PWHL announces No Escape Rule, enhanced player safety rules for 2024-25 season
The Professional Women’s Hockey League continues to innovate, with a few new rules added for the 2024-25 season.
Arguably, the most interesting rule is the No Escape Rule, one of the notable rule changes designed to favor more offense. The new decree forces players on a penalized team to stay on the ice until the ensuing faceoff. This rule is similar to players not being allowed to change after an icing call.
Also, the PWHL has stated that an additional delay of game penalty will be handed out if a team intentionally throws players on the ice to confuse the officials when determining who was not on the ice.
There is also a greater emphasis on player safety with the PWHL’s new assessment of hits to the head. When a player delivers what is deemed to be an illegal check to the head, they will be assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct. Similar to the collegiate game, there will be a video review from the PWHL Central Situation Room, which will either confirm the referee’s original call, reduce the infraction to a minor if head contact was accidental or take away the penalty entirely if it is determined that the opposing player’s head was not targeted.
Rule 47- which pertains to head-butting- has been altered to make the penalty a major penalty and game misconduct. The PWHL has also added a precedent that any player who pulls their opponent’s hair or grabs their opponent’s chin strap, facial protection or throat protection will receive a major penalty and a game misconduct.
Other rule changes include coaches being able to challenge the applications delay of game penalties for the puck going over the glass. If the challenge isn’t upheld, the challenging team will also receive a delay of game penalty. Also, any shot that is deflected out of play -off either an attacking or opposing player or the crossbar -will result in the ensuing faceoff taking place inside the attacking zone.
Rule 52.1, which describes legal body checking, has also been reworded to improve clarity for on-ice officials.
“We’re always looking to make the game safer for our players and more fun for our fans,” senior VP of hockey operations Jayna Hefford said in a release. “We believe these rule innovations take strides toward both objectives.”
The PWHL also released a number of important dates for the upcoming season, most notably that this year’s trade deadline will be on March 2 at 12 p.m. ET. The final roster freeze occurring the following day at noon.
All six teams must have compliant rosters by 5 p.m. ET on Nov. 27.
The 2024-25 PWHL season kicks off on Nov. 30, with the Toronto Sceptres taking on the Boston Fleet, and the Montreal Victoire hosting the Ottawa Charge.