PHWA Women’s Hockey Chapter to vote on 2023 PHF MVP award

The Professional Hockey Writers Association and the Premier Hockey Federation have announced a joint venture that will see the newly-formed PHWA Women’s Hockey Chapter vote to determine the PHF’s 2022–23 most valuable player.

Finalists for the PHF MVP award, as voted upon by the 13 inaugural members of the PHWA Women’s Hockey Chapter, will be announced in the days leading up to the 2023 Isobel Cup Championship, which will be contested between the Toronto Six and Minnesota Whitecaps at Mullett Arena in Tempe, AZ on Mar. 26.

The PHF indicated through a press release on Wednesday that its partnership with the PHWA is expected to expand next season to cover more league awards, adding that the PHWA “will also have a seat at the table in helping shape the PHF’s media access policy in the near future.”

“We are thrilled to witness the growth of women’s hockey, and we’re appreciative of the stability, resources, and leadership that the PHF has demonstrated,” PHWA president Frank Seravalli said. “We are excited to collaborate with the PHF and branch out into a league beyond the NHL for the first time in our organization’s 56-year history. It was time. Our newest members have poured their souls into covering the women’s game like a blanket, and we’re proud to bolster the premier women’s hockey writers on the planet with more support and resources to aid and enhance their coverage.”

“The growth of professional women’s hockey is accelerated with impactful collaborations and increased visibility in the media which makes this partnership with the PHWA a win for our sport,” PHF commissioner Reagan Carey added. “We’re proud that the PHWA has recognized a significant opportunity with the PHF and the thriving community of dedicated and talented women’s hockey contributors we’re grateful for. Their influence as part of our awards process is another example of trailblazing initiatives within the PHF and is an important step in the enhancement and amplification of these prestigious honors.”

The PHF is gearing up to conclude its eighth season — and its first as a seven-team league, following the introduction of the Montreal Force last fall — this coming weekend. It previously operated as the National Women’s Hockey League from 2015 to 2021.

The 2023 Isobel Cup Championship between the Toronto Six and Minnesota Whitecaps will be broadcast on ESPN2 and TSN5 at 9:00 p.m. ET. While this will be Toronto’s first appearance in the final, Minnesota previously won the championship in 2018.