Hockey Canada has introduced its new 2026–2028 Playing Rules, with several changes and clarifications set to take effect for the 2026-27 hockey season.
While the new rulebook contains changes covering several levels of hockey, a number of the updates will directly affect Senior hockey. The most notable involve the termination of penalties following a goal, the procedure for a team refusing to start play and changes to a pair of officiating signals.
Penalty termination following a goal
One of the more significant changes involves how Minor and Bench Minor penalties are handled when a goal is scored.
Under the new rule, a delayed Minor or Bench Minor penalty that has been signalled by the referee must now be included when determining which penalty is terminated following a goal.
This becomes particularly important when a team already has one or more penalties being served and another penalty is on delay when the opposing team scores.
Officials will consider the applicable Minor and Bench Minor penalties, including the delayed penalty, when determining which penalty expires.
For players, coaches and off-ice officials, this means the penalty situation may need to be sorted out by the referee following the goal before a penalized player is released from the penalty box.
Major penalties are not terminated by a goal.
High-sticked puck and goals
Hockey Canada has also updated and clarified its wording surrounding high-sticked pucks and goals.
For Senior hockey, however, the basic standard for determining a legal goal has not changed.
A puck contacted by an attacking player’s stick above the height of the crossbar cannot legally enter the goal as a result of that contact. Contact at or below the height of the crossbar may result in a legal goal, provided no other violation occurs.
The crossbar standard was already used in Senior hockey under the previous rulebook, making this primarily a clarification and restructuring of the rule rather than a new playing standard for the Senior division.
Refusing to Start Play procedure revised
Hockey Canada has made a more substantial procedural change to its Refusing to Start Play rule.
Under the previous rules, a team refusing to resume play could be issued a two-minute warning by the referee. The two minutes were placed on the game clock, with the game subject to suspension if the team still refused to return or resume play.
That two-minute warning procedure has now been removed.
The revised rule uses a penalty-based progression when a team refuses to properly resume play, with further penalties and discipline possible if the refusal continues.
The change eliminates the previous procedure of placing a two-minute warning countdown on the game clock.
Icing signal changes
There will also be a noticeable change in the way completed icing calls are signalled.
When an icing is completed, the linesperson who blows the whistle to stop play will now also raise an arm to indicate the icing.
The change provides a clearer visual indication of the call for players, coaches and spectators.
New slew-footing signal
The referee signal for slew-footing has also been modified.
The sweeping motion used by the referee will now travel from back to front rather than the previous front-to-back motion.
The underlying slew-footing rule and available penalties remain separate from the change to the signal itself.
New rules in effect for 2026-27
The 2026–2028 Hockey Canada Playing Rules were updated in July and will govern play beginning with the 2026-27 season.
The new rulebook also contains changes specific to younger divisions, including a new goaltender mask and helmet procedure for U13 and below. Those youth-specific changes do not apply to Senior hockey and are not included in this summary.
Players, coaches, officials and off-ice officials should familiarize themselves with the updated rules ahead of the upcoming season.
The complete 2026–2028 Hockey Canada Playing Rules are available through Hockey Canada’s Officiating Program.