Tackling has been banned in women’s hockey for over 30 years. Now the Swedish league has chosen to go in a different direction. The first results show that the serious injuries may have become fewer and the game faster.
Since the beginning of the current season, tackling has been allowed in the Swedish women’s hockey league SDHL. It is about edge tackles in the same direction of travel.
Yle Sports took the issue and contacted some Finnish players in the SDHL.
– Where previously you were only allowed to wedge next to the edge, the rule change has cleared unnecessary expulsions. This is good for women’s hockey, says Sara Säkkinen, captain of the Solna club AIK.
AIK captain Sara Säkkinen believes that 60 percent of the responsibility for a tackle falls on the tackler, while the receiver’s responsibility in the situation is 40 percent.
Photo: Daniel Ivarsson
ice hockey, women’s ice hockey
Teammate Saana Valkama believes that the game has not changed much in a few months – the players have not yet learned to exploit the tackles.
– So far, the judging line varies a lot – what is allowed and what is not. After all, I believe that the line is more uniform than before, says Ella Viitasuo in HV71 from Jönköping.
Luleå striker Noora Tulus noticed at the beginning of the season that many players tackled eagerly. Now she doesn’t really think about the question at all.
– As the women’s players tend to be of such different sizes, larger players can utilize their strengths to a greater extent through this rule change. They can use their size without the tackling positions being unclear, says Noora Tulus.
Serious injuries seem to have become fewer
A strong argument for allowing tackle was the reduction of injuries.
AIK’s head coach Carl Wendt believes that the serious injuries have now been fewer than before, while the game has become better and more entertaining.
Researcher Mikael Swarén at Dalarna University says that the number of concussions has decreased as the game has become more physical.
Half of the coaches in the Finnish league support
At the moment, Sweden is the only country that has allowed tackles in women’s hockey. They are also prohibited in international matches.
Nine out of ten head coaches in the Finnish league answered Yle’s question about the tackles. Five coaches flagged the tackles, one opposed while three did not have an opinion on the matter.
The arguments were that the game can be better and faster if tackling is allowed. The referee line could also become clearer.
The coach who voted against claims that the level differences between the players are too great at the moment. That physical skills are not enough for tackle play.
Thanksgiving has not always been forbidden
Thanksgiving was still allowed at the women’s first EC tournament in 1989, but was banned before the WC premiere the following year.
According to Jatkoaika’s investigation from the year 2021, the rules of women’s hockey had previously varied between countries. Before the first WC tournament in 1990, the international association IIHF wanted to standardize the regulations to promote women’s hockey’s quest to join the Olympic Games.
Something that finally succeeded in 1998 in Nagano.
The article is an edited translation of Heikki Ali-Hokka’s article Ruotsissa sallittiin taklaaminen jäikiekon naisten pääsarjassa – päreusset merkit kujujan vaikutuksika ovat madats on Yle Urheilu’s website.
