Report: PWHL to add Vancouver as first expansion club

The Professional Women's Hockey League is set to add an expansion club in the 2025-26 season, with all signs indicating that team will land in Vancouver, The Athletic reported Friday.

A news conference is scheduled for Thursday of next week, with organizers teasing "a historic announcement in British Columbia sports." Officials from the province and the city of Vancouver are expected to attend.

The PWHL launched in 2024 with six clubs, and a Vancouver addition would represent the start of westward expansion. The charter teams are the Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montreal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge and Toronto Sceptres.

"We're continuing to finalize decisions related to expansion and look forward to sharing more details soon," a league spokesperson said in a statement to The Athletic.

The PWHL held what it called a Takeover Tour, with games being played in nine non-league cities throughout North America. The highest turnout came in January when the league hosted a game in Vancouver with nearly 19,000 fans on hand. A stop in Seattle attracted more than 12,000 people - a positive sign should the PWHL desire to place two teams in the Pacific Northwest.

The league is owned by Mark Walter, the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and his wife, Kimbra. The Walters own each team as well.

--Field Level Media