Premier Hockey Federation
On 29 August 2023, the partners announced the formation of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), which began play in January 2024.The National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) was formed by Dani Rylan in March 2015 with an estimated $2.5 million operating budget.[5] Rylan had been in discussions with the CWHL about founding a New York-based expansion franchise before opting to build a new league in the United States instead.[8] The league placed its four original teams in markets with high levels of female youth participation in ice hockey: the New York City area, Buffalo, and New England.The game featured a 4-on-4 format with Hilary Knight of the Boston Pride and Emily Pfalzer of the Buffalo Beauts serving as team captains.This initiative took place in response to the October 2016, announcement that Buffalo Beauts player Harrison Browne was transgender—the first openly transgender athlete in professional American team sports.[24] Five weeks later, in an attempt to partially compensate for the salary rollback, the league introduced an incentive program where players split revenue generated by tickets sold in excess of 500 after each game.[45] On 31 March 2019, it was announced that the Canadian Women's Hockey League board of directors had decided to discontinue operations effective 1 May 2019.[65][66] On 10 May 2021, the league announced it had sold the Connecticut Whale to a new independent ownership group called Shared Hockey Enterprises (SHE), LLC, led by Tobin Kelly, reducing the number of league-operated teams to three.[67][68] On 26 May, the league announced that the Riveters had been sold to BTM Partners, owners of the Boston Pride and Toronto Six, with John Boynton named the team's chairman.[69] The NWHL finished selling its league-operated teams to independent ownership with the sale of the Buffalo Beauts and Minnesota Whitecaps to a joint partnership of NLTT Ventures, LLC, and Top Tier Sports on 28 June.[70] In September 2021, the league officially rebranded as the Premier Hockey Federation, reflecting its many recent structural changes and deliberately adopting a gender-neutral name.[75] On January 18, 2022, the league announced that 2022–23 salary cap would increase to $750,000, and that players would receive full healthcare benefits and an equity stake in its teams.[82][83] The increase aligned with the Board of Governors' pledge, made in 2021, to invest $25 million directly in pay and benefits to PHF players over the ensuing three seasons.[84][85] On 29 June 2023, the Premier Hockey Federation announced that the league had been sold to Mark Walter Group and BJK Enterprises, respectively led by Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter and American tennis legend Billie Jean King, who had since 2022 been working with the PWHPA with the intention of launching a new, unified women's professional league.[97] The draft order was decided by lottery: the New York Riveters to pick first, followed by the Connecticut Whale, the Boston Pride, and the Buffalo Beauts.[115] Prior to the championship game between the Boston Pride and Minnesota Whitecaps, the closure of public events during the COVID-19 pandemic led to the postponement and eventual cancellation of the championship—the 2020 Isobel Cup was thus not awarded.On 28 April 2021, the league announced that it was planning to double the salary cap of every franchise to $300,000, based on projections of financial stability for the seventh season.[125][126] The 2020 Isobel Cup championship between the Boston Pride and Minnesota Whitecaps was originally postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was later canceled outright.[132] The Boston Pride became the first women's hockey team to enter a regular broadcasting agreement with a regional sports network, with 8 of its 18 games presented on either NESN or NESNplus during the league's inaugural season.[134] On 16 March 2017, the league announced that ABC News' website would provide live streaming coverage of the 2017 Isobel Cup Playoffs.[140] In 2020 and 2021, the NWHL was criticized for producing content in association with Barstool Sports, a media organization which had previously been accused of promoting racist and misogynistic views.[141] In response, the NWHL distanced itself from the outlet, after Barstool's CEO Erika Nardini posted a video allegedly encouraging the harassment of journalists who criticized the partnership.[142][143] On 20 October 2021, the PHF announced it would exclusively stream its seventh season on ESPN+ in the United States, with the 2022 Isobel Cup final airing on ESPN2.
National Women's Hockey League (1999–2007)2022–23 PHF seasonIce hockeyProfessional Women's Hockey LeagueNew York CityToronto SixBoston PrideleagueUnited StatesCanada2022–23Buffalo BeautsConnecticut WhaleMetropolitan RivetersMinnesota WhitecapsMontreal ForceIsobel Cupintellectual propertiesMark WalterBillie Jean KingProfessional Women's Hockey Players AssociationDani RylanCanadian Women's Hockey Leagueinaugural season in 2015–16salary capPaysafe GroupJaimie LeonoffNWHL DraftUnited States national teamHilary KnightMeghan DugganDunkin' DonutsLes Canadiennes de MontréalWomen's Winter Classic2016 NHL Winter ClassicGillette StadiumFoxborough, Massachusetts1st NWHL All-Star GameEmily PfalzerRivetersYou Can PlayHarrison Brownesecond seasonNew Jersey DevilsNational Hockey LeaguePrudential Center2017–18 seasonArizona CoyotesPegula Sports and EntertainmentBuffalo SabresRochester AmericansHarborCenter2018–19 seasonWestern Women's Hockey LeagueMinnesota WildTexas RangersMajor League BaseballBoston Bruinsdiscontinue operationsThe AthleticNWHL Players AssociationTyler TumminiaDigit MurphyJonna AlbersWhitecapsCorinne Schroeder2021–22 seasonCOVID-19 OmicronUSA HockeyLos Angeles Dodgerscollective bargaining agreementPWHL Players AssociationBostonMinnesotaMontrealNew YorkOttawaTorontoBostonPrideBuffaloBeautsConnecticutWhaleMetropolitanRivetersMinnesotaWhitecapsTorontoSixMontrealForceBoston, MassachusettsWarrior Ice ArenaPaul MaraAmherst, New YorkNorthtown CenterSimsbury, ConnecticutColton OrrEast Rutherford, New JerseyThe Rink at American DreamVenla HoviRichfield, MinnesotaRichfield Ice ArenaMontreal, QuebecPeter SmithToronto, OntarioCanlan Ice Sports – YorkGeraldine HeaneyCentre 21.02Quebec2015–16 NWHL seasonBoston CollegeAlex CarpenterPatty Kazmaier AwardBobby CarpenterManon RhéaumeJessica Koizumi2016–17 NWHL season2nd NWHL All-Star GameAmanda KesselKelley Steadmanhat trickSportsCenterBrianna DeckerNWHL Most Valuable Player2017–18 NWHL seasonBill Gray's Regional IceplexRochester2018–19 NWHL seasonChelsey Brodt RosenthalSwedish Women's Hockey LeagueLuleå HF