HAPPY OPENING NIGHT!
At long last the PWHL 2025-26 season is here! Because opening night is on a Friday, we’ll cover three games we’ve got our eyes on this weekend (but of course, watch all four). Then, we’ll be posting our What to Watch write-ups on Mondays moving forward because that’s how some of our brains work.
For full details on game broadcasts, head to the PWHL site here.
Toronto Sceptres at Minnesota Frost
Friday, Nov. 21 at 6:00 p.m. Central
The first of tonight’s double header!
In a redo of the 2025 PWHL Playoffs Semifinals, Toronto and Minnesota will have the first puck drop of the season. It’ll be a bit of a bitter beginning for Toronto as it’s their first return to St. Paul since Game Four of the 2025 PWHL Semifinals back in May, when Frost forward Taylor Heise scored late in overtime to clinch the series and send Minnesota to its second consecutive league final, and eventual Championship.
Tonight, the two-time defending Walter Cup Champions will raise another championship banner to the rafters of Grand Casino Arena (formerly the XCel Energy Center, the naming rights just changed hands) right in Toronto’s faces. Minnesota will also debut the league’s first-ever commemorative championship jerseys. Should be exciting!
Last season, Minnesota went 2-2-1-1 against Toronto.
Quick stats recap:
- Toronto’s 12 regulation wins last season were tied for the most in the league.
- The Sceptres managed just 20 points in road games last season — only Boston (19) had fewer.
- Sceptres forward Daryl Watts led Toronto with 12 goals and 27 points, ranking third in the PWHL.
- Toronto defender Renata Fast scored four of her six goals last season against the Frost. The PWHL Defender of the Year also had her best career game offensively in Minnesota on Jan. 28, notching a goal and two assists.
- Minnesota captain Kendall Coyne Schofield was one of four PWHL players to record at least 12 goals and 12 assists last season.
- The entire Frost defense collectively led the league with 63 points.
The Frost roster was basically decimated in the off-season, between the two-team expansion draft and regular signings and trades. They’re missing forwards Michela Cava and Brooke McQuigge and defenders Sophia Jacques and Claire Thompson, among several other impact players.
Toronto lost forwards Hannah Miller and Sarah Nurse and TWO goaltenders: Carly “CJ” Jackson and Kristen Campbell. The Sceptres traded Campbell to Vancouver in June following the Expansion Team exclusive signing window, during which the Vancouver Goldeneyes signed goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer. I have no idea why you’d give Kristen Campbell to your opponent who already has Maschmeyer, but alas I am not a PWHL GM.
Four Frost skaters will make their PWHL debut tonight including first-round pick Kendall Cooper on defense, plus Peyton Anderson, Abby Hustler and Vanessa Upson at forward.
Four Sceptres rookies could make their PWHL debuts at forward tonight including draft picks Emma Gentry, Sara Hjalmarsson, Clara Van Wieren and Kiara Zanon.
Watch: TSN, FanDuel Sports Network, PWHL YouTube & thepwhl.com (U.S./International)
Seattle Torrent at Vancouver Goldeneyes
Friday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. Pacific
The league’s newest members go head-to-head to open the season (er, for the second time) in Vancouver, where the Goldeneyes are the Pacific Coliseum’s primary tenant. The Seattle Torrent will visit their presumed PNW rivals across the border.
So, these rosters are insane. Reading down the list, it’s just hit, after hit, after hit and it never stops.
“Our roster for the 2025-26 season is fast, physical and skilled, with a solid defensive foundation and an exciting forward corps. We can’t wait to introduce this group to Vancouver when they take to the ice for our first game tomorrow at the Pacific Coliseum,” said Goldeneyes General Manager Cara Gardner Morey.
There’s no previous season history to recap, and calling out only SOME players on these rosters feels awkward when they’re flooded with talent. But there is some news — the Goldeneyes announced their leadership core for their inaugural season, naming defender Ashton Bell as captain. Defender Claire Thompson and forward Sarah Nurse have been named alternate captains.
Bell was the first overall pick in the 2025 PWHL Expansion Draft (selected from the Ottawa Charge), and in August, the Goldeneyes signed her to a two-year contract extension through the 2027-28 PWHL season.
Earlier this month, the Torrent announced that forward Alex Carpenter — an alternate captain with the New York Sirens (2024, 2024-25) and Team USA, and captain at Boston College — and defender Emily Brown — captain at the University of Minnesota — join Torrent captain Hilary Knight to round out Seattle’s first-ever leadership group.
We also saw that this game is sold out — it’s going to be incredible.
Watch: TSN 1, TSN.ca, TSN App, KONG (Seattle), PWHL YouTube & thepwhl.com (U.S./International), more.
Broadcast team: Kenzie Lalonde (Play-by-Play), Becky Kellar (Analyst), Brianne Foley (Reporter)
Montréal Victoire at Boston Fleet
Sunday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. Eastern
Full transparency, I’m recommending this game because I want us all to see everyone wearing the sailor hat giveaway in the stands. It’s Boston’s home opener, and the sailor hats are an impeccable freebie for the occasion.
Boston is missing some talent from last season, including former captain Hilary Knight (15G-14A — 29pts; now captain of the Seattle Torrent) and forward Hannah Bilka (5G-6A — 11pts; also on the Torrent). The Fleet named defender Megan Keller captain earlier this month.
Montréal is without Jenn Gardiner, a forward who had 18 points in the 2024-25 regular season, which was also her rookie season (now on Vancouver). They also lost defender Cayla Barnes, who amassed 13 points last season (now on Seattle) and forward Claire Dalton (now on Seattle).
Every time I look at the lists of player movement, I think Seattle and Vancouver robbed the entire league.
How will the league respond?
Watch: RDS, SportsNet, NESN, PWHL YouTube & thepwhl.com (U.S./International)
