NHL announces four rule changes for 2024-25 season
On Wednesday, the National Hockey League announced four rule changes for the 2024-25 season. Each of these changes was unanimously approved by the League’s board of governors, NHL general managers and the NHL/NHLPA Competition Committee.
The precise NHL Rule Book language and details will be worked out over the coming weeks and announced by the NHL Hockey Operations team.
Of the four changes, the addition of video review after a delay of game penalty is called (Rule 38.2) is likely the most significant. Coaches will now have the opportunity to challenge these calls, while they were at complete discretion of the officials during previous seasons.
Here are the four rule changes approved by the NHL on Wednesday, as outlined in a statement released by the League:
Rule 38.2 (Situations Subject to Coach’s Challenge)
“A coach’s challenge now will be permitted to take down a penalty for puck out of play. This only will apply to delay of game penalties when the puck is determined to have deflected off a player, stick, glass or boards, and not on a judgment call on how the puck left the defensive zone (e.g., batted pucks or if the puck was shot out from the defensive zone). In the event of a failed challenge, another two-minute minor penalty will be assessed (in addition to the existing delay of game penalty).”
Rule 63.8 (Line Change Following Dislodged Net)
“There will be an adjustment to Rule 63.8 so that the defensive team cannot make a line change in the event its goaltender accidentally dislodges the net (old language applied just to skater).”
Rule 76.4 (Face-Off Procedure – Centers)
“Following an icing, the offensive center also now will receive one warning (same as the defensive player) for a face-off violation.”
Rule 75.3 (Unsportsmanlike Conduct – Player Sitting on Boards)
“The referee now will provide the offending team (coach and players) with one warning regarding players sitting on the boards (and will so advise the other team). After one warning in a game, the team precipitating the warning will be issued a bench minor penalty for future violations.”
Each of these rules will be implemented during the 2024-25 NHL preseason and regular season.