Source: NWHL Working To Establish Expansion Franchise In Toronto

The NWHL is "in the process of establishing an expansion franchise in the Toronto area," according to a source cited by John Wawrow of the AP. The league "isn't expected to announce its plans until the end of the month." The Toronto-area team would be the NWHL's "first in Canada and increase the league's number of franchises to six." The bid to "expand across the border comes a little over a year since the six-team Canadian Women's Hockey League folded after 12 seasons due to financial issues." The NWHL "initially expressed interest in expanding to Toronto and Montreal a year ago, but those plans failed to materialize." It currently is "unclear exactly where the Toronto-area team would be based." The source said that the expansion team's backers "would include Miles Arnone, who last year purchased the NWHL's Boston Pride," and Boston-based Boynton Brennan Builders co-Founder & CEO Johanna Boynton (AP, 4/14).