Everything you need to know about the PWHL

Growing up in the Northeast, it is safe to say that my family was a hockey family. We would spend our evenings flicking through NHL games and keeping up with the scores and the standings. Our favorite hockey, though, was the Winter Olympics. As a matter of fact, one of my favorite memories of hockey was watching the US Women’s Hockey Team win gold in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. Following those winter olympics, I remember feeling a sense of desire to see more. After all, women’s hockey is approached differently than men’s hockey. The plays are more intricate and scoring is much more of a team effort, and because of this, it feels like an altogether different sport. The disappointment I felt when I found I couldn’t watch professional women’s hockey year-round was significant, and I wasn’t alone. Finally, in August of 2023, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) was announced, along with its six inaugural teams. Here is everything you need to know about the new league and what it means for the world of sports.

The Inaugural Six

If you are familiar with the NHL, then you probably know that when the league was created, there were six teams called the original six. These teams were based out of Montreal, New York, Chicago, Toronto, Detroit, and Boston. The same six teams have been created for the PWHL.

When Do They Play?

As of right now, the inaugural season for the PWHL is underway. Games are being played every week, and the season runs until early May. The inaugural season began on New Year’s Day of 2024 with a match between New York and Toronto in Toronto.

Where Can I Watch?

All PWHL regular season games for this season will be streamed on the League’s YouTube Channel. Postseason broadcasting is still TBA.

Will There Be a Postseason?

The postseason playoffs will begin the week of May 6th. There will be two rounds of playoffs between the four teams with the best regular season records. Each round will be a best-of-five series, and the first team to get 3 wins in the series will advance.

So, What Does This Mean for Women in Sports?

First and foremost, this means young girls who grow up playing hockey finally have a tangible dream. The dream of being a professional hockey player is no longer exclusive to men. Second, the development of the PWHL is empowering for women of all ages. Hockey is historically a male dominated sport, but that is now subject to change as the world continues to be introduced to the talents of female athletes. Lastly, the invention of a new league means there are jobs that need to be filled. If you watch a PWHL game, you will notice that in addition to the players, the referees, the broadcasters, the coaches, and the fans are mostly women. This means there are now more career paths than ever for women in hockey beyond being an athlete.

Something I Would Like to See Changed

Despite how important and significant it is to have a professional women’s hockey league, there is still one major wrinkle that needs to be ironed out. It’s the pay rate of the players. The average salary of PWHL players is between $30,000 and $80,000, which is not only a mere fraction of what their NHL counterparts make, but also not enough to live on, especially for professional athletes. This is likely due to lack of exposure and viewership because the league is brand new, but I would like to see that number rise significantly as the league gains popularity. Overall, I can’t wait to watch how this league grows and develops, and I highly recommend tuning in to give these incredible athletes the attention they have earned.