WCHA's High Sticking Rule Will Be Discussed As Potential National Change After Pilot Season

The WCHA recently completed their pilot season of an experimental rule allowing the puck to be high sticked, including to score a goal. While some were concerned about the potential for safety issues, the WCHA actually experienced a decrease in incidents.

According to data from the WCHA, in the 2024-25 season, there were 33 high sicking minor penalties and four major high sticking penalties. This season however, that number dropped slightly to 31 high sticking minor penalties and only one major.

It's only a correlation, but the data, at the very least showed that the safety concerns were invalid. The WCHA told The Hockey News that they also had no reported penalties occurring when someone was trying to play the puck above their shoulders.

As WCHA commissioner Michelle McAteer told The Hockey News that in year one, the rule change "didn't result in reckless play."

One intended upside of the rule change was the opportunity to increase scoring. The WCHA reported three definitive goals that would otherwise have been disallowed due to a high stick, while they also had three goals that would have otherwise been reviewed and may or may-not have stood.

"In general, it has been received quite favorably and it is gaining momentum," said McAteer of the rule. 

While increased scoring chances were one point of interest for coaches and programs, the other, puck possession time, was widely perceived to be benefitted by the rule. McAteer said that the conference found many benefits when it came to possession. Primarily, this skill could be achieved through knocking pucks out of the air that had been flipped or deflected above the shoulders.

The WCHA is the most dominant conference in NCAA women's hockey winning seven consecutive and 22 of 25 all-time national championships.