PWHL Announces New Rules for the 2025-2026 Season
The PWHL's new rules change how teams use their third goalies and remove coaches' ability to challenge calls.
The PWHL has released its rulebook for the 2025-2026 season. The league will introduce two main rule changes for the upcoming season: new requirements for how teams use their third goalies, and the removal of the coach's challenge.
New Rules for Third Goalies
- Teams must now have three goalies under contract.
- If a goalie is injured during a game and can't continue to play, the second goalie listed on the roster must replace the first goalie. Once replaced, the first goalie can't return to the game. The team's third goalie must then take the bench as the backup goalie.
New Video Review Rules
The PWHL is replacing the coach's challenge with a "Central Situation Room Review." The Central Situation Room or the on-ice officials can decide to review:
- a missed stoppage in the offensive zone leading to a goal;
- potential goaltender interference in a scoring play; and
- a delay-of-game penalty the on-ice officials called on a player who sent the puck over the glass, only "when the shot/batted puck is determined to have subsequently deflected off a player, stick, glass or boards, etc."
The Central Situation Room makes the final decision on any review. They will only overturn a play if "a conclusive and irrefutable determination can be made" that the original call was clearly wrong.
Teams are no longer able to request a coach's challenge, nor can they request that the on-ice officials or the Central Situation Room review a play.
New Officials Leadership Team and New Linespersons
The PWHL also announced that this season's officials will be led by Bill McCreary (Director of Officiating, Strategy & Performance), David Taveroff (Director of Officiating, Operations), and Katie Guay (Director of Officiating, Training, Development & Recruitment). The officials roster this year will include 30 referees and 29 linespersons (including seven who are new to the league).
The PWHL's full rulebook is available on its website. The PWHL's 2025-2026 season starts on Friday, Nov. 21.
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