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Jul. 1—The Western Hockey League on Tuesday announced several changes which will impact the 2026-27 season. Some of those changes are aimed at making travel conditions better for the players and team staff, while one has the potential to significantly alter overtime play.
Point of 'no return': During the WHL preseason, the league will test a pilot program of "no return" three-on-three during the overtime period.
Under the "no return" format, once a team has gained the blueline a player cannot deliberately carry, pass, or shoot the puck outside the blueline. Should this occur, play will immediately be whistled down (unless the opposing team collects the puck first) and the resulting face-off will occur in the defensive zone of the offending team with no line change permitted. The team benefiting from the offensive zone face-off will have the opportunity to select which circle the face-off occurs in.
The "no return" format directly combats highly conservative overtime coaching strategies where the objective is to survive overtime and get to a shootout rather than trying to win in the extra session.
All 2026 WHL preseason games, regardless of final score, will feature "no return" three-on-three overtime to allow all clubs the opportunity to pilot the rule.
Following the 2026 WHL preseason, general managers will vote on the implementation of "no return" three-on-three overtime for the 2026-27 regular season.
Decompressed schedule: Beginning this season, the WHL regular season schedule will extend by one week. The decompressed schedule is designed to create additional rest and recovery for players, opportunity for additional strength and conditioning, and support the athletes' educational priorities.
The 2026-27 WHL regular season begins Sept. 18, and will end one week later than has been historically scheduled on March 28, 2027.
The playoffs are scheduled to begin March 31. The WHL tiebreaker game will no longer be used to break a tie for the eighth seed in a conference.
Now we're flying: Beginning this season, WHL clubs will be permitted to travel via air for one set of road games to start and return home, under the following parameters:
* Trip by bus must be greater than 10 hours;
* Applies to out-of-conference travel only.
The decision was approved by the WHL Board of Governors in association with a variety of initiatives to continue to augment the WHL player experience, to enhance player development, and to adapt to the changing hockey landscape.
Best of five: Beginning this season, the first round of the WHL playoffs will be contested as best-of-five series. To accommodate the extra week in the regular season, this change will allow the playoffs to be completed on its existing schedule for the WHL champion to participate in the Memorial Cup.
The first-round format will vary based on the geography of the competing teams, availability of facilities, and preferences of the higher-seeded club.
Import draft results
The Chiefs made three selections in the 2026 CHL import draft, choosing forward Matěj Tománek from Czechia in the first round (36th overall), Jonas Schwarz of Germany in the second (97th), and Jan Brabenec, also from Czechia, in the third (158th).
Tománek, a 5-foot-8 left winger, was one of two players under the age of 18 to finish in the top 30 in scoring in the Czechia U20 league. He scored 70 points (30 goals, 40 assists) on the HC Plzen U17 team. He also played for Team Czechia at the 2025 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. Born on Sept. 20, 2008, he will be eligible for the 2027 NHL entry draft.
Schwarz, a 5-11 center, has played for the Lukko U16, U18, and U20 clubs in Finland the past three seasons. Last year, he recorded 47 points (19 goals, 28 assists) in 38 games. He represented Germany at the 2025 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. He will also be eligible for the 2027 NHL entry draft.
Brabenec, a 6-4 center born in 2007, spent the 2025-26 season playing for HC Kometa BRNO U20 team in the Czechia U20 league, tallying 47 points (13 goals, 34 assists) in 44 games.
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Point of 'no return': During the WHL preseason, the league will test a pilot program of "no return" three-on-three during the overtime period.
Under the "no return" format, once a team has gained the blueline a player cannot deliberately carry, pass, or shoot the puck outside the blueline. Should this occur, play will immediately be whistled down (unless the opposing team collects the puck first) and the resulting face-off will occur in the defensive zone of the offending team with no line change permitted. The team benefiting from the offensive zone face-off will have the opportunity to select which circle the face-off occurs in.
The "no return" format directly combats highly conservative overtime coaching strategies where the objective is to survive overtime and get to a shootout rather than trying to win in the extra session.
All 2026 WHL preseason games, regardless of final score, will feature "no return" three-on-three overtime to allow all clubs the opportunity to pilot the rule.
Following the 2026 WHL preseason, general managers will vote on the implementation of "no return" three-on-three overtime for the 2026-27 regular season.
Decompressed schedule: Beginning this season, the WHL regular season schedule will extend by one week. The decompressed schedule is designed to create additional rest and recovery for players, opportunity for additional strength and conditioning, and support the athletes' educational priorities.
The 2026-27 WHL regular season begins Sept. 18, and will end one week later than has been historically scheduled on March 28, 2027.
The playoffs are scheduled to begin March 31. The WHL tiebreaker game will no longer be used to break a tie for the eighth seed in a conference.
Now we're flying: Beginning this season, WHL clubs will be permitted to travel via air for one set of road games to start and return home, under the following parameters:
* Trip by bus must be greater than 10 hours;
* Applies to out-of-conference travel only.
The decision was approved by the WHL Board of Governors in association with a variety of initiatives to continue to augment the WHL player experience, to enhance player development, and to adapt to the changing hockey landscape.
Best of five: Beginning this season, the first round of the WHL playoffs will be contested as best-of-five series. To accommodate the extra week in the regular season, this change will allow the playoffs to be completed on its existing schedule for the WHL champion to participate in the Memorial Cup.
The first-round format will vary based on the geography of the competing teams, availability of facilities, and preferences of the higher-seeded club.
Import draft results
The Chiefs made three selections in the 2026 CHL import draft, choosing forward Matěj Tománek from Czechia in the first round (36th overall), Jonas Schwarz of Germany in the second (97th), and Jan Brabenec, also from Czechia, in the third (158th).
Tománek, a 5-foot-8 left winger, was one of two players under the age of 18 to finish in the top 30 in scoring in the Czechia U20 league. He scored 70 points (30 goals, 40 assists) on the HC Plzen U17 team. He also played for Team Czechia at the 2025 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. Born on Sept. 20, 2008, he will be eligible for the 2027 NHL entry draft.
Schwarz, a 5-11 center, has played for the Lukko U16, U18, and U20 clubs in Finland the past three seasons. Last year, he recorded 47 points (19 goals, 28 assists) in 38 games. He represented Germany at the 2025 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. He will also be eligible for the 2027 NHL entry draft.
Brabenec, a 6-4 center born in 2007, spent the 2025-26 season playing for HC Kometa BRNO U20 team in the Czechia U20 league, tallying 47 points (13 goals, 34 assists) in 44 games.
Continue reading...
