PIHA Releases Updated Rulebook for 2025-26 Season After Officiating Restructure

The Professional Inline Hockey Association (PIHA) has officially released its updated rulebook for the 2025-26 season, marking a significant step forward in the league’s continued growth and standardization efforts. This follows an off-season reorganization of PIHA’s officiating administration, which now features a four-person officiating committee established to oversee rules, officiating education, and consistency across all divisions nationwide.

Throughout the summer, this committee met on several occasions to carefully review the existing rulebook and propose meaningful updates. Their goal was clear: modernize the game while ensuring player safety, competitive balance, and smoother officiating operations as the league expands.

Key Rule Changes for 2025-26

Highlighted changes in the new rulebook include:

• Expanded Overtime Format: Adjustments to regular season overtime procedures, including the return of the 1 on 1 format, and sudden death shootouts when necessary.

• Puck in Motion: New guidelines for moving the puck when stopped behind the defensive goal line.

• Reverse Clearing: A new rule preventing teams from blindly throwing the puck back into their defensive zone.

These updates, now in effect for the 2025-26 season, reflect the PIHA’s commitment to improving the quality of play and the overall player and fan experience.

The full 2025-26 PIHA Rulebook is now available for players, coaches, and fans.