The new Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) unveiled the league's “original six” cities today, which include: Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto in Canada, and N.Y., Boston and Minnesota in the U.S., according to Ian Kennedy of THE HOCKEY NEWS. The announcement keeps professional women's hockey in “five of the seven markets previously occupied by PHF franchises” with the franchises in Buffalo and Connecticut “not continued by the new league.” Kennedy noted other cities “initially under consideration” included London, Ont., Chicago and Pittsburgh among others (THE HOCKEY NEWS, 8/28).
A UNIFYING MOVE: The establishment of the PWHL “represents a sea change in North American women’s hockey,” which was previously bifurcated between the seven-team Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) and the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association, a group of the top players from the U.S. and Canada who refused to join the PHF. The PWHL will be operated as a “single entity,’ meaning the league itself will own all six teams. The league has been “interviewing potential GM candidates” for the clubs in recent months and is “expected to announce those hires later this week.” The league’s business operations are currently based out of Dodger Stadium. Sources said that the PWHL is “expected to have a presence at some of the NHL’s tentpole events during the 2023-24 season” and the plan is to begin the league in 2024 (Alex Silverman, SBJ). NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly when asked if the NHL will work closely with the PWHL said, “It’s the expectation certainly to work closely with that league. There’s new leadership involved. It’s familiar leadership. Stan Kasten has a long-standing relationship both with the commissioner but also our league. ... And certainly we’ve already had intensive conversations on how we can be helpful and supportive to that league as early as their inaugural season” (THE ATHLETIC, 8/29).
FINDING A HOME: In Boston, Michael Silverman noted home ice for the Boston team has “yet to be announced,” but a recent report noted that Boston Univ.’s Walter Brown Arena is “being considered.” The PWHL bought out the PHF and all of its teams, including the Boston Pride, earlier this summer. Meanwhile, Boston is “expected to be named an expansion franchise” of the NWSL “in the coming months” (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/28).
