PWHL Announces ‘No Escape Rule’ For 2024-25 Season

The PWHL continues to innovate, with a new rule being implemented for the 2024-25 season.

The PWHL’s inaugural season showed a forward-thinking approach to hockey. To maintain this, the league has introduced the “no escape rule,” a rule designed to favor offensive play, the league announced in a press release.

The new rule requires the team that committed a penalty not to change out its players until after the face-off resumes play. Meaning if the player who committed the infraction is a defender, the team will be skating with three forwards and one defender until they can make a line change. This rule is similar to players not being allowed to change after an icing call.

The PWHL also stated an additional delay of game penalty would 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 were to remain 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.

“We’re always looking to make the game safer for our players and more fun for our fans,” PWHL senior vice president of hockey operations Jayna Hefford said, per the release. “We believe these rule innovations take strides toward both objectives.”

Other rule changes include coaches being able to challenge 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.

The PWHL kicks off its sophomore season with a doubleheader on Nov. 30. The Boston Fleet and Toronto Sceptres face off at 2 p.m. ET at Coca-Cola Coliseum, followed by Montreal Victoire hosting the Ottawa Charge at Place Bell at 5 p.m.