r/PWHL

📷 Dunedin Thunder NZWIHL socials

I was scrolling on Facebook earlier this week when I stumbled on a post from the Dunedin Thunder, a team in the New Zealand Womens Ice Hockey League (NZWIHL).

There was a team survey with lots of interesting & fun questions presented with graphs & photos of players. I'd be interested to know how PW teams or their fans would complete these surveys & what the answers would be.

The NZWIHL is starting its final month of the regular season with the Finals in early August. All games are streamed for free on YouTube.

https://xcancel.com/i/status/2072046044729471417

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/pwhl/pwhl-next-chapter-2026-9.7244679

"While the broadcast landscape for the league's fourth year, expected to start sometime in the late fall, is 'pretty much set already,' the eye is on the future, Kasten said. 'For year five, we’re hoping we can make quite a bit of improvements in our media delivery packages,' he said.

What exactly that looks like isn't yet clear. Scripps Sports-owned Ion was the first network to broadcast PWHL games nationally in the U.S. last season, and Scheer said the league will see where that partnership goes. 'A lot of conversations out there, but it's got to be the right deal for us in terms of the way they value us,' she said. 'So when that deal comes along, and again, we've had multiple conversations, we'll do it. But we don't want to compromise how we value ourselves to do it.'"

You'd think she'd have a few kind words for Ion, instead it's the same pre-Olympic 'If you don't value us, your loss' tough talk. Not super encouraging.

Reminder: PWHL debut on Ion did 133,000 viewers. Doesn't say if average or peak, but usually it's the former unless mentioned otherwise.

Just a heads up that we've added Anne-Renée Desbiens and Jill Saulnier to the guest line-up for the Halifax Sports Card Expo, along with Blayre Turnbull and Mae Batherson. Which means you can come meet them, get an autograph, and usually grab a photo together.

While your there come by and check out Premium Autograph's and Chirp Sport's booth - aka ALL WOMEN SPORTS CARDS AND MEMORABILIA!!!

I'm originally from the east coast and I'm so stoked to be coming back for this event.

Hope to see some of you there!!

Visit www.sportcardexpohalifax.com for more info on the event.

https://twitter.com/_piccone/status/2068498318024401193?s=46&t=HnlZXn-hftTl9f8rW_6qVA

I believe this league added hitting beacuse of the PWHL but a lot of these hits would be penalties in the PWHL. I see that they allow opposite direction hits, away from the boards. Maybe this league allows more hitting in case the PWHL allows more hits in the future.

Some people said that they need to work on their technique as they are using their eblows, hitting other player's heads and are also boarding. This is to be expected if this is the first time they are allowed to fully check plus I am sure mistakes aren't uncommon when hitting is involved.

I also saw some people say that people don't watch the PWHL for hits or that women/girls shouldn't hit beacuse their game is focused more on skills.

I personally think maybe leagues for girls and women shouldn't all follow the same rules. Maybe some allow full checking and the players can tone it down when full checking isn't allowed. That's probably what some of the players who played with boys did anyways.

These are the rules:

Rule 18 – Late Avoidable Body Check

A late avoidable bodycheck or body contact is classified as a check or contact delivered to a player who is no longer in control of the puck. Avoidable contact is when the player delivering the contact has an opportunity to avoid forceful contact or tries to minimize contact by altering their angle of attack and not finishing the contact. The concept of “finishing the check” is an unacceptable action as it is one that is meant to intimidate or punish the opponent with no intent to gain possession of the puck. Any player guilty of administering a late hit will be assessed a penalty for “late hit”. It can be a 2-minute minor penalty if the opponent is aware of the impending contact. A 5-minute major penalty or a 5-minute major penalty and game misconduct, at the discretion of the Referee, will be assessed for a late hit against an unsuspecting opponent. A match penalty shall be assessed to any player who recklessly endangers their opponent on the play. 44 PENALTY – minor, major, major and game, match

Rule 19 – Body Checking North/South

a) A player is allowed to maintain their position on the ice (“hold their ground”) if they have already established it and their current direction is consistent with the puck carrier’s direction. Players are not required to move out of the way to avoid a collision with an oncoming player. b) However, any deliberate movement to step or glide directly into an opponent that is greater than approximately a stick length away from the defender, without legally angling toward them, will result in a penalty. This includes stopping and moving directly north without changing direction to initiate contact with an opponent. A penalty will be assessed if such contact occurs from a distance greater than a stick length the way. c) For clarity and teaching purposes, the guideline for legal contact should be within a stick length distance, to help officials and players better judge appropriate positioning and minimize guesswork in one-on-one defensive situations. d) A 2-minute minor penalty, 5-minute major or 5-minute major and a game misconduct, at the discretion of the Referee, shall be assessed any player guilty of a North/South hit. A match penalty shall be assessed to any player who recklessly endangers their opponent with a North/South hit. PENALTY – minor, major, major and game, match

Rule 20 – Body Checking 3rd Player

a) When two players are physically engaged for control of the puck along the boards, they are vulnerable and defenceless. Any check delivered by a 3rd skater outside the physical engagement will be penalized as such. If the 3rd player enters the battle, they are only allowed to make a play on the puck. If that player or others make a play on the body to get the puck, or any player involved in the battle, that player will be penalized. b) A 2-minute minor penalty, a 5-minute major or 5-minute major and game misconduct, at the discretion of the Referee, shall be assessed any player guilty of body checking 3rd Player. A match penalty may be assessed on a player who recklessly endangers their opponent with a 3rd Player bodycheck. PENALTY – minor, major, major and game, match 45

Rule 21 – Body Checking (JPHL 14U – 18U)

A body check represents intentional physical contact from the front, diagonally from the front or straight from the side, by a skater to an opponent who is in control of the puck. The opposing players objective must be an attempt to gain possession of the puck with a body check and not to punish or intimidate an opponent. Body checking must be done with the trunk of the body, hips and shoulders, and must be above the opponent’s knees and at or below the shoulders. The use of hands, forearm, stick or elbow in delivering a body check is unacceptable and not within the guidelines of a legal body check. The primary focus of the body check must be an attempt to gain possession of the puck. Proper body checking techniques starts with stick on puck, therefore the stick blade of the player delivering the check must be below the knees of their opponent. i. Silent ice reminds coaches and players that these requirements are the responsibility of the player delivering the body check. Under no circumstances, is it acceptable to deliver a body check to a vulnerable or defenseless opponent, an opponent who is not in control of the puck or to use the hands, stick, forearm, or elbow in delivering a check to an opponent. See Rule 17, numbers 1- 6 for more examples. ii. A minor penalty, or 5-minute major penalty, 5-minute major and a Game Misconduct, at the discretion of the Referee, shall be assessed any player guilty of an illegal body check. iii. A match penalty shall be assessed any player guilty of recklessly endangering an opponent with an illegal body check. PENALTY – minor, major, major and game, match