The PWHL is revamping its expansion rules, including the elimination of an expansion player draft, in preparing to add as many as four markets for next season.
The details of the process, which are still subject to change, were included in a five-page memo distributed by the PWHL Players Association to its members last weekend. The memo was obtained by The Associated Press.
The memo is based on discussions the union had with the league in devising a complex five-phase expansion process, and works on the premise the PWHL will be adding four new teams for next season. The league announced adding Detroit on Wednesday.
In the league’s first comments on the expansion rules, executive of vice president of hockey operations Jayna Hefford told the AP the parameters of the plan were reached to meet both league and player needs following last year’s expansion process.
“There’s two priorities that we’re trying to match, which are competitive balance within the league, and player experience and ensuring they are happy with the process,” Hefford said Tuesday.
The elimination of the expansion draft was key for the players, who a year ago had no control over their futures in the event of being selected by Seattle or Vancouver.
The new plan allows existing teams to initially protect three players under contract.
Starting on May 28, expansion teams can begin reaching out to prospective players before releasing a 20-player negotiating list and begin offering binding contracts in signing up to five. This includes signing one player to a so-called franchise offer of a minimum $100,000 per year salary, with the player choosing the length of the guaranteed deal between one and four years.
Once the initial expansion signing period ends, all teams can sign or protect three additional players. That will be followed by a two-day period offering expansion teams an exclusive window to fill out their rosters up to 10 players, with existing eight teams losing no more than four each.
The PWHL draft will follow on June 17, with an open signing period beginning for all teams two days later.
“Certainly lots of takeaways, but this is also a very complex thing to try to do to ensure competitive balance across an eight-, a 10- or a 12-team league,” Hefford said. “It's not an easy problem to solve, so (it was) maintaining those priorities at the front of it, and then trying to get to a collaborative place where everyone feels that we’ll achieve success.”
As part of expansion, PWHL executive vice president of business operations Amy Scheer said the league is exploring the idea of splitting into two separate conferences and potentially four divisions.
The playoff format could also expand to include more teams from the current four.
AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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