On Wednesday morning, the PWHL announced its two newest expansion franchises. Teams will begin play in the 2026-27 season in Las Vegas, Nevada and Hamilton, Ontario. The league previously announced expansion to Detroit, Michigan last week.
Does it make sense for the PWHL to expand to Vegas? Yes, and no.
An Unexpected Decision
The league’s decision to expand to Vegas is certainly an interesting – and unexpected – one. Vegas has never hosted a Takeover Tour game or any other professional women’s hockey league game. Among the cities that had been discussed in expansion rumors, Vegas was not on the list until very, very recently. Although it was obviously in the works for some time, Wednesday’s announcement seemingly came out of left field.
As eager fans elsewhere will point out, there’s a lengthy list of cities that could get an expansion team. Among them: Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Denver, Colorado. Fans will undoubtedly point to the successes of Takeover Tour games in those locations, and the lack of such a history in Vegas, as reasoning to question this expansion decision.
That’s entirely fair. One thing to keep in mind amid this news: this may not be the last expansion announcement. With Detroit last week and now Vegas and Hamilton, that’s three confirmed new PWHL teams for the 2026-27 season. Reports indicate the league may be expanding up to four new teams – so those cities do still have a chance. And if not now, there will undoubtedly be additional opportunities in the future. This doesn’t have to be an either/or situation, though I can certainly understand fans’ frustration.
A Logical Gamble
As they’d say in Vegas, the PWHL’s expansion choice is a gamble – but not a completely reckless one.
Although neither the PWHL nor any of its predecessor leagues has ever played in Vegas, the area isn’t entirely foreign. Henderson hosted a Rivalry Series game in 2022, with 34 current PWHL players skating in that game. The area has other connections to women’s hockey, too.
“Before the city had an NHL team, you [Las Vegas] played host to one of the greatest figures in women’s hockey history,” said Amy Scheer at Wednesday’s introductory press conference. “Manon Rhéaume played here. She’s the first… woman to play in an NHL preseason game. But before she did that, she played here for the Las Vegas Thunder.”
Scheer also noted that the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, who she called a partner, paid homage to Rhéaume’s legacy in their initial reverse retro jersey.
Golden Knights owner Bill Foley has been very invested and involved in getting pro sports into the area. Foley and his team, Black Knight Sports & Entertainment, purchased an AHL team and relocated them to Henderson, Nevada. The organization also purchased an expansion team in the Indoor Football League, the Vegas Knight Hawks.
In other women’s sports, the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces relocated to Vegas in 2018 and won three championship titles in four years. The team has also sold out season ticket memberships in each of the last three seasons.
With the rapid growth of women’s hockey, it only makes sense that Vegas wants to get involved – and there’s no better time than the present.
“The arrival of the PWHL in Vegas is a milestone for women’s hockey and our entire community,” said John Penhollow, Vegas Golden Knights President of Business Operations in a press release.
“We’re proud of how far youth hockey has come locally, and even more excited about the path forward and opportunities ahead for future generations with the PWHL’s arrival in Las Vegas,” Penhollow added. “Today’s PWHL announcement gives young girls throughout Nevada and our entire region another chance to dream bigger, pursue hockey at the highest level, and see themselves as future leaders in our community. Our game will be even stronger because of the PWHL’s presence in Henderson and Vegas.”
Building Western Roots
For the PWHL, with the right infrastructure in place, Vegas does make some logical sense. The league’s expanded western footprint provides geographical competition for the Seattle Torrent, their closest neighbors. It also provides a stronger basis for future western expansion, such as to San Jose, California or the aforementioned Denver. One team out in the Western United States is an anomaly; two, or three, starts to form a potential conference.
“It’s clear that today represents another major step forward for this league and for women’s professional hockey,” said Jamie Hersch, a broadcaster for both the Vegas Golden Knights and the PWHL. “We also know that moments like this are only possible through strong partnerships and communities that believe in the power of sports.”
“Las Vegas has continued to establish itself as one of the best sports cities in the world, and the Vegas Golden Knights have played a huge role in building that passion and connection with fans across this community,” Hersch added.
You can watch the full Las Vegas expansion press conference below: