PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres, Ottawa Charge to play at Edmonton’s Rogers Place on Feb. 16
The last game of a massive barnstorming schedule has been announced.
On Wednesday, the PWHL revealed that the Toronto Sceptres and Ottawa Charge will face off at Rogers Place, home of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, on Sunday, Feb. 16 at p.m. ET.
Edmonton, here we come! ✈️
PWHL Takeover Tour is adding a stop at @rogersplace on February 16!
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The league initially announced the first eight games of the tour on Monday, with the Sceptres also playing the Montreal Victoire in Vancouver (Jan. 8). The Charge are facing the Victoire in Quebec City (Jan. 19) before facing the Boston Fleet in St. Louis (March 29).
“We are excited to welcome the PWHL Takeover Tour to Rogers Place and ICE District,” Stu Ballantyne, President & COO, Rogers Place and ICE District, said in a release. “This is the perfect opportunity to bring the world’s best women’s hockey players to one of the world’s best arenas, to play in front of the world’s best hockey fans.”
The tour now consists of nine games, eight of which take place in NHL barns.
“I am thrilled to support the PWHL Takeover Tour coming to our province,” Honourable Joseph Schow, Alberta’s Minister of Tourism and Sport, said. “Bringing the PWHL to Edmonton will not only have fans flocking to see the best women’s hockey players in the world compete in our beautiful capital city.”
The Battle of Ontario moves into the arena that has featured spectacular editions of The Battle of Alberta featuring the Oilers and Calgary Flames, ensuring that fans in attendance will see a great matchup.
The tour is not just an opportunity for the PWHL to showcase its best talent but also a chance to gauge fan interest that could lead to possible expansion. Senior vice president of business operations, Amy Scheer, revealed last month that the league wants to add one or two teams before the 2025-26 campaign.
The decision to put a game in Alberta is an easy one, especially since Calgary is rumored to be one of the markets the PWHL is pursuing. The city has a long history of supporting women’s hockey. With the Calgary Inferno of the former Canadian Women’s Hockey League to Hockey Canada holding its national team training camps, Calgary would seem like an obvious choice. Yet, Edmonton might be the dark horse in getting the first PWHL team in Western Canada.