Ice hockey-PWHL expanding to Las Vegas and Hamilton next season

May 13 - The Professional Women's Hockey League is heading to Las Vegas and Hamilton, Ontario next season, the league announced on Wednesday, joining an expansion class that also includes a new Detroit team.

PWHL Las Vegas will play at T-Mobile Arena, home of the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights, while PWHL Hamilton will play at TD Coliseum, about an hour outside of Toronto.

The league's arrival in Las Vegas comes with support from the Golden Knights, the PWHL said, while Hamilton's expansion effort is supported in partnership with Oak View Group, operator of TD Coliseum, and the City of Hamilton.

Las Vegas has been making its mark in hockey and women's sports in recent years, with the Golden Knights only missing the Stanley Cup playoffs once since they began play in 2017 and becoming champions in 2023.

In the WNBA, the Las Vegas Aces have won championships in 2022, 2023 and 2025.

"While professional women's hockey may be new to the market, we know Las Vegas is ready to welcome and champion a PWHL team of its own," said Amy Scheer, PWHL executive vice president, business operations.

Hamilton hosted a PWHL game between the Toronto Sceptres and expansion team Seattle Torrent this January that drew a crowd of 16,012 to TD Coliseum.

"This is a region with deep hockey roots, and the response we saw during our Takeover Tour game at TD Coliseum made it clear that fans in the region are ready to rally around a team of their own," said Jayna Hefford, PWHL executive vice president of hockey operations.

The PWHL's first two expansion teams, the Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes, began play this season, joining six original teams: the Sceptres, New York Sirens, Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montreal Victoire and Ottawa Charge.

Detroit was awarded a franchise on May 6. REUTERS