The Professional Women’s Hockey League announced Thursday that the league will hold its first-ever All-Star tournament this season.
The games will be held on Sunday, March 7 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Four teams will compete in three-on-three games for the title. The teams will be PWHL Canada, PWHL International, PWHL USA, and PWHL Rookies.
Each team will feature 10 players - six forwards, three defencemen and one goaltender.
All-Star starters will be selected through a combination of fan, player, and media voting, while the reserve players will be selected by league hockey operations.
Executive vice presidents Jayna Hefford and Amy Scheer made the announcement at the Hockey Hall of Fame, alongside Montreal Victoire forward Laura Stacey, who is president of the PWHL Players Association.
“The PWHL was built to feature the best players in the world, and now fans will see the highest level of skill in women’s hockey showcased in a new and unique way,” Hefford said in a release. “The 3-on-3 format creates an intense, fast-paced style of play, while the mix of teams will produce intriguing matchups and give both established stars and emerging talent the opportunity to shine. It’s only fitting that we return to Toronto — where the PWHL first dropped the puck — to bring the best of the best together for an unforgettable day for our fans and our league.”
“From the beginning, our players have been at the center of the PWHL’s growth, and our first-ever All-Star gives us a new stage to celebrate them — and bring fans even closer to the personalities that make this league special,” added Scheer. “Bringing the best players in the world together at Scotiabank Arena, with Scripps Sports, TSN, and Radio-Canada showcasing the event to fans across Canada and the U.S., speaks to how far this league has come in three years. We can’t wait to return to Toronto, where our story began, and mark another important milestone in the evolution of the PWHL.”
The PWHL will open its fourth season in December with 12 teams with franchises in Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas and San Jose set to debut.
More details to follow.
