Yes—there is a women’s professional hockey league, and it’s very active and growing right now.

What the main league is

The top-tier women’s pro league in North America is the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL).

  • It launched its first season with six franchises split between the U.S. and Canada.
  • The league markets itself as featuring many of the best women’s hockey players in the world.
  • Teams play a structured regular season schedule, followed by playoffs for a league championship.

Think of the PWHL as the women’s equivalent to a major pro league: centralized, fully pro, and designed to be the top destination for elite players.

How big is it now?

The league started with six teams and has already moved into expansion mode.

  • Original markets include Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto.
  • An expanded format brings the total to eight teams, adding franchises in Seattle and Vancouver for the 2025–26 season.
  • Schedules are around 30 games per team, with each club facing opponents multiple times over the year.

Style of play and structure

The PWHL follows a format recognizable to fans of other pro leagues.

  • Regular-season standings are decided by a points system (3 points for a regulation win, 2 for an overtime/shootout win, 1 for an overtime/shootout loss).
  • There is a league draft, front office hirings, and coaching changes just like in other major pro sports.

Other women’s hockey ecosystems

Beyond this main league, women’s hockey also features:

  • National team play through IIHF events and the Olympics, where many PWHL players also represent their countries.
  • University and youth systems in North America and Europe that feed talent into the pro level.

Quick FAQ style scoop

  • Is there a women’s professional hockey league? Yes, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL).
  • Is it legit “full pro”? Yes, it operates as a professional league with paid players, formal schedules, drafts, and expansion plans.
  • Is it growing? Yes—expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver are part of the 2025–26 season, and more markets are being explored.

TL;DR: If you’re wondering “is there a women’s professional hockey league ~~” the answer is a clear yes—the PWHL is an established, expanding pro league that’s quickly becoming a central part of the hockey landscape.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.