Season Four of the PWHL to feature 180 games with Eastern and Western Conference alignment; New playoff format for eight teams chasing Walter Cup title
National Broadcast schedule highlights ION Game of the Week in the U.S.
Flex Packs available at 12 p.m. PT; Single Game Tickets on sale Oct. 9
SEATTLE, WA (October 2, 2026) – The Seattle Torrent today unveiled its 2026-27 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) regular-season schedule which includes 13 home games at Climate Pledge Arena. The PWHL’s fourth season will feature a league-record 180 games from Saturday, Dec. 5 through Sunday, Apr. 18 with 12 teams competing in newly established Eastern and Western Conferences, followed by an expanded eight-team playoff format to determine a Walter Cup champion. The Torrent regular-season schedule can be viewed online here., opens in a new tab
“We’re excited to get started on our second season in Seattle and build on the momentum and foundation we established in our inaugural year," said Christine Bumstead, Torrent Head Coach. "We’re looking forward to re-engaging with our fans, welcoming new faces to the Torrent community and sharing another season of hockey with the city. There’s a lot to look forward to and we can’t wait to be back at Climate Pledge Arena.”
NEW CONFERENCES AND PLAYOFF FORMAT
For the first time, PWHL teams will be divided into two conferences, each consisting of six teams. Seattle will compete in the Western Conference against PWHL Detroit, PWHL Las Vegas, the Minnesota Frost, PWHL San Jose and the Vancouver Goldeneyes. The Easten Conference includes the Boston Fleet, PWHL Hamilton, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge and the Toronto Sceptres.
The Torrent will play 30 regular-season games, including 18 within its conference and 12 interconference games. Every team will visit Seattle at least once, providing Torrent fans with the opportunity to see all teams.
The PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs will expand at the conclusion of the 2026-27 regular season to feature eight teams competing in three rounds, up from the four-team and two-round format in each of the league’s first three postseasons.
The eight teams that qualify for the playoffs will be the top four teams in each conference. The first round will feature four best-of-three series, followed by best-of-five conference finals and a best-of-five PWHL Walter Cup Finals presented by Scotiabank.
A PWHL playoff tradition will also expand this season, awarding the first-place team in each conference the opportunity to select its first-round opponent, choosing between the third or fourth-place team within their respective conference.
NATIONAL BROADCAST
The PWHL will deliver more action to national audiences than ever before, including 19 Saturday broadcasts in the U.S., highlighted by the Torrent in the ION Game of the Week twice, plus PWHL All-Star, airing on ION, Scripps’ national sports and entertainment network.
Fans in Canada will continue to enjoy Torrent coverage across a combination of linear and digital platforms operated by the league’s returning media partners.
All 180 regular-season games will be available on the PWHL’s YouTube channel and at thepwhl.com.
Additional network coverage, including regional partnerships with over-the-air broadcast groups, will be announced before the season.
PWHL TAKEOVER TOUR AND SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
The popular PWHL Takeover Tour™ will return for a third straight season, expanding from 16 to 24 games, continuing the league’s commitment to bringing the PWHL experience to more fans across North America. Each team will play in four Takeover Tour games, currently marked on the schedule as TBD, including Jan. 16, Jan. 24, Mar. 13 and Apr. 9. Non-primary venue games, including Feb. 7 at New York, also appear as TBD and will be announced locally in the coming weeks.
Nearly half of all regular-season games will be played on weekends, including six Saturday games and eight Sunday games, with Wednesdays representing the busiest weekday with six games.
The Torrent will observe a one-week break around the debut of PWHL All-Star on March 7, 2027, to be played at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena and airing on ION, TSN and Radio-Canada, as announced Sept. 24.
FLEX PACKS AND SINGLE-GAME TICKETS
Flex packs are on sale beginning at 12 p.m. PT through Ticketmaster and are available here. Fans interested in more games can purchase Season Ticket Memberships and Half Packs, offering the best value and benefits. Seattle Single Game Tickets will be available on Friday, Oct. 9 starting at 10 a.m. PT. For more information, visit thepwhl.com/tickets. Fans can also stay up to date on detailed ticketing information by signing up for the Official Torrent Newsletter, The Current, here, opens in a new tab.