PWHL notebook: Expansion teams Seattle, Vancouver battle on opening night

With the Professional Women’s Hockey League set to drop the puck on their third season, NHL.com staff writer Anna Kulesa will be filing a biweekly notebook on all the happenings in the league. Today, a look at the top storylines entering the 2025-26 season.

Expansion teams Seattle, Vancouver make debut

The Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes will make their PWHL debut against each other on Friday at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver as part of the League’s opening night double-header. In April, the PWHL announced its first two expansion teams in League history, bringing the total number of teams to eight. Both teams look to be competitive in their first season, with each signing big names to their rosters. The Torrent inked offensive powerhouses Hilary Knight and Alex Carpenter to contracts in the offseason. The Goldeneyes signed forward Sarah Nurse and two-time Walter Cup champion defender Sophie Jaques and one-time champion defender Claire Thompson.

Can Minnesota Frost three-peat?

The Minnesota Frost begin their quest for a three-peat on Friday when they play their season opener against the Toronto Sceptres at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul. The back-to-back Walter Cup champions have a steep hill to climb, losing their top two defenders in Thompson and Jaques to Vancouver in the offseason. Captain Kendall Coyne Schofield and forward Taylor Heise, two of the Frost's top five goal scorers last season, were protected by Minnesota during the 2025 PWHL Exclusive Signing Window and Expansion Draft. Goaltending remains consistent with Nicole Hensley and Maddie Rooney returning.

2025-26 PWHL Takeover Tour

The PWHL will play 16 neutral-site games in 11 cities this season as part of the returning PWHL Takeover Tour. Calgary, Chicago, Dallas, Halifax, Hamilton, Washington, D.C. and Winnipeg will each host PWHL games for the first time. The league will return to Denver, Detroit, Edmonton and Quebec City. Five cities -- Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Edmonton and Halifax -- will host two games each. The tour will kick off on Wednesday, Dec. 17 when the Montreal Victoire face off against the Toronto Sceptres at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

New York Sirens young forwards

After finishing in last place for the second straight season, the New York Sirens revamped their roster by selecting two young forwards during the 2025 PWHL Draft. The Sirens drafted forward Kristyna Kaltounkova with the first-overall pick and forward Casey O’Brien with the third-overall selection. Kaltounkova, who played for Colgate University, set school records as Colgate's all-time leader in goals (111) and finished second in school history with 233 points in 168 games. O’Brien, who played for the University of Wisconsin, won the 2025 NCAA Division I women's hockey championship, as well as the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, after leading the NCAA with 88 points (26 goals, 62 assists) in 41 games last season. PWHL Rookie of the Year Sarah Fillier looks to continue her dominance after finishing with 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) in 30 games played, tied for first place with Hilary Knight.

Montreal Victoire aims for redemption

The Montreal Victoire hopes to bounce back after a disappointing first-round exit in the 2025 PWHL Playoffs. The Victoire finished last season with 53 points to clinch the top spot in the playoffs and chose the Ottawa Charge as their first-round opponent, who they lost to in four games. Captain Marie-Philip Poulin, forward Laura Stacey and goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens all signed contract extensions with Montreal that run through the 2027-28 season. Poulin won the 2025 PWHL Billie Jean King MVP after leading the League with 19 goals. The Victorie added forwards Shiann Darkangelo, Jade Downie-Landry, Hayley Scamurra and Abby Roque to their lineup. On defense, Montreal drafted Nicole Gosling with the fourth-overall pick and signed defenders Jessica DiGirolamo and Maggie Flaherty to add depth.

Hilary Knight named Torrent’s captain

Hilary Knight was named the Seattle Torrent’s first captain in team history. Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell surprised Knight with the announcement in the Torrent’s locker room. Campbell presented Knight with her new jersey featuring a stitched “C” on her shoulder. Knight serves as Team USA’s women’s hockey captain since 2023 and was captain of the Boston Fleet for the last two seasons.