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PWHL adds East‑West conferences and doubles playoff field
The PWHL will introduce East and West conferences and expand its playoff field from four to eight teams for the season that runs from December 5 to April 18.
By the PickALeague Newsroom · Published · Source: La PresseSummary written with AI assistance — how we workLire en français →
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is overhauling its competitive structure for the upcoming season, introducing East and West conferences and significantly expanding its playoff format. The league will now send eight teams to the post-season instead of four, in step with its move to a 12‑team circuit.
The new campaign, featuring four expansion franchises entering the league, will run from December 5 through April 18. With 12 teams in place, the PWHL is shifting to a clear two‑conference model, setting up more defined regional rivalries and a broader playoff race.
East and West conferences set with six teams each
In the East Conference, the lineup will include Montreal’s Victoire, Ottawa’s Charge, Toronto’s Sceptres, the Hamilton team, Boston’s Fleet and New York’s Sirens. That grouping clusters several traditional hockey markets in a tight geographic corridor, which should naturally fuel repeat matchups and short‑travel series.
The West Conference will feature Vancouver’s Goldeneyes, Minnesota’s Frost, Seattle’s Torrent, along with the teams based in Detroit, Las Vegas and San Jose. This gives the PWHL a coast‑to‑coast footprint, with established hockey hotbeds and newer pro markets under the same umbrella.
30‑game schedule and expanded eight‑team playoffs
Each club will play 30 regular‑season games under the new format. Teams will see more of their closest rivals, with 18 games against conference opponents and 12 against teams from the other conference. The schedule is designed to balance regional familiarity with a league‑wide component that keeps cross‑conference matchups on the calendar.
The playoff picture will change just as dramatically. The top four teams from each conference will qualify for the post‑season, doubling the number of playoff participants compared with the previous four‑team field. The opening round will be played as a best‑of‑three series, while both conference finals and the Walter Cup final will move to a best‑of‑five format, adding more meaningful games to the league’s calendar.
By expanding to 12 teams, creating East and West conferences and opening the door to more playoff contenders, the PWHL is laying out a new framework for its next phase of growth. The season beginning December 5 will be the first test of this structure, shaping how rivalries develop and how the championship race unfolds in the months ahead.