is there a professional women's hockey league

Yes. There is a professional women’s hockey league, and it’s called the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL).
What is the PWHL?
The Professional Women’s Hockey League is the top-tier professional women’s ice hockey league in the world, bringing together many of the best players from North America and Europe. It launched its inaugural season in early 2024 after years of organizing and advocacy by women’s hockey players and stakeholders.
Teams and where they play
The league started with six franchises in major North American markets such as Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto. For the 2025–26 season, it has expanded to eight teams, adding franchises in Vancouver and Seattle on the West Coast.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the current franchises:
| City | Team name | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Boston (Lowell, MA) | Boston Fleet | USA |
| Minnesota (Saint Paul) | Minnesota Frost | USA |
| New York (Newark, NJ) | New York Sirens | USA |
| Ottawa | Ottawa Charge | Canada |
| Toronto | Toronto Sceptres | Canada |
| Montreal (Laval, QC) | Montreal Victoire | Canada |
| Vancouver | Vancouver Goldeneyes | Canada |
| Seattle | Seattle Torrent | USA |
Season format and schedule
The PWHL plays a full regular season with a standardized points system similar to top international hockey. For 2025–26, each of the eight teams is scheduled to play 30 regular-season games, with a total league slate of 120 games and a mid-season break to accommodate the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Key structure details:
- 30 regular-season games per team.
- 3–2–1–0 points system (3 for regulation win, 2 for OT/SO win, 1 for OT/SO loss, 0 for regulation loss).
- Playoffs to determine the league champion after the regular season.
Why it’s a big deal right now
The league is part of a larger movement to create a stable, well-funded professional environment for women’s hockey players after earlier leagues like the NWHL and PHF either folded or were replaced. In forums and fan discussions, people often call the PWHL the “first fully unified” pro women’s league because it brought together many top players who had previously boycotted other leagues in hopes of a better, more sustainable setup.
Recent trends include:
- Expansion to new markets (e.g., Vancouver and Seattle) and talk of further growth in the U.S. and possibly Europe.
- Rising attendance and media coverage, including national TV deals and streaming packages.
- Growing online buzz as more fans discover that high-level women’s pro hockey now has a single, visible home.
How to watch or follow it
You can follow the league, schedules, rosters, and standings directly through the PWHL’s official site and its English-language portal. Many games are carried via broadcast partners or streaming platforms depending on your region, and social channels post highlights, storylines, and behind-the-scenes content throughout the season.
Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.