About the PWHL
The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) is the premier women's professional ice hockey league in North America. Founded in 2023 and entering its 19-team era in 2026-27, the PWHL fields teams across the United States and Canada (active rosters below). The league was capitalized with historic backing from the Walter family (the same ownership group behind the Boston Bruins' ownership lineage) and chartered by former Team USA captain Hilary Knight as a flagship franchise. The PWHL Stanley Cup-equivalent trophy is the Walter Cup, awarded annually to the playoff champion. The league's average salary — $80,000–$150,000 — is the highest in women's professional hockey history and supports athletes competing at international caliber through the IIHF Women's World Championship and Winter Olympics.
PWHL
North America's premier professional women's hockey league — 6 teams, elite competition, history in the making.
ABOUT THE PWHL
The Professional Women's Hockey League launched in January 2024 as the first major professional women's hockey league in North America with six teams across the USA and Canada. Backed by a consortium of NHL owners, the PWHL set out to establish the first sustainable, standalone professional women's hockey league — paying players, building arenas, and creating a new standard for the sport.
ALL 6 TEAMS
Official Site →Boston Fleet
Boston PWHL
Minnesota Frost
Minnesota PWHL
Montreal PWHL
Montréal Victoire
New York PWHL
New York Sirens
Ottawa Charge
Ottawa PWHL
PWHL Boston
PWHL Minnesota
PWHL Montreal
PWHL New York
PWHL Ottawa
PWHL Toronto
Toronto PWHL
Toronto PWHL
Toronto Sceptres
SEASON LEADERS
Stats integration coming soon — player scoring, goaltending, and team standings.
THE MISSION
The PWHL exists to create a sustainable professional league that elevates women's hockey, provides elite playing opportunities, and inspires the next generation of players and fans. With NHL-backed ownership, paid salaries, and dedicated arenas, the PWHL is building something the sport has never had before.
PWHL HISTORY
The Professional Women's Hockey League was founded in 2023 as the successor to two earlier women's professional leagues — the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL, 2007-2019) and the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL, later PHF, 2015-2023). The CWHL ceased operations in 2019 after failing to secure sustainable sponsorship. The NWHL/PHF continued but was perceived as offering inadequate compensation and benefits to players. By 2022, the women's professional hockey community had begun organizing around a new league.
The PWHL was capitalized with $25 million in seed funding from the Walter family — the same ownership lineage behind the Boston Bruins. The league launched in January 2024 with 6 teams in the United States and Canada, including the Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montreal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Sceptres. The league has since added an additional 3 teams for the 2026-27 season, with new franchises announced in Vancouver, Detroit, and Philadelphia (with team names to be confirmed).
The PWHL's first season (2023-24) was a watershed moment for women's professional hockey. Average attendance was 4,600+ per game — higher than most AHL and several NHL teams. The Minnesota Frost won the inaugural Walter Cup, defeating the New York Sirens in the final. The 2024-25 season saw the Boston Fleet win the Walter Cup, and the league announced the 3-team expansion to bring the league to 9 teams for 2026-27.
The PWHL represents a fundamental shift in women's professional hockey economics. Player salaries of $80,000-$150,000 (with the league's top players earning $200,000+) are the highest in women's professional hockey history. The league provides full healthcare benefits, paid travel, and a structured development path that compares favorably with the NWHL/PHF. The PWHL has attracted top international talent including Hilary Knight, Marie-Philip Poulin, and Alex Carpenter, and has positioned itself as the premier destination for elite women's hockey players between IIHF Women's World Championship and Winter Olympics cycles.
HOW THE PWHL WORKS
The PWHL regular season runs from late November to early May, with each of the 9 teams in 2026-27 playing 30 regular season games. The schedule is structured as a 3-game series format — when teams play each other, they play 3 games over 4-5 days at the same venue. This format reduces travel costs and creates concentrated competitive events that drive attendance and TV viewership.
The top 4 teams in the PWHL standings advance to the Walter Cup Playoffs, a best-of-3 semifinal and best-of-3 final. The Walter Cup is the PWHL's championship trophy, named after the Walter family's contribution to the league. The Walter Cup has been awarded twice: to the Minnesota Frost (2023-24) and the Boston Fleet (2024-25).
PWHL rosters are capped at 23 players per team. The salary cap is structured as a tiered minimum-salary system rather than a hard cap — every roster slot has a minimum compensation, and teams can pay above the minimum. The average PWHL player salary is $80,000-$150,000, with the league's top players earning $200,000+. The league provides comprehensive benefits including healthcare, paid travel, and off-ice support staff.
PWHL games are broadcast on multiple platforms. In the US, the league has a broadcast partnership with the NHL Network and has had games featured on ESPN. In Canada, PWHL games are broadcast on TSN and Sportsnet. Streaming is available through the league's official website and partner platforms. The 2024-25 PWHL season drew record attendance, with the league averaging 6,000+ fans per game and several games selling out (including a 19,000+ attendance at a special outdoor game). The PWHL's media presence has helped women's professional hockey reach a broader audience and positioned the league as a long-term sustainable competitor to the NHL in the women's professional sports market.