The PWHL player safety has issued four supplemental disciplinary actions this week. This has sparked questions about repeat offender treatment and proportional punishment. How does it compare to the NHL?

The PWHL’s Player Safety Committee announced discipline for four players in two separate games on Sunday, March 15, 2026.

Peyton Anderson and Britta Curl-Salemme receive disciplinary actions

Peyton Anderson received a one-game suspension for an unpenalized illegal body check during Minnesota’s game against the New York Sirens. The incident occurred at 8:38 of the third period when Anderson delivered a blindside hit on Sirens forward Paetyn Levis in the defensive zone.

The committee determined that Anderson took a poor angle of approach with her opponent in a vulnerable position. She exhibited no attempt to play the puck and delivered a hit with significant force that made contact with Levis’ head. This was Anderson’s first disciplinary review in her 19-game PWHL career.

Britta Curl-Salemme was fined $250 for an unpenalized cross-checking incident from the same Minnesota-New York game at 13:49 of the third period. The committee found that Curl-Salemme raised her stick with both arms and struck her opponent while in a vulnerable position with a forceful cross-checking motion. Notably, this marks the fourth time in Curl-Salemme’s two-year PWHL career that she has received supplemental discipline. She had previously been issued two one-game suspensions during the 2024–25 regular season and one suspension in the 2025 playoffs.

Maggie Flaherty and Loren Gabel fined for Boston-Montreal game hit and altercation

Maggie Flaherty received a $250 fine for a hit on Boston’s Jill Saulnier during Montreal’s game. It was the same game that saw Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin exit early following a collision with Boston’s Shay Maloney. The incident at 7:35 of the third period resulted in a major penalty and game misconduct on the ice. The committee determined that Flaherty delivered a forceful hit with speed and opposite-directional force while her opponent was in a vulnerable position, knocking Saulnier into the boards. This is Flaherty’s second incident of supplemental discipline following a two-game suspension last season.

Loren Gabel was fined $250 for unpenalized actions following Flaherty’s hit. The committee determined that Gabel, who was standing at her bench off the ice, reached out and pushed Montreal forward, Laura Stacey, while officials were de-escalating the altercation. This was Gabel’s first incident reviewed by the Player Safety Committee.

Concerns about repeat offenders and punishment consistency

The decisions generated significant discussion among PWHL fans about the league’s approach to player safety and discipline.

The biggest criticism focused on how repeat offenders are treated. Fans pointed out that Curl-Salemme, in her fourth incident, received the same $250 fine as Gabel, who was facing her first infraction. Many argued that fines should increase with each offence, suggesting that Curl-Salemme’s fine should have been $1,000 instead of $250.

Several fans called for Curl-Salemme to receive a suspension rather than another fine to better discourage dangerous play.

Another concern was whether punishments matched the severity of what happened. Fans noted that Flaherty’s hit, which gave Saulnier a concussion, carried the same $250 fine as Gabel’s push from the bench during the scrum afterward. Several people described this as backwards, arguing that a potentially career-ending injury shouldn’t carry the same penalty as a teammate defending someone during a scrum.

Some fans described the discipline as “minuscule” and a “total joke,” saying such light consequences don’t send a strong enough message to players about dangerous play.

Similar debates happening in the NHL

While the PWHL addresses these questions, similar debates are underway in the NHL. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety recently faced some serious criticism. This was over the knee-on-knee hit by Anaheim Ducks defenceman Radko Gudas on Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews.

The March 13 incident resulted in a Grade three MCL tear and quad contusion that ended Matthews’ season. Gudas received a five-game suspension, the maximum allowed under a phone hearing. The decision drew widespread criticism because Gudas is a repeat offender with four previous suspensions.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid publicly called for the NHL to review its suspension process in response. McDavid said that if complaints come up after every suspension, the league should look at whether there’s a better way to address player safety and reduce frustration.

Matthews’ agent Judd Moldaver called the discipline “laughable and preposterous,” while Toronto coach Craig Berube said that losing their captain for the year to a repeat offender didn’t seem properly addressed by the punishment.

NHL Department of Player Safety head George Parros defended the decision, saying his team evaluates plays consistently. He feels confident in their approach. However, the incident has brought back longstanding debates about whether the NHL’s discipline system properly protects players and whether punishments actually prevent dangerous play.

Both leagues now face similar questions about how to balance player discipline and safety. The PWHL’s relatively new Player Safety Committee is setting standards that will shape how the league handles player protection. How it treats repeat offenders and matches punishment to severity will send important signals about the league’s priorities.