A pro women’s hockey team isn’t coming to Detroit.
At least not yet.
The Professional Women’s Hockey League announced this week that it is expanding to eight teams by awarding franchises to Seattle and Vancouver. Both teams will begin playing during the 2025-26 season.
The news means Detroit, which hosted a PWHL game that attracted a U.S. record 14,228 fans to Little Caesars Arena in March, was not selected for expansion.
However, it remains a leading candidate to land a team in the future.
According to the Associated Press, the PWHL plans to grow to 10 teams for its 2026-27 season.
Seattle and Vancouver join the league’s inaugural six teams including the New York Sirens, Minnesota Frost, Boston Fleet, Montreal Victore, Ottawa Charge and Toronto Scepters.
Seattle and Vancouver were attractive to the league because it extended its footprint to the Pacific Northwest ahead of its third season.
Seattle’s team will wear Emerald Green and Cream and will play at Climate Pledge Arena, the home of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken. The team will operate as PWHL Seattle until the permanent brand identity is announced.
“We are looking forward to returning the love, energy and excitement the Seattle sports community shared with us during the PWHL Takeover Tour,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL Executive Vice President of Business Operations.
“The opportunity to start a new chapter of women’s hockey in the Pacific Northwest, combined with calling the world-class Climate Pledge Arena home has so much meaning for our league. The Kraken already have been unbelievably supportive, and it’s a joy to have PWHL Seattle join the WNBA’s Storm and the NWSL’s Reign, who are skyscrapers in the city’s towering sports landscape.”
The PWHL plans to announce the date of an expansion draft and how Vancouver and Seattle will be integrated into its entry draft on June 24.