The PWHL’s schedule for its second season is officially here. Starting November 30th, each team will play 30 games, six more than last year.
According to the press release, the league will also take three breaks for international competition. The first break will be Dec. 9-16, then Feb. 3-10, and the last one, due to the IIHF Women’s World Championship, is from Apr. 3-25.
Here is a rundown of five games you won’t want to miss as the league builds off of year one and explodes into year two.
A Breakdown of the 2024-25 PWHL Schedule
Game 1: Boston Fleet vs Minnesota Frost
A rematch of last year’s Walter Cup Finals will take place on Dec. 4. Coincidentally, it is Boston’s home opener and the place where the Frost won it all last year. Both teams’ rosters look relatively the same since the previous time they met. A newly minted rivalry that will help kick the season off.
Game 2: Ottawa Charge vs Montreal Victoire
A rivalry that goes deeper than women’s hockey, the Ottawa Charge and the Montreal Victoire will play several times against each other this season, making for intense matchups at each meeting.
Last season, Ottawa finished fifth, while Montreal finished second. The Charge have signed six 2024 draftees to their training camp roster and a few free agents to change it up. Montreal is returning many talented players, including captain Marie-Philip Poulin and Mikayla Grant-Mentis.
Game 3: New York Sirens vs Toronto Sceptres
The New York Sirens have the longest wait to their home opener. They start the season on the road at Minnesota, Montreal and Boston and don’t return to play their first home game until Dec. 18.
The wait will be well worth it, as it will be the first PWHL game at the Prudential Center, where the New Jersey Devils play. The Sirens and the Frost are the only two teams playing regular-season games at NHL arenas.
New York finished at the bottom of the standings last season, but they were awarded the first overall draft pick. They picked Sarah Fillier from Princeton, who will debut in PWHL this year.
Toronto returns this season eager to remain the top team. They finished last year as the number one team in the standings.
Game 4: Boston Fleet vs Montreal Victoire
This is another postseason rematch for Boston, against a team they had to fight hard against to secure a trip to the finals.
The Montreal/Boston series last year for the semis was must-see hockey. With one of the games going all the way to triple overtime, Montreal is eager to knock off a few wins against an old, historic foe. Montreal also has some key Team Canada members, while Boston has talented Team USA players like Hilary Knight and Megan Keller. It’s not just a rivalry due to what happened last season, but the long history between the players on each roster.
The two teams will meet multiple times this year, but the first matchup is on Dec. 30 at Place Bell in Montreal.
Game 5: Minnesota Frost vs Toronto Sceptres
These two teams met in the postseason last year, with Minnesota winning the series. The Frost reverse-swept the Sceptres, who are looking for redemption this season.
The first meeting between these two teams is on Dec. 7 at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto.
Main photo by: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
