PWHL PLAYER SAFETY COMMITTEE DISCIPLINARY ACTION: MAY 1, 2026

Boston’s Rylind MacKinnon Suspended One Game

NEW YORK AND TORONTO (May 1, 2026) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) today announced that, following a review by the PWHL Player Safety Committee, Boston Fleet defender Rylind MacKinnon has been suspended for one game. The incident occurred in Game 1 of the PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs between Boston and the Ottawa Charge on Thursday night.

MacKinnon was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for an illegal check to the head on opponent Gabbie Hughes at 15:32 of the first period. In their review, the Player Safety Committee determined that MacKinnon made no attempt to play the puck when she delivered a high, forceful, and illegal body check that made her opponent’s head the main point of contact on a play where such head contact was avoidable. MacKinnon has been previously fined $500 for her actions in an altercation on Mar. 27 and suspended one game for an illegal check to the head on Dec. 21, 2024, as a member of Toronto.

Here is a video of the incident with an explanation from the Player Safety Committee:

The PWHL Player Safety Committee monitors all games and is responsible for providing independent review and recommendations on supplementary discipline. Chaired by Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations, the committee also includes Vice Chair Chris Burkett, PWHL Vice President of Labour Relations and Player Safety; Cassie Campbell-Pascall, PWHL Special Advisor; Meghan Duggan, Special Consultant to PWHL Hockey Operations; Mike Murphy, a long-time NHL executive and former VP of Hockey Operations; Matt McMahon, a member of the NHL’s Player Safety department.