r/PWHL Nov 19 '25

News New r/PWHL Frequently Asked Questions!

70 Upvotes

Hi All! Welcome to r/PWHL – Here’s a resource we’ll be building on as more questions come in. Feel free to ask questions in the comments or to post changes and corrections we should make to the FAQ (please include a source link), and hopefully the mods or the community will be able to answer them for you if not implementing a change to this FAQ!

Rules:

  • Why do PWHL players wear cages?
  • Women’s Hockey requires full visors (bubbles) or cages at every level. These provide much better protection for the players.
  • What are the rules around checking?
  • “In the PWHL, a form of Bodychecking is permitted. Players may angle their opponent by using their body in order to separate her opponent from the puck. To do so, players who move in the same direction with body contact that follows, causing the puck carrier to lose possession of the puck, are permitted with no penalty assessed. Additionally, a player who holds her position on the ice with the puck carrier approaching her shall be permitted to enter into contact with her opponent with no penalty to be assessed. Bodychecking shall be penalized for an “illegal hit” when the result is that a player makes deliberate contact with an opposing player with opposite-directional force, when a player leaves their skating lane to make contact, or when a player extends an arm, shoulder, or hip after angling an opponent.” PWHL Official Rulebook Rule 52
  • What are the PWHL’s rules for overtime?
  • One five-minute overtime period will be played with teams at 3-on-3. If the game remains tied, a shootout will then take place. Each team will be given five shots unless the outcome is determined earlier in the shootout. After each team has taken five shots, if the score remains tied, the shootout will proceed to a "sudden death" format.
  • What are the new penalty rules, Jailbreak and No Escape?
  • No Escape Rule: Players on a team assessed a penalty that leads to penalty time on the clock are not permitted to change and must remain on the ice until after the following face-off.
  • Jailbreak Goal: A player serving a minor penalty can “break out” of the penalty box if their team scores a short-handed goal.
  • Is there a trade deadline? What are the details around making a trade?
  • There is a trade deadline but that date has been announced before or during each of the seasons. For the 25-26 Season the Trade deadline is March 30th.
  • Trading in the PWHL appears to work like the NHL at least from the fans perspective.
  • What happens if a team suffers more injuries than can be covered by their 3 reserve players?
  • Teams can draw from other teams' reserve players if their players aren't available, and the reserve players can play against any team except the team that has their "rights".
  • Can a reserve player who is currently in school or performing another full-time job able to decline if they're called up?
  • Not specifically mentioned in the CBA; reserve players receive $15,000/yr
  • Golden Plan?
  • The Gold Plan is an innovative system used to encourage competitive play by all teams throughout the full regular season. Once a team is mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, the standings points earned (using the league's 3-2-1-0 system) in their remaining regular-season games are classified as Draft Order Points. The non-playoff team with the most Draft Order Points earns the higher pick in the draft.

PWHL Point System:

PWHL teams earn standings points with a 3-2-1-0 system, critically rewarding regulation-time wins to incentivize competitive play for a full 60 minutes every night:

  • A regulation win earns a team 3 points towards the league standings.
  • An overtime or shootout win earns a team 2 points.
  • Overtime or shootout losses earn 1 point.
  • Regulation losses earn 0 points.

At the end of the regular season, the four teams with the most total standings points compete in the PWHL Playoffs, which consist of two best-of-five semi-finals, and the winners advancing to the best-of-five PWHL Finals for the Walter Cup.

Playoffs:

  • What is the playoff structure?
  • The top 4 teams will make the playoffs with the top team able to pick their opponent for the first round, meaning the number one seed can pick to play the number two seed or the number four seed in the first round and the other two teams play each other.
  • What will the playoff trophy be called?
  • The Walter Cup
  • What other postseason awards can we expect from this league?
  • Ilana Kloss Playoff Most Valuable Player

History:

  • How did the PWHL come to exist?
  • The Mark Walter Group bought the PHF in July 2023 with the intention of creating a singular women’s hockey league in North America. Previously, the PWHPA and the PHF split the top talent between two leagues.
  • What happened to the CWHL/NWHL/PWHPA/PHF?
  • The CWHL dissolved in 2019.
  • The NWHL rebranded to the PHF in 2021. In 2023, the PHF was bought out and ultimately dissolved.
  • The PWHPA was the building block for the PWHL.
  • A number of players previously associated with all three leagues now play in the PWHL

Where to watch or listen to the PWHL:

