Edmonton will host their first of two PWHL Takeover Tour stops this season on December 27. It will be a major moment for the city if they hope to lure PWHL expansion to Alberta.
The PWHL is heading back to Edmonton for a pair of games this season as part of the 2025-26 PWHL Takeover Tour. For the league, it's an opportunity to continue building on their strong attendance numbers this season, and for Edmonton, it's a chance to prove the city is a viable market for the league's looming expansion.
Last year, the PWHL's Takeover Tour stop in Edmonton drew 17,518 to Rogers Place for a match up between Ottawa and Toronto. It represents the sixth highest attendance in league history, and was enough to draw the league back for a pair of games this season to give Edmonton a better look as the PWHL plans to expand by 2-4 teams ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Emerance Maschmeyer is a player who competed for Ottawa last season in Edmonton, and the Alberta native will return this year as her Vancouver Goldeneyes take on the Minnesota Frost.
"I'm lucky enough to have played in the game last year, and we're playing in both games this year, so I really, really lucked out. And it's just so special for me to be able to bring women's hockey to Edmonton," said Maschmeyer.
"Alberta's a big hockey community. You know, Edmonton especially, it's kind of the way of living here. Everyone is involved in hockey, and so I truly believe that Edmonton, and, you know, possibly Calgary, they deserve a team," Maschmeyer continued. "I think that it would be really welcomed here. It'd be a really fun, exciting environment and community, and I think that it would really help to grow the women's game out here."
Edmonton also hosted a pair of Rivalry Series games between Canada and the United States in December. Those games were poorly attended compared to last season's Rivalry Series match up, and the December 27 game at Rogers Place has a long way to go to impress the league as the PWHL has yet to open the majority of the upper deck due to lack of demand.
Still, there's belief from players from both Vancouver and Minnesota who have played in Edmonton in the past that the city could be a viable market.
"I had a lot of fun playing in Edmonton. The fans really showed up and were loud for us," said Vancouver Goldeneyes defender Sophie Jaques who was part of Canada's roster that played in Edmonton earlier this month.
"I think it's also a really nice building and a great rink to get to play in, so anytime you get the opportunity to play in a fun new rink, I think is really cool, and getting to play Minnesota again, I'm excited to see lots of the girls, I mean, they're a great team, so, just excited to play against them."
Jaques will be facing off against her former teammates including Kelly Pannek, a member of USA's national team that beat Canada both games in Edmonton, and also appeared in the city in 2018 in the lead up for those Olympic games.
"I remember playing there in 2018 in the lead-up to that Olympics, and it was one of the most fun hockey games I've ever played in, so… I'm excited to be back with the PWHL," said Pannek.
The Takeover Tour holds a dual purpose for the PWHL helping to grow their fan base in markets where no team currently exists, this year the tour is also a crucial testing ground. Minnesota rookie Kendall Cooper has watched Takeover games the past two seasons as a fan, and after playing in the league's first American stop of the season in Chicago, she's excited to experience the tour in Edmonton.
"Being kind of a fan of it the last two years, and seeing the fan support just through the TV screen was something, but, you know, being able to play in each rink, so far, and just really look out and see all the signs and the jerseys and everything is super cool," said Cooper. "Chicago was great... and then I'm just really looking forward to Edmonton."
Edmonton will host their first of two PWHL Takeover Tour games on December 27 before hosting their second on April 7, again featuring the Vancouver Goldeneyes, but this time facing the Boston Fleet as their opponent.