The locations for each of the PWHL’s six franchises are either signed, or nearing complete.
The venues will vary in size, but one similarity is that PWHL franchises will not be inhabiting a venue with several tenants, rather they’re almost exclusively playing at arenas that currently have only a single main inhabitant.
News leaked this week of the long expected location for Minnesota’s PWHL franchise, which according to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press will be Excel Energy Center. The rink, which seats roughly 18,000 fans is current home to the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.
In Ottawa, the new home rink is confirmed as TD Place Arena, the 6,500 seat rink that is currently home to the OHL’s Ottawa 67s. In his introductory press conference, Ottawa general manager Michael Hirshfeld stated a new dressing room facility was under construction at the rink.
While those are the locations we know, two we believe to be all but certainties are Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, and Walter Brown Arena in Boston. Coca-Cola Coliseum seats 8,100 fans and plays host to the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies. While this is home base, it would not be surprising to see PWHL Toronto play at least a game or two at Scotiabank Arena as well.
In Boston, the 3,806 seat Walter Brown Arena, which currently houses Boston University’s women’s hockey team seems like the finalized location. A suitable arena was always the concern in Boston, and Walter Brown is a bit older, and slightly under the 4,000 seat goal set by the league for venues, but it’s a character rink that will have the charm many new buildings lack.
New York has been rumored to be headed to Bridgeport, Connecticut at the 8,412 Total Mortgage Arena, although some games are likely to be played at UBS Arena, home to the NHL’s New York Islanders. There’s also been chatter recently that New York’s team could play games in Albany at the 14,236 seat MVP Arena.
Finally, Montreal remains a mystery. Playing out of Laval’s Place Bell, a 10,000 rink home to the AHL’s Laval Rocket would be a no brainer. It was the future home for the PHF’s Montreal Force prior to the league being acquired, but as many diehard Montreal fans will argue, Laval is not Montreal. The 4,114 seat Verdun Auditorium is another prime target for the league, as it was slated to become the home to the Montreal Canadiennes prior to the CWHL folding in 2019. Newly renovated, the Auditorium could be the place.
Smirfitts Speech 