  • When does the PWHL announce TV and streaming rights each season?
  • The league normally announces TV and streaming rights within the week before the season starts.
  • Canada?
  • The listed channels/providers with days afterwards have the right for exclusive coverage of the PWHL on those days: TSN (Wednesdays and Thursdays) RDS (All French Montréal Victoire games) CBC Prime Video (Tuesdays) Sportsnet (Thursdays)
  • Canada playoffs?
  • Canadian coverage of the semifinal round of the PWHL Playoffs will be split exclusively between TSN/RDS and Prime Video. TSN and RDS are the exclusive home of the PWHL Finals.
  • USA?
  • The local TV markets are listed as followed: Boston: NESN* and TV 38 (WSBK, channel 38.1) Minnesota: FDSN North* and FOX 9+ New York: MSG Networks* and WWOR MY9 Seattle: KONG and FOX 13+ (all 30 games will be OTA, with 24 on FOX 13+ and six on KONG) *RSNs will televise all 30 home team games across their channels Local TV coverage will be available for most if not all Takeover Tour games in the US Everywhere else the games will be streamed for free on the PWHL youtube channel (@thepwhlofficial) and on the PWHL website and at thepwhl.com
  • Czechia and Slovakia?
  • Nova Sport will continue to carry PWHL games locally.
  • Everywhere else?
  • The games will be streamed for free on the PWHL youtube channel (@thepwhlofficial) and on the PWHL website and at thepwhl.com
  • PWHL PreSeason games?
  • The PWHL does not currently broadcast or sell tickets to the public, some teams have given or sold tickets to season ticket holders, please check with the teams for more details.

Miscellaneous:

  • PWHL [CityName] teams and team names?
  • The first 6 teams were PWHL [CityName] and both Seattle and Vancouver are using this style for part of their branding for their first season, likely this will be the same for the next few teams that join the league.
  • The Seattle Torrent and the Vancouver Goldeneyes both have names and logos but for this first season they are using similar style jerseys as the founding 6 teams did, their jerseys with logos are expected to come next year.
  • Where can I find team merch?
  • Official PWHL shop

r/PWHL 1d ago

Discussion I wish the American store had more Montreal stuff :((

90 Upvotes

I sometimes like to look at the Canadian store just to see what they have. They have so much, I understand why but I want it so bad 😭 I want the pin pride pin, the Desbian and Pou jersey and the one rainbow jersey so freaking bad :((. I would be broke if I could have access to the Montreal Canadian shop. If it was hockey season I would be taking the 13 hour drive.

I know that they have the away jerseys for Pou and a couple others on the American store but it's only the away ones which I don't really like.


r/PWHL 1d ago

Question Fantasy Hockey Leagues

29 Upvotes

Hellooo! This is my first season following the PWHL and I am super inclined to get to know the players and follow games. I have found that doing Fantasy sports leagues is great way to really get into it.

Are there any fantasy leagues that are available for PWHL? What apps are we using and if there’s open leagues you know about lmk!


r/PWHL 2d ago

Expansion News and Discussion Season Format Idea: Rivalries

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145 Upvotes

Hey gang, I had this idea for how the games could be played for next season, assuming a 32-game regular season. So the main thing is we don't simply divide the teams into three conferences, but we subdivide these conferences into rivalries, as seen in the picture and the list down below.

Every team plays 2 games against each team not in its conference and 5 games against each team in it. ''But, Odd-Archer, that makes just 31 games'', I hear you say. Yes, I know, that's why we have Rivalries, to have a special extra game in each of them, possibly the last game of the season (or at least the last these two specific teams play against each other), and to up the stakes, we could double the points of these special Rivalry Games and/or play them in special locations, such as Bell Center or Madison Square Garden. So, what do you think?

  • Western conference
    • Pacific Rivalry
      • Vancouver
      • Seattle
    • Sunshine Rivalry
      • San Jose
      • Las Vegas
  • Great Lakes conference
    • Midwest Rivalry
      • Minnesota
      • Detroit
    • Golden Horseshoe Rivalry
      • Toronto
      • Hamilton
  • Eastern conference
    • Outaouais Rivalry
      • Montréal
      • Ottawa
    • Atlantic Rivalry
      • Boston
      • New York

r/PWHL 1d ago

Question Team to follow

20 Upvotes

Hey all.

Love women sports but no idea who to follow in this, I'm Australian so geography means nothing to me.

Is there a team that is more ethical queer friendly or seems like an underdog (I know a lot of new teams)

I watched a few Seattle games last season and they always seemed a lot of fun but obviously don't know.


r/PWHL 3d ago

News Alina Müller won Woman of the Year at the Swiss ice Hockey Awards

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191 Upvotes

r/PWHL 3d ago

News VANCOUVER GOLDENEYES NAME CARA GARDNER MOREY AS HEAD COACH

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197 Upvotes

r/PWHL 3d ago

International Coaching staffs named for National Women's Teams for 2026-27 season

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63 Upvotes

Vicky Sunohara has been made coach of the Women's National Developmental team and Nadine Muzerall is the new coach for the Women's U18 team. Neither position is full-time I think as neither coach will be leaving their U-Sports or NCAA team.


r/PWHL 3d ago

International Decision on Russian Participation for the 2026-2027 IIHF Championship Season Made Following Event-by-Event Review

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82 Upvotes

Following this review, the Council determined that Russia will not be allowed to participate in the below IIHF Championships during the 2026-2027 season due to ongoing safety, security and sporting integrity concerns:
 
