Probable PWHL expansion for 2025-26, two teams

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1851311368290648213

Paywall.


My big question is will they expand west? Minnesota is the farthest west PWHL franchise (and is still half a continent away from where I live; there are 10 NHL teams west of Minneapolis).

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[Takuto Maruki]

I think they need to go West, yes, but truth be told, there needs to be a team in Calgary and Vancouver. Calgary already had a kick of the can with the CWHL, but Vancouver hasn't with women's hockey, and more then civic pride towards my former home town, I hope that a potential PWHL team, and plus with the women's soccer team being created in Vancouver, I hope it shows that Vancouver can be just as strong a women's sports town as Toronto and Montreal are.

 

[Brodie]

Chicago and Detroit

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I'd expect them to continue filling out the midwest before turning their eyes fully westward. I think we'll be looking at a ~4 team western division entering at once instead of just a couple teams thousands of miles away from the rest. This is primarily a bus league at this point.

Pittsburgh & Detroit have made serious pushes for a team and seem high on the priority list. Chicago is a matter of when and not if. Considering the league has just 6 teams there's no shortage of places that make a lot of sense.

 

[ponder719]

I’m going to keep hoping for a team in Philly until it happens. Bringing in Philly with Pittsburgh would make a lot of sense, IMO, because the built in rivalry could carry over. That said, I don’t expect it until they get a few other places settled first.

 

[jetsmooseice]

Probably no shortage of willing markets, but how deep is the talent pool? How many more teams can you add before you start having to compromise on the level of player entering the league?

 

[JMCx4]

Probably no shortage of willing markets, but how deep is the talent pool? How many more teams can you add before you start having to compromise on the level of player entering the league?

With the number of upperclass(wo)men & graduate students on ranked NCAA DI rosters this season, plus a presumed significant number of European players ready to head to North America if called, plus some number of USports women available to draw from, PLUS a small selection of bubble players who will miss the cut during the upcoming PWHL camps ... I reckon filling two more 23-women rosters (with 3 reserves each) will be easy with no measureable impact on overall League skill levels. In fact, it should shift the player demographic to a younger mean age & bring more energy to the games.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1851386267184791980

A bit on the criteria the league may use to determine where to expand. QC mentioned as a possible location.

 

[JMCx4]

... A bit on the criteria the league may use to determine where to expand. QC mentioned as a possible location.

Pity vote.

 

[LadyStanley]

Also Canadian pundits talking to Canadian fans.

Pro Women's Hockey League says it could add as many as two teams for 2025-26 season

Expansion is on the table for the six-team Professional Women’s Hockey League, and executives aren’t placing limitations on which North American markets they’ll consider in a bid to add as many as two franchises for the 2025-26 season. The only certainty is a vision of the timing being right to...

sports.yahoo.com

A few more details from Yahoo Sports
RFP returns before end of December.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Pittsburgh and Detroit hosted pwhl games last year so thinking it's them

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Fingers crossed for Chicago.

….

…. As long as they’d not be stuck behind the stupid CHSN channel.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Phoenix and Albuquerque.

 

[End on a Hinote]

Can't see it expanding too far west or south. Chicago and Detroit ate my guesses. I think Quebec City may be a possibility, too.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

I think Quebec City may be a possibility, too.

Sure, if the the league wants to remain irrelevant.

 

[End on a Hinote]

Sure, if the the league wants to remain irrelevant.

Give it a rest, already.

 

[LadyStanley]

Check out this Podcast: Can the underachieving Oilers overcome the loss of McDavid? Can the underachieving Oilers overcome the loss of McDavid?

The Athletic hockey podcast discusses possible expansion cities (about 30 minutes in).

Edit: 20 RFPs being sent out. Need to be returned by the end of the year.

Will teams be owned by single entity? Will they begin selling franchises?

 

[Golden_Jet]

Probably no shortage of willing markets, but how deep is the talent pool? How many more teams can you add before you start having to compromise on the level of player entering the league?

Ya that’s the big question, assuming they will go slow with expansion,
But they definitely want to be double the current size.

 

[voyageur]

I don't think the league is ripe in revenues yet, to go west of Minnesota. By and large, the salaries are somewhat offset by bus travel everywhere, except to Minnesota.

Detroit seems like an easy market to go to. Bridges the distance to Minnesota.

A Pennsylvania team seems possible too. You wonder if the league will ever catch on in New York though, or if it is too novelty still.

I'd like to see Winnipeg or Calgary get in down the road. Women's hockey is at its apex in those markets.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

Pittsburgh and Detroit hosted pwhl games last year so thinking it's them

Good guesses. I agree. Both are also big hockey development markets. A player just retired this summer to coach kids in Pittsburgh



Imagine if Amanda Kessel comes out of semi-retirement to play for Pittsburgh, would be pretty cool. (She was in the past draft but apparently was only going to play for Boston. She currently works for the Penguins.)

 

[JMCx4]

... Imagine if Amanda Kessel comes out of semi-retirement to play for Pittsburgh, would be pretty cool. (She was in the past draft but apparently was only going to play for Boston. She currently works for the Penguins.)

If we're gonna dream, let's dream BIGGER! What if Manon Rhéaume comes outta retirement for a shot at becoming the Gordie Howe of women's pro hockey? At Age 52 (53 by the next PWHL draft), she is still in the game through her sons. She could attract an older demographic to The P, while being another inspiration to the younger Mom-I-wanna-play-hockey generation. She'd also be an attractive marketing asset for BJK's strong-women-in-sports crusade. I, for one, would buy Manny's replica jersey in a skipped heartbeat!

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

If we're gonna dream, let's dream BIGGER! What if Manon Rhéaume comes outta retirement for a shot at becoming the Gordie Howe of women's pro hockey? At Age 52 (53 by the next PWHL draft), she is still in the game through her sons. She could attract an older demographic to The P, while being another inspiration to the younger Mom-I-wanna-play-hockey generation. She'd also be an attractive marketing asset for BJK's strong-women-in-sports crusade. I, for one, would buy Manny's replica jersey in a skipped heartbeat!

Yes, because Rheaume declared for the 2024 draft. So it's definitely the same thing.

 

[JMCx4]

Yes, because Rheaume declared for the 2024 draft. So it's definitely the same thing.

Don't look back, look forward.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

With the number of upperclass(wo)men & graduate students on ranked NCAA DI rosters this season, plus a presumed significant number of European players ready to head to North America if called, plus some number of USports women available to draw from, PLUS a small selection of bubble players who will miss the cut during the upcoming PWHL camps ... I reckon filling two more 23-women rosters (with 3 reserves each) will be easy with no measureable impact on overall League skill levels. In fact, it should shift the player demographic to a younger mean age & bring more energy to the games.

I live in Southeast Manitoba. There's a goalie from Ste Anne - she got a shutout in the NCAA National Championship, winning the game for Ohio State this year - and was only drafted with the final pick of the draft this year.

No idea if she'll be a good starter in the PWHL, but there shouldn't have even been a question if she would be drafted in the first place, but that's what happens when there are so few teams.

I'm assuming the PWHL is aiming for 10 teams pretty soon (5-10 years).