PWHL Expansion Part 2: Four More Cities To Consider

The PWHL said in late October that it was accepting requests for prospective expansion teams to add up to two new clubs for the start of the 2025-26 season.

The Hockey News’ Ian Kennedy listed eight cities at the time that could fit league criteria for a new team, including fan base, facilities, market size and more.

Here are four more cities that could fit down the line.

St. Louis

With a history of supporting women’s hockey, St. Louis would be a good fit for a team.

The city has the Frenzy and Lady Cyclones, the latter being one of the biggest all-girls hockey clubs in North America. St. Louis also brought women’s hockey to the 2020 NHL All-Star Game with the 3-on-3 game.

The PWHL appears interested in the market as the Takeover Tour’s final game will be played at Enterprise Center on March 29, 2025. If St. Louis is granted a team, Enterprise Center should be able to accommodate as the Blues are the building’s only main tenant.

Calgary

It’s unknown whether the PWHL wants to start in on western expansion, but if it does, Calgary is a good place to go.

The city has a history of supporting women’s hockey with the Calgary Inferno of the now-defunct Canadian Women’s Hockey League. The city also has substantial women’s hockey development programs with the Jr. Inferno and Calgary Fire. Those teams are run by the Girls Hockey Calgary Association, the largest female hockey association in Alberta.

The only major issue would be the arena, as Scotiabank Saddledome is already occupied by the Flames, AHL Wranglers and WHL Hitmen during the winter months. If the PWHL can’t get their games at the Saddledome, the next-best option in the city is Ken Bracko Arena, which only has a seating capacity of 2,100 for hockey.

Buffalo

Buffalo has had a championship women’s hockey team in the last decade.

The city supported the PHF’s Buffalo Beauts during their eight-season existence, including an Isobel Cup win in 2017. On the development end, the city has the Buffalo State Bengals, a women’s hockey team playing at the university level.

Buffalo is another city that will be part of the Takeover Tour, having a game at KeyBank Center on Feb. 23, 2025, showing that the league is interested in the market.

There might be a challenge getting into KeyBank Center as the Sabres and the National Lacrosse League’s Bandits play there regularly during the winter months. But alternate options include Gene Polisseni Center and Blue Cross Arena. However, those are located in Rochester, an hour’s drive from Buffalo. Another option is playing where the Beauts once played in Buffalo’s Harborcenter, which has hosted world juniors games before with a capacity of 1,800.

Related: PWHL Expansion: Eight Cities To Consider For The Next Two Teams

Phoenix

A team in Phoenix would be good to accompany the recent rise of women’s hockey in Arizona.

The University of Arizona women’s hockey team is currently playing its first season, and Arizona State University’s women’s hockey team, which has been playing since 2016, is currently defending back-to-back WWCHL championships.

There is also the Kachinas Hockey Association, founded in 2019, focused on developing young female hockey players across Arizona.

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