SEATTLE — The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) announced its expansion to Seattle with the new team set to begin play in the 2025-26 season. The ownership is familiar, and it is the same CEO and organizers who helped bring the Seattle Kraken to Emerald City. It’s the league’s eighth team and Seattle’s third professional women’s team.
“You’ve built, what I believe, is the capital of Women’s Sports in Seattle,” said Amy Scheer, the PWHL’s executive vice president of business operations.
The team will play its home games at Climate Pledge Arena and train at the Kraken Community Iceplex. In January, the blossoming league hosted a “takeover tour” at cities across the country, including Seattle. The more than 12,000 people that showed up showed Scheer, and fellow PWHL EVP and Canadian Hockey Star Jayna Hefford, enough for what the future could bring.
“The crowd was on its feet, youth players wearing jerseys, the energy was undeniable and that moment told us everything we needed to know — which is that this city is ready,” Hefford said.
Annie Smyth-Hammond was at that game. As the director of the Seattle Junior Hockey Association girl’s programs, so were her players. It was an unforgettable night for all of them as they greeted the players.
“To be in the tunnel, giving them high fives as they get out onto the ice is something our kids will cherish for the rest of their lives,” Smyth-Hammond said.
Smyth-Hammond says kids of all genders surged to their teams when the Kraken first began in 2021. She expects more to come when the women drop the puck in the fall.
“I’m really excited for our young athletes to have those role models so close to home,” she said, “That’s something important for them to be able to see what they could have in the future in 10-20 years when they come to get that age.”
The excitement is already building for young hockey players, like Olivia Tice.
“I’m really excited to see what name we have and to actually be there, and if someone was to ask me what team are you rooting for, I’m rooting for my team,” Tice said.
Seattle and Vancouver’s team will take part in an expansion draft in June, ahead of the league’s full draft in July. The schedule has yet to be announced, though teams will play thirty games and last year’s season began in November.
As part of today’s announcement, the team revealed that its primary color will be emerald green and its secondary color will be cream.
The team will operate as PWHL Seattle until the permanent brand identity is announced.
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