The PWHL is adding Seattle as one of two expansion franchises for the 2025-26 season, league officials confirmed Wednesday. The move gives the PWHL a presence in the Pacific Northwest and reflects its rapid growth after just two seasons of play.

Seattle will join Vancouver as the league’s seventh and eighth teams, marking a westward expansion from the PWHL’s original six franchises. The new team will be known as PWHL Seattle for now and will play at Climate Pledge Arena, home of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken. The franchise will also train at the Kraken Community Iceplex.

“Seattle is an incredible sports city and we've seen firsthand the passion for the women's game,” Kraken owner Samantha Holloway said, as reported by John Wawrow of the Associated Press. “We're also proud to grow the game of hockey … and together we'll continue to inspire the next generation of hockey players and fans alike.”

The league’s expansion bid in Seattle was led by the Kraken and Oak View Group, which developed and operates the arena. Oak View previously expressed interest in an original PWHL franchise and has longstanding ties to women’s hockey. The team’s colors will be emerald green and cream.

Pacific Northwest a good ‘fit' for PWHL

Minnesota and Montreal players pose for a photo after a PWHL ice hockey game.
© Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
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Executive vice president of business operations Amy Scheer said the league chose Seattle not only for its geographic fit with Vancouver but also for its strong support of women’s sports and established hockey infrastructure. Seattle has previously hosted major women’s hockey events, including a 2022 Rivalry Series game that drew a record crowd of 14,551.

“Of course the geography makes a ton of sense and I think we have a built-in rivalry here that will just naturally happen,” Scheer said.

Plans for further expansion are already underway. A source told the Associated Press that the league aims to grow to 10 teams by the 2026-27 season, citing strong interest from over 20 markets during the recent expansion process.

The PWHL’s 2025 entry draft is scheduled for June 24, and league officials plan to announce the details for an expansion draft to integrate Seattle and Vancouver at a later date. Seattle will enter a league that has shown strong early success, with neutral-site games this season drawing more than 14,000 fans in multiple cities.