1. The new checking rules state that when making a check that the player delivering the check must keep their stick below their knees. Basically, if you raise your stick above knee level your elbows will be bent and that is a penalty now if you make contact with your elbows.

2. The new rule makes it clear that once a player has given up the puck, there is no "finishing the check" and hitting the player after the puck is clearly not in possession of the player will result in a penalty.

3. High School Hockey is still allowed to ice the puck in shorthanded situations. However, in U-16 and U-18 sanctioned tournaments, there is no ice the puck when shorthanded.

4. Tag up offsides is still allowed in High School.

5. The unsportsmanlike conduct bench minor penalty for banging the boards with a stick or other object was clarified to be applied specifically when doing so to celebrate a legal or illegal body check. Celebration of goals and saves is allowed and will not be cause for a penalty.

6. The face-off location following a penalty call that causes a team to be shorthanded shall be an end zone face-off in the defending zone of the penalized team unless: the penalty is assessed after a goal is scored, the penalty occurs at the end of a period or the non-offending team causes a stoppage of play (offsides, icing, etc.).

7. A minimum penalty of a major plus game misconduct was established for slew footing.

8. Any goaltender who body checks an opponent shall be assessed a minor penalty for unnecessary roughness.

9. Vaping was added to the banned substances for players and team officials. Following a warning, the penalty for any violation shall be a game misconduct.

10. All major penalties will now include a game misconduct penalty.

11. Players or team officials serving a suspension for a game misconduct violation or disciplinary suspension may not have any interaction with the team 45 minutes prior to the game, during the game and for 30 minutes after the game. Prohibited activities include any communication, being in the locker room or in the vicinity of the bench area. Violations may result in supplementary discipline.

12. Coaches who receive a second game misconduct for Abuse of Officials in the same season will be automatically suspended for three games. Coaches who receive a third game misconduct for Abuse of Officials in the same season will be suspended until a hearing is conducted.

13. Players will now be assessed a game misconduct after 4 penalties in the same game and a coach will receive a game suspension when a team accumulates 12 penalties during same game.

14. Match Penalty Suspensions – USA Hockey has recommended ranges for various Match Penalties. The Affiliate can offer the recommended suspension to a participant in lieu of a hearing.

15. Language was adopted to change rule references of “deliberate injury” to “recklessly endangers” to better allow officials to judge the action that occurs instead of trying to determine whether an injury has occurred.