Women's Professional Hockey League Reveals Initial Expansion Squad to Settle in Vancouver
The Pro Women's Hockey League (PWHL) is in its second season and is ready to go beyond its Original Six. This week, the league announced its expansion city - none other than Vancouver, BC!
Vancouver, with its deep-rooted love for hockey, makes a perfect fit for the league. Since launching in January 2024, the PWHL has been fielding six teams, with clubs in Minnesota, Boston, New York, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. The seventh PWHL franchise is now heading to Western Canada.
According to Amy Scheer, PWHL's Executive Vice President of Business Operations, "Vancouver is a vibrant city with a deep love for the game. Expanding to Vancouver reflects the growing momentum behind the league and the incredible passion of our fanbase since launching."
The new team will initially be known as PWHL Vancouver, using the same naming convention as the other teams. Vancouver was a natural choice for the league, given its support during the PWHL Takeover Tour earlier this year, with a tour-high crowd of 19,038 fans at Rogers Arena.
But the expansion joy doesn't end here! Reports and indications suggest that Seattle is next in line for the PWHL's expansion. Seattle TV station KING 5 reported that the announcement of a Seattle team is expected after the Vancouver announcement. This city was another stop on the PWHL's tour, where more than 12,000 fans turned up at Climate Pledge Arena, home of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken.
It seems like the PWHL is all set to make a big stride on the West Coast, with Seattle set to join Vancouver as the second West Coast franchise. Stay tuned for more updates!
The inclusion of Vancouver marks the PWHL's expansion to the West Coast, as they bring sports to a vibrant city known for its deep love for the game, particularly hockey. Seattle, with its passionate fanbase shown during the PWHL Takeover Tour, is also expected to be the next city to launch a PWHL franchise, potentially creating a lucky duo of West Coast franchises for the league.
