The PWHL's opening night will include a historic game between the league's two newest teams, and the introduction of many top prospects to the league.
The 2025-26 PWHL regular season is about to drop the puck with, for the first time, eight teams including two on the West Coast. On the opening day of the PWHL schedule, November 21, a pair of games will take place giving fans their first look at a double header with a 7pm Pacific Time puck drop between Vancouver and Seattle, preceded by a game between the reigning Walter Cup champion Minnesota Frost and Toronto Sceptres.
The opening night of the PWHL schedule will feature many of the league's top names, and it will give fans the first look at reshaped rosters following expansion. More importantly, it ends the long offseason for fans and begins the PWHL's third season, which this year will include an Olympic break in February.
By the end of the opening weekend, all eight teams will have played with New York traveling to Ottawa on November 21 and Montreal visiting Boston on November 23.
Here's a look at what's on the slate for the opening night of the 2025-26 PWHL season, including the inaugural game between PWHL Vancouver and PWHL Seattle at the Pacific Coliseum.
Walter Cup Champs Host Toronto
The only active professional hockey team in Minnesota with a championship title, the Frost return as back-to-back Walter Cup champions, but will look different following expansion. The same can be said for their opening night opponents the Toronto Sceptres. There will be a few questions for both teams ahead of the opening, including who will start in net? Neither team is entering with a defined starter, and instead are both looking to potentially follow a tandem model. In Minnesota, Maddie Rooney was the Frost's go-to goalie for most of last season, but the team started the year with Nicole Hensely holding the edge. Toronto shook up their net to bring in Elaine Chuli replacing Kristen Campbell, and will hope Raygan Kirk can take another step forward in her second season.
The heart of Minnesota's offense remains intact from last season, but their blueline got a complete makeover as they lost four key members of their top six. Toronto has an abundance of strength on their blueline, including in Ella Shelton who will make her Sceptres debut after being acquired on draft day. Toronto's blueline will be asked to keep pushing this team forward, and they have the depth and experience to do that headlined by Renata Fast.
Up front, Minnesota knows what they're bringing, but Toronto might take a few games beyond the brief preseason to form their identity. With no Sarah Nurse or Hannah Miller, the door is open for others, but they also return some elite players. All eyes will be watching Natalie Spooner to see if she's ready to return to her inaugural MVP form, and fans will also hone in on Daryl Watts as she looks to continue her ascent from star to superstar.
Off the ice, it will be interesting to see the crowd size for the opening game at the newly renamed Grand Casino Arena in Minnesota to see if they can build momentum from a second straight Walter Cup.
Expansion Teams Make Their Debut
Expect a big crowd and plenty of excitement as PWHL Vancouver hosts PWHL Seattle for the inaugural game for both teams at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver on opening night. It will be a star studded game feature some of the biggest names in the league to christen the the new teams. It will also be the first public look at both teams who have faced each other twice already in exhibition at the Pacific Coliseum.
Expect this to be an all-out offensive sprint between Seattle's top six that includes Hilary Knight, Alex Carpenter, Jessie Eldridge, Hannah Bilka, Danielle Serdachny, and Julia Gosling, and the depth of Vancouver's offensive talent headlined by Sarah Nurse, Hannah Miller, Tereza Vanisova, Michela Cava, Michelle Karvinen, and Jennifer Gardiner.
In the now eight team PWHL, this is a heavyweight bout between two teams everyone expects to find themselves solidly in a playoff spot, and it could be a Walter Cup final preview. On paper, Vancouver is the best team in the league, but how quickly, or even 'if' that comes to fruition is yet to be seen. Opening night will be a good test for both teams and PWHL fans from both coasts will be closely watching the teams that reshaped every roster in the league.
This will be a loud rink with energy reverberating from every corner. Managing that excitement for the players and coaches will be key in this contest. It could also be a full force introduction to the physical style of the PWHL, even more-so than the Takeover Tour last season, as Seattle's roster is built on size, and Vancouver brought in ingredients who thrive on in your face, competitive hockey.