The GIST: On Wednesdays, we wear pink talk about women’s hockey. Well, that’s every day really. Today we’re covering tonight’s best-of-five Walter Cup Finals Game 4 and dissecting the PWHL’s latest expansion news. Drop that puck.
💪 Ottawa Charge keep trophy hopes alive: With just 54 seconds left in regulation in Monday’s Game 3, Charge forward (and local legend) Rebecca Leslie scored the game-clinching geno. Montréal (up 2-1) has another chance to clinch on the road tonight at 7 p.m. ET, barring a repeat performance from Ottawa, who are undefeated on home ice this postseason.
👀 San Jose confirmed as league’s 12th team: With its third season almost in the books, the PWHL has already doubled in size since its 2024 debut after adding another West Coast team yesterday. That’s right, four expansion squads — Detroit, Las Vegas, Hamilton, and San Jose — will debut next season.
- It’s incredibly rapid growth, especially compared to other North American pro women’s leagues. The WNBA will gradually add three teams beginning next season through 2030, while the NWSL has steadily grown by one or two teams every two years since 2022.
❓ So why now?: The PWHL experienced a ticket sales boost following the Milano Cortina Olympics as interest grew in women’s hockey. There’s also the largest ever (and totally stacked) upcoming draft class, plus the league’s single ownership model that allows business decisions to be made quickly and without conflict. Up, up, up, it’s their moment.