Mark your calendar: the PWHL's fourth season opens the weekend of December 5–6, and it's the biggest opening weekend the league has had. The league announced on September 28 that all 12 teams will play across six games, including the debuts of its four expansion clubs: Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas and San Jose.
The full opening-weekend slate
| Date | Matchup | Venue | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Dec 5 | Seattle Torrent @ Vancouver Goldeneyes | Pacific Coliseum | 3:00 PM |
| Sat, Dec 5 | PWHL Hamilton @ Montréal Victoire | Place Bell | 7:00 PM |
| Sat, Dec 5 | Minnesota Frost @ PWHL San Jose | SAP Center | 7:00 PM |
| Sun, Dec 6 | Toronto Sceptres @ Ottawa Charge | Canadian Tire Centre | 2:00 PM |
| Sun, Dec 6 | Boston Fleet @ New York Sirens | Prudential Center | 3:00 PM |
| Sun, Dec 6 | PWHL Detroit @ PWHL Las Vegas | T-Mobile Arena | 8:00 PM |
Source: PWHL. The full 2026-27 schedule releases Friday, October 2.
Three firsts worth circling
Hockey Night in Canada goes women's hockey. Reigning Walter Cup champion Montréal hosting Hamilton on Saturday night will be the first women's hockey game ever featured on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. The league says CBC will carry eight primetime PWHL games this season, each featuring a Canadian-based team.
San Jose skates first. PWHL San Jose becomes the first expansion team to play on home ice when it hosts the Minnesota Frost at SAP Center. That game is also the debut of ION's Saturday Game of the Week, the first broadcast under the Scripps deal we covered in the PWHL's first season-long U.S. TV deal.
An all-expansion night in Vegas. Opening weekend ends Sunday at T-Mobile Arena, where PWHL Las Vegas hosts PWHL Detroit in the league's first game between two expansion teams.
The rest of the home openers
Not every team opens at home that weekend. Toronto hosts Hamilton on Dec. 8. Boston opens at Agganis Arena against Ottawa on Dec. 9. Detroit's home debut at Little Caesars Arena comes Dec. 12 against New York, followed by Hamilton and Minnesota on Dec. 13, and Seattle hosts Las Vegas on Dec. 20. Tickets for all 12 home openers are on sale now through thepwhl.com.
Why it matters
Just under three years after its January 2024 debut, the PWHL is opening a 12-team season with national TV windows in both countries. Two months from now, the league moves into four new markets.
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