PWHL Owner

The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) is a professional women's ice hockey league. The PWHL was created to give top female hockey players the chance to pursue the sport professionally. With six teams based in cities across the U.S. and Canada, the league addresses previous challenges like low pay and lack of health benefits seen in earlier leagues such as the CWHL and NWHL. Financial backing from the Mark Walter Group and support from notable figures like Billie Jean King aim to ensure its success.

The PWHL was created after the Canadian Women’s Hockey League shut down in 2019. The league’s first season began on January 1, 2024, with a 24-game regular season followed by playoffs. Star players include Taylor Heise, Hilary Knight, and Marie-Philip Poulin, who bring global attention to this new era of women’s hockey.

Who is the owner of the PWHL?

According to APnews, The owner of the Professional Women's Hockey League is Mark Walter, who is also the co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He pledged $5.5 million to the Women’s Sports Foundation. Walter, along with Billie Jean King, helped launch the PWHL, which aims to elevate professional women's hockey.

According to goodreturns, Mark Walter is an American businessman and the CEO of Guggenheim Partners, a global financial services firm with over $325 billion in assets. He is also the part-owner and chairman of the Los Angeles Dodgers and co-owner of Chelsea F.C. In addition to his sports investments, Walter owns the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).

Walter was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1960 and holds degrees from Creighton University and Northwestern University. Walter’s career includes founding Liberty Hampshire Company and establishing Guggenheim Partners. He is also involved in organizations like the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and Northwestern University. His business success extends to stakes in companies like Beyond Meat and Carvana.

When was the PWHL launched?

According to DW, PWHL is a new league created to provide top women players with the opportunity to play full-time. It was launched after the collapse of previous leagues like the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) and the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL). The PWHL has six teams based in New York, Toronto, Boston, Montreal, Ottawa, and Saint Paul, Minnesota. The league aims to be more sustainable, with player salaries ranging from $35,000 to $80,000.

How many teams are in PWHL?

According to NYTimes, The PWHL features six teams in the 2024–25 season: the Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Sceptres. Three of these teams are based in Canada - Montréal, Ottawa, and Toronto - while the other three, Boston, Minnesota, and New York, are located in the United States. The league initially used simple city-based identities, but in 2024, official team names and logos were introduced. Teams play in various arenas, including large venues like the Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota and the Prudential Center in New York.

What is the format of the PWHL?

According to DW, the PWHL features a 24-game regular season for each of its six teams. After the regular season, the teams will compete in playoffs to determine the champion. The season will end by June, with a break in April for the IIHF Women's World Championship. The league's first game was played on January 1, 2024.

The PWHL follows many rules similar to those of the NHL and IIHF, with some unique features. One innovation is the "jailbreak" rule, allowing a team to end a minor penalty by scoring a short-handed goal. During shootouts, any player can shoot at any time, even taking multiple attempts. The league permits body checking, which is allowed mainly along the boards and when the player intends to play or gain possession of the puck.