The start of the PWHL’s third season, and the Vancouver Goldeneyes’ first season is only days away on November 21, 2025. Vancouver hockey fans had the opportunity to see a PWHL game live last season during the PWHL Takeover Tour, otherwise, for many, this will be their first PWHL game.
Vancouver’s PWHL team adds another professional hockey team for fans to watch, along with the Vancouver Canucks and Abbotsford Canucks.
With many fans watching the Goldeneyes and other PWHL teams, there are some differences fans may see between this league and the NHL.
Conferences and Divisions
There are some structural differences between the two leagues. Notable right away, the PWHL does not have conferences or divisions in their league whereas the NHL does.
The NHL comprises two conferences and four divisions. There is the Western Conference, which contains the Pacific, and Atlantic divisions, and there is the Eastern Conference, which contains the Atlantic, and Metropolitan divisions.
The NHL has 32 teams in its league and each division contains eight teams. Whereas, the PWHL only has eight teams in the league. Prior to the 2025-26 season they only had six teams.
Currently, the PWHL does not have enough teams to create divisions or teams geographically close enough to create conferences. However, with the PWHL continuing their Takeover Tour this season and the league still working on expanding, the creation of conferences should be coming soon.
Penalties
Since the PWHL made its league debut, they have had a couple different rules surrounding penalties that the NHL does not have. One is a rule that NHL players and fans may like to see implemented in their league.
In the NHL, when a player is assessed a two-minute minor penalty, the only way they can leave the box early is if the other team scores on the power play. If their team scores short-handed, they remain in the box until either the penalty expires or the other team scores on what’s left of the power play.
The PWHL has the Jailbreak Rule. This means that if a player is assessed a two-minute minor penalty and their team scores short-handed, they are allowed out of the penalty box early. Essentially, if either team scores on the power play, the player is allowed to exit the penalty box.
This is a rule that NHL players would not mind seeing in their league. In an annual NHLPA poll taken by NHL players, the top answer for the PWHL rule they would most like to see adopted by the NHL was the Jailbreak Rule at 29.70%.
The PWHL has another differing penalty rule from the NHL, the No Escape Rule. This rule states that the players on the team who is receiving the penalty cannot change and must stay on the ice until the following face-off is completed. In the NHL, players are allowed to change if their team is assessed a penalty.
Coach’s Challenge
Starting in the upcoming 2025-26 season, the PWHL will completely remove the Coach’s Challenge Rule. The team will not be allowed to request a review, eliminating the coach’s challenge, and any consequences of an unsuccessful challenge. However, the on-ice officials are able to request a review regarding goals and delay of game penalties to potentially over-turn a call.
The NHL still has the coach’s challenge, allowing them to challenge goals for offside, goaltender interference, or a missed stoppage in play, such as a high-stick.
As of the 2024-25 NHL season, coaches can also challenge a delay of game penalty. If the challenge is unsuccessful, they will receive another penalty, giving the other team a 5-on-3 advantage.
Point System
A major difference between the PWHL and NHL is their point system.
The PWHL uses a 3-2-1-0 point system, where they receive:
3 points for a regulation win
2 points for an overtime or shootout win
1 point for an overtime or shootout loss
0 points for a regulation loss.
The NHL uses a 2-1-0 point system, where they receive:
2 points for any type of win
1 point for an overtime or shootout loss
0 points for a regulation loss.
The 3-2-1-0 point system places extra pressure on securing a win in regulation, as this point system means the winning team either earns three points or only one point over the losing team, a two point difference, depending on the type of win. The need to finish a game in regulation to earn three points adds an extra layer of competitiveness to the PWHL.
The 2-1-0 point system has a little less of a push to finish games in regulation. Every NHL team wants to win in regulation, but regardless of the type of win, the winning team receives two points. The main difference is for the losing team, who either receives one point or no point, therefore, either closing the gap to the winning team down to one or keeping it at two.
The PWHL’s point system was the second rule change NHL players were most interested in seeing adopted from the PWHL, with polling at 24.36% in favour.
Handshakes
At the end of every PWHL game, regular season and playoffs, the players on each team shake hands as a sign of respect and sportsmanship, acknowledging the other team’s talents.
At the end of NHL regular season games, and most playoff games, the moment the final buzzer goes off, all players leave the ice. The only time viewers will see the players shake hands is at the end of a playoff series, when one team has officially been eliminated from the race for the Stanley Cup.
The race for the PWHL’s Stanley Cup equivalent, the Walter Cup, begins on November 21st with the start of the PWHL’s third season. This also marks a historic time for Vancouver hockey as the Goldeneyes make their home debut as a part of the league, hosting the Seattle Torrent, also making their debut as a franchise.
Viewers will see just as much pace, roughness, and excitement as they would watching a men’s professional league, and with the crowd near selling out, the atmosphere will be electric. It’s a game fans will not want to miss.
