NEW YORK AND TORONTO (April 30, 2025) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) today announced its expansion to Seattle, Washington, with the new team set to begin play in the 2025-26 season. The team will play its home games at Climate Pledge Arena and train at the Kraken Community Iceplex.
As part of today’s announcement, the team revealed that its primary color will be Emerald Green and its secondary color will be Cream. The team will operate as PWHL Seattle until the permanent brand identity is announced.
A press conference will be held today at 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET at Climate Pledge Arena, with a livestream available on thepwhl.com and the PWHL’s YouTube channel. Further details here.
Seattle joins Vancouver as the PWHL’s first two expansion teams alongside the inaugural six markets (Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto), extending the league’s footprint to the Pacific Northwest ahead of its third season. The new team will join the league’s single-entity ownership structure under The Walter Group.
Details regarding an Expansion Draft, and how Seattle and Vancouver will be integrated into the 2025 PWHL Draft on June 24, will be announced in the coming weeks.
The decision to expand to Seattle follows an extensive Request for Proposal (RFP) process and reflects the initial stages of the league’s long-term vision for strategic growth. Seattle’s bid was led by Oak View Group, the developers and operators of Climate Pledge Arena, alongside the Seattle Kraken.
Seattle emerged as a natural fit for PWHL expansion for several reasons, including its best-in-class facilities, a growing youth hockey community, and passionate women’s sports fanbase. The city delivered an enthusiastic response to the launch of the PWHL Takeover Tour, drawing a crowd of 12,608 at Climate Pledge Arena on January 5. Growing its presence in the Pacific Northwest not only broadens the league’s national reach, but also strengthens regional rivalries, with Seattle’s proximity to Vancouver creating natural competitive energy. Partnering with the NHL’s Seattle Kraken further solidifies a strong foundation for success in this vibrant sports market. The PWHL will build on this momentum by extending grassroots efforts across the Seattle area through camps, clinics, and community events designed to grow the game and foster deep local connections.
The 2025–26 PWHL season, which includes 30 games per team, will begin this fall, with the full schedule set to be released in late summer. Fans can place a time-stamped deposit here beginning at 11 a.m. PT today to secure priority access to season tickets for Seattle’s historic inaugural season, once ticket packages are released. For the latest news and updates on PWHL Seattle, fans can subscribe to the newsletter here and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram @pwhl__seattle, X @pwhl__seattle, TikTok @pwhl__seattle, Threads @pwhl__seattle and Bluesky @pwhl–seattle.
SUPPORTING QUOTES
“We are looking forward to returning the love, energy and excitement the Seattle sports community shared with us during the PWHL Takeover Tour,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL Executive Vice President of Business Operations. “The opportunity to start a new chapter of women’s hockey in the Pacific Northwest, combined with calling the world-class Climate Pledge Arena home has so much meaning for our league. The Kraken already have been unbelievably supportive, and it’s a joy to have PWHL Seattle join the WNBA’s Storm and the NWSL’s Reign, who are skyscrapers in the city’s towering sports landscape.”
“There is so much passion from women’s and girls’ hockey organizations in Seattle, and our players thrived on that energy during their Takeover Tour visit,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. “Women’s teams from Seattle and Vancouver played against each other as early as 1921 and, given the proximity of our two newest cities – Vancouver is barely 140 miles away – I cannot wait for the first game in what I’m sure will be one of our fiercest rivalries. We also look forward to making an impact in Seattle off the ice––from grassroots hockey to community initiatives, we’re committed to building meaningful connections throughout our newest home city.”
“On behalf of the Seattle Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena, I am proud to welcome the Professional Women’s Hockey League to Seattle,” said Samantha Holloway, Kraken owner. “Seattle is an incredible sports city and we’ve seen firsthand the passion for the women’s game – at both the US v Canada Rivalry game and the PWHL Takeover Tour. We’re also proud to grow the game of hockey at Kraken Community Iceplex and together we’ll continue to inspire the next generation of hockey players and fans alike.”
“Seattle is thrilled to be the home of the newest Professional Women’s Hockey League team!” said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. “This new team will build on Seattle’s legacy of excellence in women’s professional sports, uniting our communities and inspiring big dreams and civic pride. I’m confident our city will embrace the team, the PWHL, and the opportunity to enjoy even more world-class sporting events at Climate Pledge Arena.”
About Climate Pledge Arena
Climate Pledge Arena, located at Seattle Center, is the complete redevelopment of an historic landmark, originally built for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. The arena is home to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, WNBA’s Seattle Storm, PWHL Seattle, and the world’s biggest performers of live music and events.
About the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL)
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that features the best women’s players in the world. It is comprised of eight teams: Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver. Launched on Jan. 1, 2024, the PWHL has broken multiple attendance records and holds the worldwide all-time record for a women’s hockey game. In 2024, the PWHL was recognized by Sports Business Journal as the Sports Breakthrough of the Year and received the top position in the first-ever Canadian edition of the Harris Poll, which ranks companies’ reputations. Visit thepwhl.com to purchase tickets and merchandise, and subscribe to the PWHL e-newsletter to receive the latest league updates. Follow the league on all social media platforms @thepwhlofficial.
PWHL, the PWHL Logo, and PWHL team names and logos are trademarks of the PWHL. © PWHL 2025. All Rights Reserved.
