Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor
The Professional Women’s Hockey League — PWHL — has kicked off its second season. Founded in June 2023, the league hopes to build off the success of their inaugural season.
The season opener, which featured games for all six teams, launched a 30-game per team season, up from the previous 24.
In the 2000s and early 2010s, players were not offered salaries from the existing Women’s Canadian Hockey League, as it was run by a non-profit. In 2015, the Premier Hockey Federation was founded in the United States, expanding to Canada in 2020, with players being offered salaries.
The Women’s Canadian Hockey League was dissolved, but players from the league were quick to found the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association, or PWHPA. From there, they boycotted existing leagues in pursuit of a unified, financially stable league. In 2022, the PWHPA entered a partnership with the Mark Walter Group, the PWHL entered its infancy.
This season also gives teams their identities. Initially lacking team names and logos, PWHL league executives were in a time crunch to design them so the teams would have them for uniforms and merchandise for the second season. During their inaugural season, teams were referred to by their city name with a PWHL prefix — for example, PWHL Toronto.
With an influx of college graduates, US Olympians and European players coming into the league, they continue to hope to ride the wave of women’s sports growth in North America.
“It’s hard to put into words, to be honest. Obviously, the first season exceeded all of our expectations,” vice president of hockey operations Jayna Hefford said. “We always believed. We had a vision for it. But to see it happen as quickly as it did was something that was pretty special.”
With the Minnesota Frost coming off a championship high, other teams have hoped to capitalize on the team’s shaky off-season — the team’s general manager was dismissed following a league review that revealed a rift between her and Frost head coach Ken Klee.
“For me, it’s just about getting our group back together,” Klee said. “We’re focusing on the future. Pro-hockey, things happen, some unfortunate things and some things out of our control, and we’re just really looking forward and excited to get the season going.”
Most matches will be streaming on The Sports Network and Réseau des Sports, Canada’s top sports service, with select matches streaming on Prime Video and Madison Square Garden Sports.
Season opener score report:
Boston Fleet v. Toronto Sceptres — 1 – 3
Ottawa Charge v. Montreal Victoire — 3 – 4
New York Sirens v. Minnesota Frost — 4 – 3
Contact the author at howlentertainment@mail.wou.edu
