After 2025's Exclusive Signing Window, which turned out to be anything but exclusive, the PWHL has added specific verbiage regarding tampering to their 2026 expansion guide.
Last year, the PWHL held a five-day exclusive signing window as part of the expansion process for the Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent. It was a well intentioned window to allow Vancouver and Seattle to sign players, which they did.
But it turned into much more. Not only did Seattle an Vancouver sign their first five players each, but they also worked out deals for several other notable players in the post "exclusive window." But it turned out not to be so exclusive. While Vancouver and Seattle were busy signing stars to build their rosters, the rest of the league was also wildly negotiating, not only with their own players, but from players across the league.
Some as we learned, agreed to deals with other teams before official free agency even opened.
In just about any league in the world, what happened last year could be labelled as tampering, which in general can be defined as the unauthorized or improper communication with and recruitment of players who remain under contract, or in a way that falls outside league protocol.
This season however, the PWHL has made it clear that tampering at any stage of the now six phase expansion process, will face consequences.
"If the league determines that a team is negotiating/has verbally agreed to terms with any player other than players currently on their roster prior to the Pre-Phase 1 Negotiation Period, the proposed contract for the player(s) in question will not be approved, and the GM and associated team staff will face additional consequences at the League’s discretion," the PWHL's Expansion Player Distribution Process Manual reads.
Last year, again, this was the norm. Teams were negotiating with players from other rosters across the board. For some, it's where issues began, such as the situation in Toronto where Kristen Campbell knew she was being replaced by Elaine Chuli before Chuli was even eligible to sign with the Toronto Sceptres, or to officially leave the Montreal Victoire. But it wasn't against the rules, because the five day window could be best described as a free-for-all.
To help avoid that issue, the PWHL has allowed teams to submit a 10-player "master negotiation list" during Phase One. As the league manual reads, "only players on the Phase 1 Master Negotiation List can be contacted and signed in Phase 1."
Under the league's tampering messaging, they write that "If the league determines that a team is negotiating with any player who is not currently on their roster or is not on the Phase 1 Master Negotiation List during Phase 1, the proposed contract for the player(s) in question will not be approved, and the GM and associated team staff will face additional consequences at the League’s discretion."
They take it another step saying that "If the league determines that a team is negotiating/has verbally agreed to terms with any player who they are otherwise not permitted to contact based on these Expansion Roster Construction Protocols, the proposed contract for the player(s) in question will not be approved, and the GM and associated team staff will face additional consequences at the League's discretion."
It's a clear message that while last year was a nearly lawless window of signings and negotiations, this year will be more controlled, with more oversight to ensure that the rosters of each team are respected until the rules dictate otherwise.
Teams must submit their 10-player master negotiation list on March 28 before Phase One begins June 1.