More Than a Game: What the PWHL's First All-Star Means for Women's Hockey
Seattle Torrent players compete during a matchup against the Ottawa Sceptres at Climate Pledge Arena on February 27, 2026. Photo by Jenn G.
Written by Maria Kaczmarek
The PWHL has spent its first three seasons establishing professional women’s hockey as a league that can attract fans, build stars and create a lasting place in the sports landscape. Now, it is beginning to create the marquee events that can help shape what that league becomes.
On March 7, 2027, the PWHL will host its first-ever All-Star event at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. Four teams — PWHL Canada, PWHL USA, PWHL International and PWHL Rookies — will compete in a 3-on-3 tournament, with starters selected through fan, player and media voting.
The timing comes as the PWHL has grown significantly since its inaugural season.
The PWHL entered its inaugural season with six teams. Now, it has grown to 12 teams and 180 regular-season games. PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Jayna Hefford said that growth made this the right time to introduce an All-Star event.
“The PWHL was built to feature the best players in the world, and now fans will see the highest level of skill in women’s hockey showcased in a new and unique way,” Hefford said. “The 3-on-3 format creates an intense, fast-paced style of play, while the mix of teams will produce intriguing matchups and give both established stars and emerging talent the opportunity to shine.”
That growth extends beyond the number of teams.
During the 2025-26 regular season, the PWHL drew 1,116,497 fans, averaging 9,304 per game. Its league and team social platforms generated more than 682 million impressions, a 150% increase from the previous season.
An All-Star event gives that growing audience a different way to follow the league.
Regular-season games are built around teams and standings, while an All-Star event shifts the focus toward individual players. Fans will have a role in selecting the starters, and the 3-on-3 format gives players more open ice and opportunities to showcase individual skill.
Hefford said the format is also intended to create a mix of established stars and emerging talent, giving different groups of players an opportunity to be showcased.
That matters for a league still developing its identity.
The Rookies team, made up of players in their first PWHL season, gives newer players a place alongside some of the most established names in women’s hockey. For those players, the event provides an opportunity to share the ice with established stars while introducing themselves to fans who may be seeing them for the first time.
The event can introduce fans not only to the players who helped launch the league, but also to the players who will shape its next chapter.
The location adds another layer to the milestone.
Toronto hosted the first game in PWHL history on Jan. 1, 2024, when Toronto faced New York at Mattamy Athletic Centre. One month later, PWHL players competed in a 3-on-3 showcase at Scotiabank Arena during NHL All-Star Weekend.
Now, the league is returning to Toronto for its first independently hosted All-Star event.
That distinction is important. The PWHL is no longer appearing as part of someone else’s showcase. It is creating its own event, with its own format and its own stars, while national broadcasts on ION in the United States and TSN and Radio-Canada in Canada will put the event in front of a larger audience.
The first All-Star event will not decide a championship or change the standings. Its importance is different.
It gives the PWHL another opportunity to make its players recognizable beyond their individual teams, create a new tradition for fans and give women’s hockey another major event that can exist on its own stage.
The PWHL is moving beyond simply proving that professional women’s hockey can exist. It is creating the stars, traditions and events that will help define what women’s hockey looks like for the next generation.
