The Professional Women`s Hockey League (PWHL) is expanding its footprint westward, announcing Vancouver as its first new team. This move aligns with the league`s objective to broaden its presence throughout North America. The official announcement came during a press conference, where a young player from the Vancouver Angels under-11 team, surrounded by teammates holding signs, declared, “We got a team.” Following the announcement, the league showcased highlights from its successful `Takeover Tour` event held in Vancouver in January, concluding with a graphic confirming `PWHL Vancouver`.
Jayna Hefford, the league`s Vice President of Hockey Operations, described the expansion as a crucial milestone for the PWHL and the advancement of women`s hockey. She added that it marks a significant celebration of the league`s growth, reflecting its current success and representing a momentous occasion for the sport as a whole.
Amy Scheer, VP of Business Operations, confirmed that a second expansion team is also planned, with Seattle being a strong contender. Scheer noted that while many might see Seattle as the logical next step, especially given the potential for a Pacific Northwest pairing, the decision isn`t finalized. She indicated that discussions would continue over the coming weeks or months, suggesting it`s reasonable to anticipate two new franchises joining the league by the start of the next season.
An anonymous source familiar with the process confirmed that while Seattle is a target market, a deal is not yet secured due to ongoing private negotiations. Should an agreement not be reached, the league has other potential markets under consideration, including Denver and Detroit.
Adding Vancouver represents a significant achievement for the league, which was founded in June 2023, has united the top talents in women`s hockey, and is currently wrapping up its second season. Despite Detroit often being mentioned as a strong candidate for expansion, the PWHL opted to move west, strategically developing into a league with a wider North American footprint, rather than remaining primarily focused on its current base of teams in the Northeast and Minnesota.
Vancouver emerged as a clear choice following a six-month evaluation period where the league assessed over 20 potential markets for expansion. Key factors favoring Vancouver include its status as Canada`s third-largest city with a substantial corporate presence for potential partnerships, a growing base of youth girls hockey participants, and existing facilities suitable for hosting games and practices.
The new, as-yet-unnamed team will play its home games at the Pacific Coliseum, the former arena of the NHL`s Canucks, and will practice at the Agrodome. Both venues are situated on the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) grounds, east of downtown, and are easily accessible from suburban areas via a major highway.
Further boosting Vancouver`s case was the impressive attendance of 19,038 at the PWHL`s Takeover Tour event there, marking the fourth-largest crowd in the league`s history. Scheer highlighted that social media engagement leading up to the Vancouver Takeover game surpassed that of any other of the 11 such events. She also noted that a significant portion of attendees (70%) were visiting Rogers Arena, the current Canucks home where the Takeover game was held, for the first time. “We believe there`s already a substantial fan base in British Columbia ready to support our games,” Scheer stated, concluding that the city “checked off all the boxes” required for expansion.
Strong interest from local government officials in attracting a team was another positive factor. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim commented, “The passion for women`s hockey, combined with today`s announcement, demonstrates that Vancouver is prepared to spearhead this movement on the West Coast.”
The team will initially be known as PWHL Vancouver and adopt Pacific blue and cream as its colors. Further details, including the date of an expansion draft and how Vancouver will participate in the upcoming entry draft (scheduled for June 24th elsewhere), will be announced later.
The timing of this expansion aligns with a wave of highly skilled college and European players expected to enter the league in the near future, including recent NCAA MVP Casey O`Brien (Wisconsin) and Wisconsin juniors Caroline Harvey and Laila Edwards. Hefford noted the strong pool of incoming talent provides further validation for the expansion now, adding that new teams also create additional opportunities for developing coaching and support personnel.
For Hefford, selecting Vancouver evokes personal memories. During her visit for the Takeover game, the former Canadian national team standout was joined by her former teammate Charline Labonte, as well as Canucks assistant general managers Cammi Granato and Émilie Castonguay. A Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Hefford commented that Vancouver distinguished itself as an excellent hockey market, stating, “I think we had an inkling that it was a market that we felt really positive about and were excited about learning more.”
The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics hold special significance for Hefford, as she won her third of four Olympic gold medals there. Hefford believes the 2010 Games left a lasting impression on Canadians, citing Canada`s record-breaking 26 medals and the men`s hockey gold as highlights. “I just think that was such a pivotal moment for our country,” she said, expressing excitement about the PWHL now establishing a presence in Vancouver.
Rupert Hartwell