The Professional Women’s Hockey League is set to start its third season on November 21 with an expanded lineup of eight teams, up from six in the previous season. The new teams, PWHL Vancouver and PWHL Seattle, will debut at 10 p.m. ET at Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum, marking the venue’s first time as a home base for a PWHL team.
On the same evening at 7 p.m. ET, the reigning champs, Minnesota Frost, will kick off their campaign for a third consecutive Walter Cup by facing off against the Toronto Sceptres, a team they have bested in the playoffs over the past two seasons. A total of 120 games are scheduled for this season, a significant increase from 90 games last season and 72 in prior seasons, with each team playing 30 games and facing each other at least four times.
Jayna Hefford, the PWHL’s executive vice-president of hockey operations, expressed excitement for the upcoming season, highlighting the expansion to the west coast with the inclusion of Seattle and Vancouver. The league’s opening weekend will see all eight teams in action, including the Ottawa Charge hosting the New York Sirens on Saturday and the Montreal Victoire playing their first game on the road against the Boston Fleet on Sunday.
The league will also continue its Takeover Tour, visiting various cities beyond the teams’ home venues. The new season will showcase the roster transformations of teams like Vancouver and Seattle, the latter boasting notable players like Hilary Knight and Alex Carpenter. Vancouver, on the other hand, showcases a strong defensive lineup led by previous Walter Cup winners.
With changes in team compositions due to expansion and draft-night trades, teams like the New York Sirens are gearing up with a fresh lineup centered around emerging talents like Sarah Fillier, Kristýna Kaltounková, and Casey O’Brien. The league anticipates a competitive season that will impact the Canadian Olympic team selection, especially with the league’s inaugural Olympic break scheduled in the middle of the season.
PWHL action will pause for international events from December 8 to 15 and then for the Olympics from January 29 to February 25. The league’s influence on Olympic team selections will be crucial, with the women’s hockey tournament at the Olympics commencing on February 5 and concluding with the gold medal game on February 19.
The Canadian home openers for PWHL teams include Vancouver vs. Seattle at Pacific Coliseum, Ottawa Charge vs. New York Sirens at TD Place, Montreal Victoire vs. New York Sirens at Place Bell, and Toronto Sceptres vs. Boston Fleet at Coca-Cola Coliseum.