Mandatory neck protection comes to PWHL as league tweaks rules before upcoming season

The Professional Women's Hockey League is mandating cut-resistant neck protection for all players as part of changes to its rulebook for the 2026-27 season.

The league said in a release Thursday that neck protection must be worn in all games, including during pre-game warm-ups.

Players being permitted to bat the puck above shoulder height without play being whistled dead, and clearer definitions of permissible and illegal body checks are among the other tweaks to the PWHL's rules.

The league will also pilot a new overtime rule in all 12 pre-season scrimmages that gives the non-offending team the option of taking a penalty shot instead of a power play when a minor penalty is assessed.

The PWHL announced a 42-member officiating team for the new season, down from 59 officials in 2025-26. The league says it's part of a strategy to increase the number of games worked per official and promote greater consistency.

PWHL training camps open Nov. 18 and the regular season begins Dec. 5.