PWHL Expands with Seattle and Vancouver Teams for Next Season

VANCOUVER, Canada – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) announced on Wednesday the addition of Seattle, Washington, as its second new franchise for the 2025-26 season, joining Vancouver as part of its expansion plans.

This expansion gives the PWHL a foothold in the Pacific Northwest, following Vancouver’s unveiling as the league’s first expansion team just a week earlier. The strategic locations in Seattle and Vancouver open new markets with strong historical support for women’s sports, with only a three-hour drive between the two cities.

“We have a built-in rivalry here that will just naturally happen,” said Amy Scheer, executive vice president of business operations, emphasizing the geographical advantages. She also noted that both cities met all the business criteria sought by the league.

The PWHL, which launched in January 2024, originally began with six teams, including franchises in major cities like Boston, New York, and Toronto. As the league wraps up its second season, plans are already underway to potentially add two more teams, with a total of 10 projected for the 2026-27 season.

Neutral site games throughout the season attracted high attendance, with stops in Denver, Detroit, and Quebec City drawing over 14,000 fans each. The league is seeing positive responses and interest from fans and players alike, prompting a need for rapid expansion.

The new Seattle team will be known as PWHL Seattle for now, adopting an emerald green and cream color scheme. They will play at the NHL Kraken‘s Climate Pledge Arena.

“Seattle is an incredible sports city, and we’ve seen firsthand the passion for the women’s game,” said Kraken owner Samantha Holloway, highlighting the city’s ongoing support for women’s professional sports, including the WNBA’s Storm and NWSL’s Reign.

Attendance records were broken when a PWHL game held in Seattle attracted 12,608 fans in January, showcasing the city’s enthusiasm for women’s hockey. Four-time Olympian Hilary Knight shared her excitement for the new Seattle team, stating that the city’s atmosphere for women’s sports is unmatched.

As expansion talks progress, the PWHL aims to announce the expansion draft details and how both new teams will integrate into the league by June 24. The league continues to evolve and grow, recently averaging over 7,000 fans per game this season, indicating strong support for women’s hockey.

The PWHL’s West Coast expansion is expected to increase travel times and costs for the league’s teams, but the commitment from ownership and the exciting market dynamics present an optimistic future for women’s hockey.