Before the end of the year, fans will be watching professional women's hockey in Vancouver.
The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) announced on April 23, 2025, that 麻豆传媒映画would be the first city the young league expands to, with a new team on the ice for the third season.
The yet-to-be-named 麻豆传媒映画PWHL team will play at the Pacific Coliseum, becoming the primary tenant in the arena. The last team to play regular home games at the Rink on Renfrew was the WHL's 麻豆传媒映画Giants. They moved to the Langley Events Centre in 2016.
Local girls team 麻豆传媒映画Angels helped make landmark announcement
The official announcement was made with the help of a local U11 girls hockey team, the 麻豆传媒映画Angels, who had double-sided signs (demanding a team on one side and cheering for the new team on the other).
"We got a team," shouted the Angels.
PWHL executives Amy Scheer and Jayna Hefford spoke following the team's announcement.
'We do not take this for granted for a minute'
"It's crazy that we're in our second season; we haven't even started the playoffs yet in our second season, and here we are," said Scheer. "And I just can't emphasize enough that we do not take this for granted for a minute."
The process of picking 麻豆传媒映画began eight months ago, Sheer explained, when the league sought new expansion locations. A group in 麻豆传媒映画put forward a strong application that included the PNE grounds.
At the same time, the hockey culture in 麻豆传媒映画works with the league.
"You've shown a remarkable commitment to growing the game of hockey," Scheer said. "And I think the last stat I saw from BC Hockey was that the girls and boys registration is just about 50/50, and that's huge."
It didn't hurt that the PWHL's Takeover Tour stop in Vancouver on Jan. 8, sold out, and there was big buzz on social media, she added.
New PWHL team to use Pacific Coliseum, PNE Agrodome
Being the Pacific Coliseum's primary tenant is a big deal, Scheer added. No other PWHL team is the primary tenant in their home arena. It's also one of the biggest arenas in the PWHL, with a capacity of 15,713. The Minnesota Frost and New York Sirens play in larger venues but share their ice with NHL teams.
The team will also be using the PNE Agrodome.
Scheer also made a promise to Vancouver.
"You will be so impressed with our athletes and the level of hockey that you have here, and I promise you, it's going to be love at first puck drop."
'Uniforms are not long skirts anymore'
Hefford, who won multiple gold medals on the Canadian women's team (including in 2010 in Vancouver), spoke about the history of the game in Vancouver.
"More than a century ago, not far from here, young women at Denman Arena fell in love with the speed, skill, and toughness of hockey, and they called themselves the Amazons," Hefford said. "Fortunately, a few things have changed since then. Uniforms are not long skirts anymore."
Ownership of the 麻豆传媒映画PWHL team will remain with the league (all the teams are league-owned), but few other details have been released. The team's name, branding, and GM will all be announced in the future. Merch is available, but it simply has the generic league team logo.
The 2025 season hasn't been announced yet, either, so it's unknown when the home opener will occur. The 2024-25 season started Nov. 30 and saw the current six teams play 30 games each. However, the 麻豆传媒映画team (and probable Seattle team) will affect the schedule.
Scheer noted that teams travelling to 麻豆传媒映画may play Takeover Tour games in neutral sites nearby to help ease travel issues. Hefford notes the schedule will "depend on how many teams are in next season."
Ticket prices haven't been announced, though season ticket deposits have opened. There's a $50 level and an (already sold out) $200 level. Tickets for single games in other cities range; for example, the last home game in Montreal is running $35 per ticket right now, while tickets to the last two Toronto games start in the mid-$70s.
'It's going to feel so great'
Also on hand were local dignitaries, including Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow, Deputy Mayor Mike Klassen, and Spencer Chandra-Herbert, the provincial minister of tourism, arts, culture, and sport.
"When that puck drops at the Coliseum, the roar of approval, the roar of joy, is going to be so loud, and it's going to feel so great," said Chandra-Herbert. "I can't wait to be there to do that with you all, because, you know, the Coliseum seems like a pretty good place to watch hockey."
The announcement of the 麻豆传媒映画PWHL team follows the launch of the Northern Super League, a Canadian professional women's soccer team. The league's very first game took place in 麻豆传媒映画earlier this month.
