The city of Vancouver has been awarded an expansion franchise in the PWHL, which could also see the city of Seattle get a team, beginning next season.
Vancouver is getting a new pro hockey team, and this time, it's the women hitting the ice.
1130 NewsRadio has confirmed the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) is heading to the West Coast, with Vancouver joining the growing league, which was also confirmed by Jeff Marek.
An official announcement is imminent, with representatives from the B.C. government, City of Vancouver, and other key partners in attendance.
Seattle will likely also be awarded a team, establishing a cross-border rivalry along the I-5 corridor, the Associated Press reports.
'On hold for now is the league announcing a second expansion city, with Seattle being considered', the person said. 'The league has other candidates for expansion if discussions break down with officials in Seattle', the person added.
The new PWHL team will likely play out of the Pacific Coliseum
The AP also reports that Vancouver's team would most likely play out of the Pacific Coliseum, the former home of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks.
The PWHL, now in its second season, has been considering expansion cities for months. Vancouver was a natural candidate: a big Canadian market with a growing girls' and women's hockey base.
That interest was on full display in January, when a PWHL matchup between Toronto and Montreal at Rogers Arena sold out quickly, drawing over 19,000 fans.
The league currently has six teams: Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, New York, and Minnesota (St. Paul).
Placing a team in Vancouver helps to broaden the league's reach across North America's West Coast and gives fans on that side of the continent a local team to support. Playoffs for the PWHL begin in May.
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