PWHL Expansion Brings New Teams, New Opportunities, and Tough Decisions
Seattle Torrent hosts the Vancouver Goldeneyes at Climate Pledge Arena on April 18, 2026. (Photo by Jenn G)
Written By Josie Dinonsie
The PWHL has announced the guidelines and regulations for the 2026–27 season expansion, introducing a six-phase plan. This roster distribution process has been designed to help establish the league's four new franchises—Hamilton, Las Vegas, Detroit, and San Jose—while maintaining the integrity of existing teams and their rosters.
As organizations prepare for the expansion draft, teams are deciding which players to protect, while others await news on whether they will remain with their current franchise or begin a new chapter elsewhere. For a league experiencing rapid growth, expansion represents a major milestone. For players, however, it can also bring uncertainty and disappointment.
Under the expansion process, the original franchises—Boston, Montreal, Ottawa, Minnesota, Seattle, New York, Toronto, and Vancouver—will each have the opportunity to protect three players from selection by an expansion team. In later phases, the new franchises will have dedicated signing windows to begin building their rosters before the expansion draft helps complete them.
This setup is intended to give the new franchises a realistic chance of being competitive from the outset. However, it also presents challenges for existing teams, forcing them to make difficult decisions about which players are most essential to their success and long-term vision.
With only three players eligible for protection per organization, many will be left exposed. These athletes have played a significant role in the success the PWHL has enjoyed thus far and have helped build their franchises both on and off the ice. Now, some could face a complete shift in their careers, abruptly leaving behind established homes, teammates, coaches, fans, and communities.
At the same time, expansion offers players a chance to redefine themselves, step into leadership roles, and grow within a room full of new faces.
The Phases
June 2–3 — Phase 1: Existing Team Signings and Protections
June 5–8 — Phase 2: Expansion Team Foundational Signing Period
June 10–12 — Phase 3: Preliminary Open Signing Period for All Teams
June 14–15 — Phase 4: Expansion Signing Period
June 16 and 18 — Phase 5: Existing Team Exclusive Re-Signing Period
June 17 — PWHL Draft (Six rounds)
June 19, 12 p.m. ET — Phase 6: Open Signing Period Begins for All Teams
During Phases 1–4 of the expansion process, a roster freeze will be in effect. This prohibits existing teams from making trades, conducting contract negotiations outside their designated windows, or signing players outside the expansion process.
By the end of Phase 4, each expansion franchise will have 10 players under contract for the upcoming season. Existing teams could lose up to four players who are already under contract for the 2026–27 campaign.
Nonetheless, every franchise will face the challenges that come with new rosters, new faces, and new staff. While many elements will look different, the PWHL's expansion strategy appears carefully structured to balance competitive integrity with opportunities for all parties involved.
The addition of four new teams marks a significant milestone in the league's growth, creating long-term opportunities for women's hockey players and fans alike. While expansion inevitably requires sacrifice and fresh starts for some, it is also a clear sign of progress in the world of women's hockey, progress that players, advocates, and supporters have fought for over many years.
