PWHL Goes Big: Las Vegas, Hamilton Join League’s Next Wave

The Professional Women’s Hockey League is pushing deeper into two very different hockey markets, announcing new franchises in Las Vegas and Hamilton, Ontario that will debut in the 2026-27 season.

The move adds more muscle to the PWHL’s next growth wave, with PWHL Las Vegas set to play at T-Mobile Arena and PWHL Hamilton taking over TD Coliseum. The two clubs follow Detroit as part of the league’s 2026 expansion class, joining existing markets in Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver.

Hamilton gives the league another foothold in Ontario, but the PWHL is betting the market can stand on its own. A January Takeover Tour stop at TD Coliseum drew 16,012 fans, one of the largest crowds in league history, and more than 70% of ticket buyers were attending their first PWHL game.

“Hamilton and its surrounding communities have long been central to the growth of girls’ and
women’s hockey, producing generations of talented players and passionate fans,” said Jayna
Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. “This is a region with deep
hockey roots, and the response we saw during our Takeover Tour game at TD Coliseum made it
clear that fans in the region are ready to rally around a team of their own.”

Las Vegas, meanwhile, gives the PWHL its first team in the American Southwest and a high-profile entertainment market already familiar with championship women’s sports through the WNBA’s Aces. The new club will have backing from the Vegas Golden Knights’ hockey infrastructure and will train at America First Center in Henderson.

“From the staggering growth of youth hockey participation to the passionate support for the Golden Knights and Aces, the Las Vegas community has enthusiastically embraced both hockey and women’s sport,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL Executive Vice President, Business Operations. “While professional women’s hockey may be new to the market, we know Las Vegas is ready to welcome and champion a PWHL team of its own.”

Both teams are still waiting on permanent names and logos, but their colors are already set. Hamilton will use gold, maroon and cream, a nod to the city’s football and hockey history as well as its “Steeltown” identity. Las Vegas will wear green and gold, drawing from Southern Nevada’s desert landscape, surrounding mountains and Vegas’ signature glamour.

Season-ticket deposits are now open for both inaugural seasons, with further details on expansion roster construction and the 2026 PWHL Draft integration expected in the coming weeks. Visit PWHL Hamilton’s site here and PWHL Las Vegas’ site here.