The Premier Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is set to expand to eight teams next season with the addition of a new franchise in Seattle, alongside Vancouver. Additionally, plans are already underway to introduce two more teams in the following year, according to sources familiar with the league’s discussions.
The inclusion of Seattle, announced on Wednesday, strengthens the PWHL’s presence in the Pacific Northwest, joining Vancouver, which was revealed as a new franchise last week for the 2025-26 season. This westward expansion allows the league to reach two markets that have a strong history of supporting women’s sports, with the cities only three hours apart by car.
Amy Scheer, PWHL’s executive vice president of business operations, emphasized that the geography of the two cities made perfect sense for a rivalry, but the decision was ultimately based on business considerations. “They met all the criteria in terms of what we were looking for,” Scheer said, focusing on the practical, business-driven reasons for the expansion.
This expansion is just the start for the league, which launched in January 2024 with five teams located in the Eastern U.S. and Canada — Boston, New York, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto — plus one in St. Paul, Minnesota. The PWHL aims to grow to 10 teams by the 2026-27 season, with sources revealing that discussions for further expansion are moving faster than expected, fueled by positive feedback and the success of their recent search for new locations.
While Scheer did not confirm a specific timeline, she hinted that the next phase of expansion could happen by the fourth or fifth year of the league’s existence.
Neutral-site games held this past season in cities such as Denver, Detroit, Quebec City, and Edmonton saw large attendance, with each drawing over 14,000 fans, further validating the demand for growth. Seattle’s new team, temporarily known as PWHL Seattle, will have emerald green and cream as their team colors. The team will play at Climate Pledge Arena, home of the NHL’s Kraken, and practice at the Kraken Community Iceplex. Vancouver has yet to announce its team name.
Seattle’s successful bid for an expansion team was led by the Kraken and Oak View Group, the latter of which has longstanding ties to women’s hockey. The group had shown interest in securing an original franchise when the league was founded in 2023. The city already has a thriving youth hockey program and is home to major women’s sports teams such as the WNBA’s Storm and the NWSL’s Reign. In addition, Seattle has shown a history of strong support for women’s hockey, as demonstrated by the 14,551 fans who attended a U.S.-Canada Rivalry Series game in November 2022, a record crowd for the event.
Boston Fleet captain and four-time U.S. Olympian Hilary Knight expressed her excitement about Seattle’s inclusion in the league, recalling the incredible atmosphere at the Rivalry Series game. “I have yet to experience another crowd like that,” Knight said, highlighting the special connection the city has with women’s hockey.
The PWHL is also preparing to announce the date of its expansion draft and details on how the new teams in Seattle and Vancouver will be integrated into the league’s entry draft on June 24.
Samantha Holloway, owner of the Kraken, expressed pride in Seattle’s role in the growth of women’s hockey, emphasizing that the city is a fantastic sports market with passionate fans eager to support women’s sports. “Together we’ll continue to inspire the next generation of hockey players and fans alike,” she said.
The PWHL’s rapid expansion coincides with the expected influx of college talent entering the league over the next two years. The league’s growth is also anticipated to attract more international players, particularly from Europe, eager to play in North America.
Jayna Hefford, the PWHL’s executive vice president of hockey operations, noted that players are now seeing the league’s success and will want to be a part of it. “Now I think these players are seeing that this league is here, it’s thriving, it’s growing,” she said.
Scheer also expressed optimism for the future, saying that the league’s strong response to its expansion search has made her more confident in the PWHL’s potential for success. As the league looks beyond Year 3, she is confident that they will continue to attract interest from markets hoping to join the growing league.
