Particle.news
Download on the App Store
7 ARTICLES
·
5d ago

PWHL Expands Westward with Vancouver as Seventh Franchise

The league's first expansion team will debut in the 2025-26 season, playing at the Pacific Coliseum in Pacific blue, as Seattle emerges as a potential eighth team.

A fan holds up a sign at the sold-out PWHL Takeover Tour game at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Jan. 8, 2025.
Mark Walter, Founder and CEO, TWG Global; Founder and CEO, Guggenheim Partners speaks at the Milken Conference 2024 Global Conference Sessions at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., May 6, 2024. REUTERS/David Swanson/File Photo
Image

Overview

  • The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) announced Vancouver as its first expansion franchise, set to launch for the 2025-26 season.
  • PWHL Vancouver will temporarily operate under this name until a permanent name is chosen, with Pacific blue as its primary team color.
  • The team will play home games at the Pacific Coliseum, a venue with historical ties to the NHL's Vancouver Canucks.
  • The decision follows a sold-out Takeover Tour game in Vancouver, which drew 19,038 fans, demonstrating strong market interest and youth hockey growth in the area.
  • League officials confirmed ongoing discussions about adding an eighth team, with Seattle as the leading candidate, though no final decision has been made.