The league starts today – four significant rule changes!

The league will see several changes to the competition rules in the upcoming season. Reforms have been made regarding coach challenges, match lineups, dangerous hits, and team behavior.

The league announced this on Tuesday before the start of the “super season.”

The most significant change concerns the coach’s challenge. Last season, a failed challenge on a scoring situation resulted in a direct two-minute penalty.

The first failed challenge results in a timeout loss

From now on, a team will lose its unused timeout after the first failed challenge. If there are no timeouts left, the consequence will be a two-minute team penalty for delaying the game.

If a team has already been given such a penalty, each subsequent failed challenge will result in a 2+2 minute team penalty.

A successful challenge will not result in a penalty or loss of a timeout.

This change is in effect for the duration of this season. The decision was made at the request of the sports directors of the league teams.

The league is also increasing the size of match lineups. A team can name up to 20 skaters and two goalies for a match, which is one more skater than last season.

Penalty for surprise hits even without injury

The rule regarding dangerous hits is being clarified so that a major penalty and game penalty can be called in the league for a so-called surprise hit even when no injury is caused to the opponent.

According to SJL’s rule 46.13, “a player who hits an opponent who is not expecting the hit or does not want to engage in the confrontation, i.e., makes a so-called ‘surprise hit,’ and causes injury, shall be assessed a major penalty and an automatic game penalty. The player may also be subject to additional sanctions.”

Emphasis on the head coach’s responsibility

Practices related to team behavior are also being clarified. If the referee deems the actions of players or officials to be repetitive, collective, escalating, or otherwise clearly against the rules, the head coach will first receive an official verbal warning.

If the behavior continues or recurs after the warning, the referee may impose a game penalty on the head coach and remove them from the bench.

A warning is not required if the head coach’s own actions directly meet the criteria for a penalty under another game rule. The warning will also not affect any potential subsequent disciplinary proceedings.