Detroit, Vancouver, Buffalo headline PWHL Takeover Tour sites
The Professional Women’s Hockey League has announced a huge slate of neutral-site games for its second season.
On Monday, the league announced the 2024-25 PWHL Takeover Tour, which will feature nine games from coast-to-coast, with all six teams getting a chance show off in front of different crowds.
WE’RE TAKING OVER! 🗣️
PWHL Takeover Tour will feature games across North America, with stops as far west as Seattle and as far east as Québec City.
📰 https://t.co/Iu8AdqUf0T pic.twitter.com/usQJpZi0Lp
The first game of the tour takes place on Jan. 5, when the Montreal Victoire take on the rival Boston Fleet at Climate Pledge Arena, home to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken. A few days later, the Victoire will stay out west to take on the Toronto Sceptres on Jan. 8 at the home of the Vancouver Canucks, Rogers Arena.
On Jan. 12, the Victoire will continue their western road trip with a battle against the reigning Walter Cup champion Minnesota Frost, as the two teams will visit Ball Arena, the Colorado Avalanche’s home venue.
It was previously announced that Montreal will be hosting the Ottawa Charge at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City on Jan. 19.
Following a brief spell from heavy travel, the New York Sirens will head upstate to host the Fleet at the KeyBank Center, home of the Buffalo Sabres, on Feb. 23. A couple of weeks later, Ottawa and Minnesota will head south to faceoff at the Carolina Hurricanes’ home rink, the Lenovo Center, on March 7.
The PWHL will return to Hockeytown on March 16, as the Sirens and Frost will meet at the Detroit Red Wings’ rink, Little Caesars Arena. The final neutral-site game of the season will take place at Enterprise Center, home of the St. Louis Blues, on March 29, when the Charge takes on the Fleet.
“Bringing PWHL games to fans across both countries is a natural next step as we continue building our audience,” senior vice president of business operations Amy Scheer said in a release. “When exploring potential locations for a PWHL game, the enthusiasm from cities eager to engage with our League was incredibly encouraging. The PWHL Takeover Tour lets us showcase our game and exceptional athletes across a wider North American footprint.”
There is one game listed by the league that has yet to announce a venue. The Sceptres and Charge are scheduled to play on Feb. 16. It is unknown if that game will occur in a U.S. market like Pittsburgh or potentially north of the border.
Last season, the PWHL hosted two Takeover games, with Ottawa and Boston playing in Detroit, while Toronto and Montreal met in Pittsburgh. Advisory board member Stan Kasten repeatedly told the media last year that the league had plans to have even more neutral-site contests in year two, a motion the PWHL has clearly followed up on.
The move for a large number of games away from the original six markets is so the league can see where the most interest lies for the women’s game as it continues to ponder future expansion. Scheer stated last month that the PWHL has plans to add one or two teams for the 2025-26 campaign.
The return to Detroit all but confirms the PWHL’s interest in placing a team in the Motor City. When Boston and Ottawa battled it out at LCA last season, which will be one year to the day when the Frost and Sirens meet, it broke the American attendance record for a pro women’s hockey game.