Next Stop, Seattle: PWHL Expansion Continues Along the West Coast

Get ready, hockey fans, because the Pacific Northwest is about to get a whole lot louder. The PWHL continues to break new ground, announcing major news that Seattle is officially joining the league for the upcoming season–becoming the eighth team in the league that is quickly rewriting the future of women’s professional hockey. This expansion solidifies the league’s West Coast presence, following the recent addition of PWHL Vancouver. Together, the two cities establish the Pacific’s showing for the growing league.

Courtesy of Regan Thomas

Seattle was a natural choice for expansion. The city never fails to show up for women’s sports, from sell-out crowds at Seattle Storm games in the WNBA to the excitement surrounding the Seattle Reign FC of the NWSL. Add that to a growing youth hockey scene, world-class facilities and a community that’s already fully invested in women’s hockey, and it’s clear: it was a no brainer.

Seattle has been leading the way when it comes to supporting women’s sports, and there’s receipts to prove it. Over 12,600 fans packed out Climate Pledge Arena for a PWHL Takeover Tour game between the Montréal Victoire and Boston Fleet earlier this season. On top of that, a 2022 Canada vs. U.S. Rivalry Series game pulled in more than 14,500 fans in attendance. Not too bad for a city that didn’t have a team just yet.

Courtesy of Regan Thomas

The team will sport a color palette of emerald green and cream, perfect for the Emerald City. They will debut with a temporary name as PWHL Seattle while they work to develop a permanent team identity.

Seattle’s new team will play out of the modern, environmentally sustainable Climate Pledge Arena, also home to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and WNBA’s Seattle Storm. Their training facility will be the Kraken Community Iceplex, giving players access to top-tier facilities right from day one. Unlike Vancouver, where some renovations will need to happen to get ready for pro play, Seattle is more than ready to go.

Ownership will fall under Mark and Kimbra Walter, like the other seven franchises, but the Kraken and the Oak View Group, which operates Climate Pledge Arena, played a major role in bringing the PWHL to Seattle. They provided the extra push needed to secure a team.

Courtesy of Jennifer Buchanan/The Seattle Times via AP

So what’s next?

The fun doesn't stop with the announcement. Up next, there’s going to be a whole lot of hard work behind the scenes. Both Seattle and Vancouver will build full management and coaching staff rosters before they get the chance to create their team rosters.

The expansion draft is approaching as just one of several off-season milestones, with rules and guidelines currently being finalized. This is how both new expansion teams will fill out their first-ever rosters, while existing teams will get to protect a core group of players to prevent competitive imbalances.

Then, there’s the entry draft on June 24 in Ottawa. Fans can expect a deep prospect pool with plenty of talent to choose from, including NCAA stars and international standouts. Player declarations continue to come in ahead of the May 8 deadline, and the pool is expected to surpass last season’s 167-player entry list. The number of available positions within the league has increased significantly with expansion, creating more opportunities on both the athletic and business sides.

Between the expansion draft and the entry draft, the goal is to create two strong, capable teams that can fiercely compete from day one.

Courtesy of Jennifer Buchanan/The Seattle Times via AP

Despite the expansion and the new idea of eight teams, the league is leaning towards keeping the playoff format the same for now. This format will see four of eight teams make the postseason, meaning each point counts even more than in previous seasons.

Scheduling will still need to account for events like the Olympics and World Championships, but the league has already proven it can balance hockey within the league with international commitments. It is likely to see between 30 and 32 games per team for the 2025-26 season, with considerations for any necessary breaks.

Courtesy of Caroline Anne via The Hockey News

Fans could feel it coming. The signs were everywhere with the Takeover Tour crowd demanding a Seattle team, the support from the Kraken and the immediate buzz around even just the idea of the PWHL making its way to the West Coast.

Women’s hockey is finally getting the stage and the spotlight it deserves, with the league already discussing the idea of further expansion. Seattle’s arrival is just the next big step in the league proving it can deliver.

The city already feels like a well-established PWHL market with their enthusiasm and commitment to embracing the next level of women’s hockey. The response has been nothing but positive and the team hasn’t even hit the ice yet.

Edited by Jenna Mandarano