Rule changes for the 2026-2027 season

In the 2026-2027 Fonbet KHL Championship, rule changes will be introduced aimed at increasing the entertainment value and pace of the game.

Each year, the League makes rule changes designed to promote offensive hockey and reduce the number of stoppages during matches. All changes are adopted based on a survey of the clubs.

Starting from the 2026–2027 season, play will no longer be stopped when a player makes a hand pass in his own zone and a teammate gains possession of the puck on the same side of the red line. The locations of both the pass and the reception will determine the zone in which the puck is considered to be located (Rule 79).

Rule 63 (Delay of Game – Puck Out of Bounds) has also been amended. Referees will now be permitted to initiate a video review on their own to determine whether a violation has occurred.

Two changes concern video review procedures. During reviews for high-sticking incidents or to assess a potential major penalty, officials will now be allowed to evaluate whether the allegedly injured player embellished the incident (Rule 64). Rule 37 has also been adjusted: when reviewing whether the puck crossed the goal line, the Video Review Center will simultaneously assess any contact with the goaltender and determine whether goaltender interference occurred. Previously, a separate coach’s challenge was required for such a review. The change is intended to reduce the number of stoppages during games.

Under the revised Rule 67, players are no longer allowed to close their hand on the puck inside the glove and may only play it with an open palm. Another amendment concerns Rule 9: if a player loses his helmet, retrieves it, puts it back on, and then continues play, no minor penalty will be assessed.