PWHL fans have become accustomed to names like Amy Scheer and Jayna Hefford discussing expansion, but behind the scenes, the man responsible for getting the league's four new franchises off the ground has been Todd Humphrey.
In his playing days, Todd Humphrey was a feared forward.
In his final full season of professional hockey as a member of the Flint Generals in the now defunct Colonial Hockey League, Humphrey had an impressive 70 points in 61 games; but it was a number overshadowed by his 357 penalty minutes. The year prior, he played a three-game stint in the ECHL notching 71 penalty minutes.
These days however, the 57-year-old Oakville, Ontario product, and University of Western Ontario alum, is spending his time building teams. Specifically, as he writes on his LinkedIn page, Humphrey is "currently leading the launch of four expansion franchises -- Detroit, Las Vegas, San Jose, and Hamilton -- across market entry, standing up team operations, fan development and game-day experience, and partnership development with local business, sports, and community leader," for the PWHL.
Humphrey was brought on as the PWHL's Senior Advisor of League Expansion in September 2025. Prior to that, he spent nearly seven years as the senior vice president of innovation and fan experience for the NHL's Seattle Kraken.
While it's the first time Humphrey has built four professional hockey teams at the same time, which currently includes building out the staffs for each of the PWHL's new franchises, it's not the first time he's done this for the league. Humphrey is the founder of Highmark Sports Group, and he was also a quintessential part of the launch of the PWHL's Seattle Torrent.
"Todd has been an invaluable partner to the PWHL," Amy Scheer, PWHL executive vice president of business operations, wrote as a testimonial for Humphrey. "His work on the launch of the Seattle Torrent and his thoughtful counsel to the league have already made a significant impact. He brings strategic insight, a collaborative spirit, a positive outlook to each task and challenge and a genuine belief in the power of women's sports."
As a founding member of the Seattle Kraken's staff, Humphrey brought her tech expertize to the organization helping to guide the team's line and crowd systems, and retail systems.
With the PWHL, his focus is on "market entry, standing up team operations, fan development and game-day experience, and partnership development with local business, sports, and community leaders."
It seems like each day this summer new hires have been announcing their roles with one of the PWHL's new franchises, and thanking Humphrey in the process. From business operations and ticket sales, to marketing and communications staff, Humphrey is putting the pieces together in Detroit, Hamilton, San Jose, and Las Vegas, so that the league's four new GMs can focus on building their rosters, and when fans arrive, they'll be welcomed with the same experience the PWHL has become known for across North America.
