No Time to Slow Down: PWHL Players Transition From International Ice to Training Camp
Minnesota vs Ottawa, on March 5th 2024 at Xcel Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota (photo credit John McClellan)
Written by Izabela Gage
Training camp usually marks the beginning of a hockey season. For some PWHL players this year, it will feel more like a continuation.
The league announced Sept. 10 that all 12 teams will open training camps Nov. 18, two months after NHL camps began. The NHL opened training camps Sept. 16, with the regular season beginning Sept. 29.
The timing places the start of the PWHL season directly alongside the international calendar, with the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship running through Nov. 16 in Denmark. This allows certain players to represent their countries before returning to their professional teams.
Instead of gradually moving from offseason training into a new season, players may have to switch environments, teammates, and systems within 48 hours.
The demands extend beyond getting back on the ice. International tournaments bring their own pressure and physical toll, while training camp introduces roster competition and the challenge of establishing chemistry with new teammates.
For the league’s four expansion teams, the stakes are different.
Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, and San Jose will enter their first seasons this fall, bringing the PWHL to 12 teams.
Their inaugural training camps will be the first time players, coaches, and staff come together to build an identity that has never existed before. There are no established line combinations and no familiar team culture.
Alexie Guay knows what it means to take an unconventional path toward that opportunity. After going undrafted in 2024, Guay spent two seasons playing professionally in Sweden before returning to North America.
In an interview with The Hockey News, Guay said, “I wasn’t really disappointed about what happened in the PWHL the past two years, because the two years I spent in Sweden were decisions I made myself. I could have gone to PWHL training camps, but I felt I was at a point in my career where it was more important to simply play and continue developing.”
This year, she earned a spot in the Vancouver Goldeneyes’ training camp.
“I feel very fortunate with Vancouver. There are still roster spots available. They haven’t filled every role yet, so I feel pretty confident heading into training camp. It’s going to be a new experience, but I'm sure it’ll be a good one,” she said.
During a press conference on Aug. 25, Hilary Knight reflected on the anticipation surrounding the start of the season.
“I can’t wait for the season to get here. It feels like September rolls around and you start to get that itch. You’re like, ‘When are we getting back together?’”
For Knight, getting back together will come with a quick transition from international competition to professional hockey.
“Team USA will go over to Denmark to compete, and then as soon as we get back, we start the pro preseason, which is super exciting. So, once we get going, it’s going to happen extremely quickly.”
The pace of camp will make those opportunities even more competitive. Scrimmages begin Nov. 22, only four days after training camps open, with all 12 teams scheduled to play twice before the end of November.
That makes this point in the PWHL calendar worth watching. The league’s growth can be seen not only in the number of teams taking the ice, but also in the number of players moving between the international and professional stages. For expansion teams, it also creates an opportunity for players to help establish new systems, relationships, and team identities from the beginning.
For the players arriving at training camp, Nov. 18 is not simply the start of another season. It is the next step after an already demanding stretch of hockey.
