What does PWHL stand for?

PWHL stands for Professional Women's Hockey League, the unified top-tier professional women's ice hockey league in North America. It launched its inaugural season in 2023-24 after the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) and the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) agreed to merge operations.

How many teams are in the PWHL?

The PWHL has 8 teams for the 2025–26 season, all based in the northeastern US and Canada. The teams are based in Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, New York, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Toronto, and the Greater Toronto Area (a second franchise was added in 2025).

What is the Walter Cup?

The Walter Cup is the PWHL's championship trophy, awarded annually to the playoff champion. Named after women's hockey pioneer and IIHF Hall of Famer Marguerite "Marg" Walter. Minnesota won the inaugural Walter Cup in 2024.

How does the PWHL regular season work?

The PWHL regular season runs from late November through May, with each team playing approximately 30 games. The top 4 teams qualify for the Walter Cup Playoffs, a single-elimination format that culminates in a best-of-5 final.

Is the PWHL connected to the NHL?

The PWHL is independently owned and operated by The Walter Group, founded by Mark and Kimbra Walter. It is not an NHL-owned league, though several NHL organizations have provided arena partnerships and marketing support. The PWHL is the unified top-tier league for women's professional hockey in North America.

Guide

PWHL GUIDE

The Professional Women's Hockey League — 8 teams across the US and Canada, the Walter Cup, and the unified top-tier women's professional hockey league that launched in 2023.

WHAT IS THE PWHL

The Professional Women's Hockey League is the top-tier professional women's ice hockey league in North America. Founded in 2023 and launched for its inaugural season in 2023–24, the PWHL unified the previously fragmented women's professional hockey landscape by bringing together players who had been split between the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) and the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA).

Founded2023 (in current form)

Inaugural season2023–24

HeadquartersToronto, Ontario, Canada

OwnerThe Walter Group (Mark and Kimbra Walter)

Teams8 (Northeastern US and Canada)

Regular season~30 games per team, November to May

PlayoffsWalter Cup Playoffs, May to June

THE TEAMS

For the 2025–26 season, the PWHL operates 8 franchises in major media markets across the northeastern US and Canada. The PWHL originally launched with 6 teams in its inaugural season and added a 7th (the Greater Toronto Area franchise) and an 8th in subsequent seasons.

Boston Fleet

Boston, MA

Minnesota Frost

Saint Paul, MN

Montréal Victoire

Montreal, QC

New York Sirens

Newark, NJ

Ottawa Charge

Ottawa, ON

Philadelphia Fleet

Philadelphia, PA

Toronto Sceptres

Toronto, ON

PWHL Vancouver

Vancouver, BC

THE WALTER CUP PLAYOFFS

The top 4 teams in the PWHL qualify for the Walter Cup Playoffs. The format is a single-elimination structure with a best-of-5 final:

Walter Cup Semifinal

4 → 2 · Best-of-3

Higher seed plays lower seed in a 1-vs-4 and 2-vs-3 matchup. Higher seed hosts Games 1 and 3.

Walter Cup Final

2 → 1 · Best-of-5

The two semifinal winners play a 2-2-1 format for the Walter Cup.

RECENT WALTER CUP CHAMPIONS

The Walter Cup has been awarded each season since the PWHL's inaugural year:

2025Minnesota Frost2nd Walter Cup

2024Minnesota FrostInaugural Walter Cup

WHY THE PWHL MATTERS

Before the PWHL launched in 2023, women's professional hockey in North America had been split between two competing leagues — the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) and the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA). The PWHPA had been formed by players who boycotted the PHF in 2019 over pay and playing conditions.

The PWHL unified the sport by:

Standardizing pay and benefits across all teams
Providing a single top-tier competitive destination for the world's best women's players
Establishing a sustainable ownership and broadcast structure
Drawing on established NHL markets with arena partnerships

The league's first season set attendance records for women's professional hockey in North America and established a foundation for long-term growth.

FOLLOW THE PWHL

Browse the directory to find PWHL teams, scores, and standings.

→ All 8 PWHL teams → PWHL standings and playoff bracket → IIHF World Championship Guide → Stanley Cup Guide

RELATED GUIDES

IIHF World Championship Guide — national-team competition including women's tournament
Stanley Cup Guide
NCAA Hockey Guide — the primary development pipeline for PWHL players
Hockey Positions Explained