PWHL Player Safety Committee Announces Disciplinary Action

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NEW YORK AND TORONTO (March 11, 2025) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) today announced that, after two separate reviews by the PWHL Player Safety Committee, Minnesota Frost forward Britta Curl-Salemme has been suspended for one game and Toronto Sceptres defender Renata Fast has been fined $250, each following incidents in the Mar. 9 game between the two teams.

The Player Safety Committee determined that Fast, at 3:23 of the first period, struck opponent Kendall Coyne Schofield in the head with the shaft of her stick, which went unpenalized during play. Coyne Schofield was in a vulnerable position and the contact compromised her safety. This violates PWHL Rule 60.1 – Cross-checking. This is the first fine that Fast has been assessed in her PWHL career.

At 12:06 of the second period, the Player Safety Committee determined that Curl-Salemme extended her elbow upward and outward as she delivered a high hit on opponent Megan Carter, making her head the main point of contact. The play resulted in a minor penalty for elbowing and a violation of PWHL Rule 48 – Illegal Check to the Head. This is the second one-game suspension assessed to Curl-Salemme this season following a high-sticking incident on Jan. 2 against Boston.

Click here for a video of the incident with an explanation from the PWHL Player Safety Committee.

The PWHL Player Safety Committee monitors all games and is responsible for providing independent reviews and recommendations on supplementary discipline. Chaired by Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations, the committee also includes Cassie Campbell-Pascall, PWHL Special Advisor; Bill McCreary, a former NHL referee and Hockey Hall of Fame member; Mike Murphy, a long-time NHL executive and former VP of Hockey Operations; Matt McMahon, a member of the NHL’s Player Safety department.

About the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) 

The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprised of six teams in Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto, each with rosters featuring the best women’s hockey players in the world. Launched on Jan. 1, 2024, the PWHL has broken multiple attendance records and holds the worldwide all-time record for a women’s hockey game. In 2024, the PWHL was recognized by Sports Business Journal as the Sports Breakthrough of the Year and received the top position in the first-ever Canadian edition of the Harris Poll, which ranks companies’ reputations. Visit thepwhl.com to purchase tickets and merchandise, and subscribe to the PWHL e-newsletter to receive the latest league updates. Follow the league on all social media platforms @thepwhlofficial.