representative of the on-ice officiating staff.
Other rule changes for the 2024-25 season:
- If a shot originating in the attacking zone is deflected out of play by any means (off either team or the crossbar), the ensuing face-off will be conducted in the attacking zone (Rule 87.5).
- A coach may challenge applications of Delay of Game - Puck Over Glass. If the challenge is not upheld, the team that challenged will receive an additional penalty for delay of game. (Rule 38.11).
- When a goalkeeper is removed for mandatory medical evaluation or injury, the replacement goalkeeper may be afforded a brief warm-up (Rule 8.2).
- Rule 52.1 regarding Body Checking, has been reworded to provide clarity for the On-Ice Officials in applying the rule.
PWHL Key Dates 2024-2025
November 20-22: Mini-camps TOR/MTL (28-32 players)
November 26: Waiver Period Begins (5:00 p.m. ET)
November 27: Waiver Period Closes (3:00 p.m. ET)
November 27: Roster Compliance (by 5:00 p.m. ET)
November 30: First Game of the Season
March 1 – May 8: 2025 Draft Declaration Period
March 2: Trade Deadline (by 12:00 p.m. ET)
March 3: Roster Freeze Date (by 12:00 p.m. ET)
May 3: PWHL Regular Season Ends
May 6: 2025 Playoffs Begins
Click here to download a copy of the 2024-25 PWHL Official Rulebook
About the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL)
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprised of six teams in Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto, each with rosters featuring the best women’s hockey players in the world. Launched on Jan. 1, 2024, the PWHL has broken multiple attendance records and holds the worldwide all-time record for a women’s hockey game. In 2024, the PWHL was recognized by Sports Business Journal as the Sports Breakthrough of the Year and received the top position in the first-ever Canadian edition of the Harris Poll, which ranks companies’ reputations. Visit thepwhl.com to purchase tickets and merchandise, and subscribe to the PWHL e-newsletter to receive the latest league updates. Follow the league on all social media platforms @thepwhlofficial.
PWHL, the PWHL Logo, and PWHL team names and logos are trademarks of the PWHL. © PWHL 2024. All Rights Reserved.