Getting Pumped for the PWHL—A Season Preview
Upcoming is hockey’s showcase of the best female athletes to hit the ice. With two new expansion teams, we are gearing up for an action-packed Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season. From striking matchups and new franchises to roster changes, the PWHL is looking bigger and better than ever.
The Walter Cup, awarded to the PWHL season champion, has been occupied by the Minnesota Frost since the introduction of the league in the 2023–24 inaugural season. Will this be the season we crown a new champion? A team on Minnesota’s radar is the Boston Fleet, a returning matchup of last season’s championship game. Losing four players to the league expansion, the Fleet gained the second overall pick, Hailey Winn, to maximize their already unstoppable defense. Could the Fleet be a threat to the Frost?
The regular season starts mid-November and will run until late April, stretching 36 games per team across the new and improved seven PWHL franchises. This past April, the league introduced two new teams, expanding to Seattle and Vancouver. The growth of the league will not only broaden the league’s fanbase but also create a threat in the competition aspect.
Just recently, the PWHL team training camp rosters were announced. Upon announcement, 32 players are added to the roster. Teams will have until November 19 to finalize their roster of 23 active players. This past draft, the league welcomed a total of 48 new players, as well as trades, due to the expansion of the league.
Kristýna Kaltounková made her impression in collegiate hockey, racking up 233 career points during her time at Colgate University. Being the first overall pick of the 2025-26 draft, she has found her place on the New York Sirens.
With growing viewership, expansion teams, and the emergence of women’s sports, it is expected to be a groundbreaking season for the Professional Women’s Hockey League. The season will kick off on November 21, with a matchup between the Toronto Sceptres and Minnesota Frost.
