The PWHL's two expansion teams, the Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes, sit last in league standings. Is it too late for them to make the PWHL playoffs?
The PWHL standings haven't worked out as most predicted with the league's expansion teams, both stacked with talent, sitting last and second last in the league standings.
The Seattle Torrent sit last overall with 16 points, while Vancouver Goldeneyes sit second last with 19 points. Ahead of them sits a six-point gap to sixth place Toronto, a bigger jump to fourth place New York who sits in the final playoff position with 27 points, and a massive chasm to first place Boston who has 35 points.
Is it too late for the league's two expansion teams to make a playoff push?
Although it might feel that way with 14 and 13 games remaining for the pair of West Coast teams, but in reality, in the PWHL, points can be rapidly accumulated.
In the league's inaugural season, the Boston Fleet won four of their last five games, and lost the other in a shootout to make up 13 points in 15 days to earn their way in. Conversely, the Minnesota Frost who eventually won the Walter Cup backed their way into the playoffs losing their final four games.
Swings are not uncommon in the PWHL.
Unlike other leagues in North America, the league adopted a 3-2-1 point system where regulation wins earn three points in the standings, overtime wins two, and any non-regulation loss a point.
The ability to collect three points for a win is novel to fans new to the league, and enables teams to quickly make up or lose ground.
Seattle is facing a larger uphill battle both in points, and the problem that the team remains without Olympic stars Hilary Knight and Hannah Bilka.
But neither team is out of the picture yet.
If that does happen, new fans will have a different race to cheer for as eliminated teams immediately begin collecting points toward the "Gold Plan."
The Gold Plan is a system where mathematically eliminated teams begin accruing points toward draft positioning with the team who earns the most points after being eliminated winning the first overall pick in the 2026 Draft.
This season, that mark will enable a team to select Olympic MVP Caroline Harvey, a franchise-changing player, with the first overall pick.
Whether it's the Gold Plan, or playoff points, the Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent will have plenty to play for down the stretch.