The 2025-26 women's hockey season will be the first where an Olympic Games is held alongside a PWHL season.
PWHL Defender of the Year and Team Canada stalwart Renata Fast recently discussed the novelty of this season on the Steve Dangle Podcast.
"Well, this is a little bit different because this is the first Olympics we've had where we've had a true pro league happening," Fast said on the Steve Dangle Podcast earlier this month.
Fast also provided insight into what Team Canada's training schedule could look like heading toward the Olympics. The Milano Cortina Olympics run from February 6 to February 22, 2026. According to Fast, however, Hockey Canada won't wait much longer to begin training.
"With Hockey Canada they're going to take about 30 girls, have two weeks on, two weeks off starting end of August training up until our league starts in November," Fast explained. "There's going to be a lot more commitments from a Hockey Canada side just to get us prepared and get us together, and also so that they can make selections."
For players selected to be among that select group to begin training this summer, they'll approach the PWHL sharper than many, and ready to hit the ice in the PWHL in November, along with the four-game Rivalry Series, with a roster spot at the 2026 Olympics on the line.