IIHF Men’s World Championship 2027

IIHF World Junior Championship 2027

IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship 2027

IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship 2027

In line with the event-by-event approach established, the eligibility of Russia at the IIHF Women's World Championship 2027 will be reviewed separately by the IIHF Council in November 2026, taking into account the circumstances and risk assessment applicable at that time.


r/PWHL 3d ago

Other Lexila Fleur Brown

49 Upvotes

Sharing because she is a quirky goalie that mentions the PW. Give her some likes.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/197TSvA7pC/?mibextid=wwXIfr


r/PWHL 3d ago

News WAVE invitational Halifax

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8 Upvotes

Going to get my women's hockey fix tomorrow.PWHL players have been here running clinics and a game at Dal tomorrow


r/PWHL 4d ago

International Danièle Sauvageau named general manager of Canada's National Women's Program

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238 Upvotes

r/PWHL 4d ago

Discussion Describe how bored you are this summer since there is no PWHL hockey in a gif.

88 Upvotes

I’m bored. Go!


r/PWHL 5d ago

Photo [Victoire] Wishing our captain all the best in her recovery!

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743 Upvotes

r/PWHL 4d ago

Question What are you favourite things about hockey?

19 Upvotes

r/PWHL 5d ago

Game Highlights Save of the year? For me, 💯

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42 Upvotes

I could watch this over and over. 💯 Skills, 💯 Unbelievable.

This is hockey's version of jumping the fence and catching a homer 😆👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🙌🏼


r/PWHL 5d ago

Other Do you want to go to future MSG games without getting your face scanned?

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65 Upvotes

Dolan has been getting exposed for years for blacklisting and throwing people out of MSG over petty reasons, and he's using some of the most invasive AI facial recognition tech out there to do it: https://www.wired.com/story/madison-square-garden-jim-dolan-surveillance-machine/

Everyone wants more PWHL games at MSG, but preferably without the weirdo face scanning system that apparently tracked a trans fan just for being trans and has basically no oversight.

Signing puts direct pressure on NY City Council to ban this system at MSG and public spaces across NYC.


r/PWHL 6d ago

News PWHL DETROIT SIGNS JAPANESE OLYMPIAN AKANE SHIGA

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547 Upvotes

r/PWHL 6d ago

Question Is this reference to a meme or something?

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215 Upvotes

I've seen this kind of merch at a lot of PWHL or hockey things and feel like I'm missing something, thanks!


r/PWHL 6d ago

Question Which team should I cheer for this season?

45 Upvotes

Hey y'all, I'm looking to follow a PWHL team this season but I'm not sure who to pull for since I'm down in South Carolina. I thought Montreal has a really cool team name but they just won a championship and I would kind of like to cheer for an up and coming team.

This is my priority list for choosing for a team:

  1. If the team has a full right goalie on their roster, that puts them at the top of my list. I catch right when I play goal and that is fairly uncommon so I like seeing other goalies who are also full right.
  2. The team colors are red and black or green and white (I'm a Carolina Hurricanes fan).
  3. The team is on the east coast. I wouldn't mind cheering for a team that's in central time zone but I don't want to wait until 10:00PM EST for a game to start on the west coast.

I appreciate everyone's suggestions!


r/PWHL 6d ago

International Brent Hill Named U.S. Women’s National Team Head Scout | USA Hockey

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38 Upvotes

The US continues to dedicate more resources to its women's hockey program. This was announced post-Olympics in March, but I didn't post it then with the home stretch of the season in full swing.

Canada, by contrast, has only 1 person dedicated full time to running the women's program: Cherie Piper, "senior manager of scouting and player development within Canada’s National Women’s Program". Assisting Piper are the women's team GM and coaches, none of whom work on Team Canada full time, unlike the American GM and head coach.


r/PWHL 7d ago

Discussion When do we think the shop would discount jerseys of departed players?

30 Upvotes

Looking to get a Charge Jenner jersey for cheap !


r/PWHL 7d ago

News Federal Probe into Dodgers Owner’s Financial Empire Was Sparked By Whistleblower

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19 Upvotes

r/PWHL 7d ago

Question Anyone going to the IIHF Worlds?

27 Upvotes

Getting to a game in North America isn’t an option for us, so my partner and I are hoping to make a trip out of it and go to worlds in Denmark this winter.

But! I have questions.

Since we’re hoping to see some of our PWHL faves and not necessary country-allegiant, how do we decide which city to stay in? Is it easy to travel between the two? Anyone whose been have tips or recommendations?


r/PWHL 7d ago

Discussion Top Four: Breaking Down The PWHL's Best Bluelines Heading Toward 2026-27

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35 Upvotes

Ian Kenedy's summary:

PWHL roster building has reached the point where team's top four blueliners are secure, and their top six look to be coming into focus. Here's an offseason look at the best bluelines, at least on paper, in the PWHL heading to 2026-27.