PWHL 2024-25 preseason outlook

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Last season, Minnesota Frost center and defending Walter Cup Champion Taylor Heise had 13 points in 19 games during the regular season, and tallied eight points in 10 games during the postseason.

With the 2024-25 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) second season coming around the corner within the next couple of weeks, there are many things to look forward to. Whether it be possible expansion conversations or traveling tours, this season is sure to hold a lot of excitement for fans.

On Monday, Nov. 18, the PWHL announced the PWHL Takeover Tour, consisting of nine neutral-sited regular season games to be played outside the inaugural six teams’ current cities. The tour will span the United States and Canada, with stops in Buffalo, Detroit, Raleigh, St. Louis, Denver, Seattle, Vancouver, and Quebec City; the ninth location has yet to be determined. 

This Takeover Tour could provide PWHL fans and the league’s board with possible locations for the league's expansion. Last season, the city of Detroit set an American professional women's hockey attendance record for their takeover weekend game, and Pittsburgh also had a strong showing. The PWHL’s locations for the Takeover Tour could strongly indicate where possible expansion cities would be. If a city consistently shows up for these tour games, it could nudge the league toward expansion.

With tickets almost gone in Quebec City, it seems more than 17,000 fans will be in attendance on Jan. 19, when the Montréal Victoire play the Ottawa Charge in the Quebec capital. It's a positive sign for the Quebec capital in its hopes of bringing a professional hockey team back to the city. 

Another fun announcement coming out of the league for this upcoming season is the addition of the original six PWHL teams to EA Sports’s NHL 25 as part of their holiday update. NHL 25 is a video game that is part of the long-running hockey simulation series, allowing players of the game to experience professional hockey with realistic gameplay, detailed graphics, and the most up-to-date rosters from the National Hockey League (NHL). Players will be able to find the PWHL uniforms, logos, and players within the game. 

This addition of the PWHL to a very reputable and popular hockey game will hopefully help bring more attention to the PWHL and amplify the inclusivity and popularity of women’s hockey and the league itself. 

Moving onto the actual teams and the season itself, the Minnesota Frost will be looking to defend their PWHL Championship Title after becoming the first team to hoist the Walter Cup following their win against the Boston Fleet. 

The Frost’s number one strength is their ability to play both sides of the puck with their fast-paced and balanced style of play. As defending champions, they are the team to beat as they enter the 2024-25 season. 

After narrowly losing the 2024 Walter Cup Finals, the Boston Fleet’s competitive edge this season is fueled by their physicality and defensive system. Their only struggle could be producing on the offense. 

In New York, the Sirens play the part of typical New Yorkers very well with their gritty and physical style of play. If they can combine their key offseason moves with some better scoring conversions, they should be able to stay high up in the league.

The Montréal Victoire’s best skills as a team are their creative playmaking and technical skills. Their penalty kill, however, needs some serious work to further their performance and help ease the minds of passionate fans.

The Ottawa Charge’s young roster and impactful rookies are some of their best advantages as a team, but they also struggle at times as rookies lack the same experience as the veterans on other teams in the league.

Lastly, the Toronto Sceptres are primed to improve from their inaugural season, but only if they close the gaps in their defense and work towards improving their team’s road game performance. 

With improved rosters and an expanded schedule, the 2024–25 PWHL season is set to raise the bar for talent and competition in women’s hockey. Enhanced marketing efforts and a growing fanbase are helping to shine a brighter spotlight on the league, positioning it as a key force in advancing women’s sports.