The PWHL expansion process is done, free agency has slowed to a halt, the draft is done, but the dust hasn't settled. There remains a lot to be done this offseason by the league and teams.
Among the many items on the PWHL's to-do list at the league level are scheduling, figuring out 2025-26 PWHL Takeover Tour stops, managing the Olympic break, and coming up with team names and logos for PWHL Seattle and PWHL Vancouver, among other items.
At the team level, negotiating contracts for newly drafted players, and continuing to look at the thinning free agent pool to fill out camp rosters, and sign additional players are a priority.
Here's a look at what we're hearing and seeing around the PWHL:
Boston Will Play More Games At Agganis Next Sesason
While we might be some time away from seeing a PWHL regular season schedule, season ticket holders have been receiving notifications regarding the number of home games for next season. The league will continue to play a 30 game per team schedule, but so far, most teams look like they will play roughly 13 games at their home arenas with others at neutral site locations, likely as part of the highly successful PWHL Takeover Tour. Perhaps the biggest exception in the league is in Boston. The Boston Fleet will play only nine home games at the Tsongas Center in Lowell next season, with added games at Agganis Arena in Boston. Last year the Fleet played in front of their two largest home crowds at Agganis. This season the Fleet will play four home games, more than a quarter of their home schedule, at Agganis.
Camp Invites Being Hotly Contested
PWHL teams are looking at their rosters after the whirlwind month that saw teams lose core players, teams grasping for scraps in free agency, and then trying to make positional picks in the draft. But every team in the league has more to do. To be CBA compliant, each team needs 28 players at training camp, which for some teams means up to seven additional invites beyond players they have signed or drafted. That's a big ask when the undrafted and unsigned players begin to see the writing on the wall.
Vita Ponyatovskaya is the most sought after free agent defender following the 2025 Draft. She's received calls from multiple teams. Ottawa is believed to be a front runner not only as one of the lone teams in the league with a glaring need on the blueline, but also now because the team has two Russian players coming in already.
The list of players receiving interest is not short including Reece Hunt, Sydney Langseth, Morgan Neitzke, Laura Fuoco, Olivia Muhn, Madison Mashuga, Jenna Donohue, Karley Garcia, Leah Herrfort, Gabby Jones, Kristin Della Rovere, Julia Nearis, Liliane Perreault, Marah Wagner, and many others.
Toronto Looking To Make Another Move?
After trading for Ella Shelton and dishing Kristen Campbell, the Toronto Sceptres are rumoured to be dipping their toes back into the PWHL trade market. This time, it sounds like Gina Kingsbury is shopping her own blueline.
With Renata Fast, Ella Shelton, Kali Flanagan, Allie Munroe, Savannah Harmon, and Jessica Kondas signed, and Hanna Baskin and Anna Kjellbin's rights protected, Toronto is currently sitting with a blueline that is eight deep. While the obvious decision might be to shift Kondas back to a reserve position, the team appears to be exploring the trade market prior to making any internal shifts. Who is Toronto shopping? Well, it's safe to say that it's none of Fast, Shelton, Flanagan, or Munroe, four defenders the team has shown their commitment to. There isn't a market for Kondas, and it's unlikely the team gives up recently drafted Hanna Baskin, which leaves Harmon and Kjellbin.
Ottawa still needs another PWHL-ready defender, and Kjellbin could be a perfect fit given her personal connections to their blueline, and her wealth of experience. Harmon is a defender who many in the league would have interest in as well, although a return to Ottawa isn't likely. Minnesota is a team who still needs significant help on their back end and after losing Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques, Harmon could be the perfect fit. Toronto has one of the deepest blueliners right now with three pairings with veteran defenders to combat the offensive onslaught they'll meet out west. Watch Toronto's blueline, because they're open for business.