The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) is poised for rapid expansion, moving from eight to twelve teams after just three seasons. However, this growth has sparked concerns about declining scoring and a thinning talent pool.
Scoring Woes Mirror NHL's Dead Puck Era
In the 2025-26 season, PWHL teams averaged a mere 2.33 goals per game, reminiscent of the NHL's dead puck era when teams scored 2.46 goals per game. The Toronto Sceptres, a flagship franchise, managed only 1.7 goals per contest. Only the Minnesota Frost, the two-time defending champions, averaged over three goals per game.
Expansion and Talent Dilution
Adding four new teams in two years means 92 additional roster spots from a limited talent base. Unlike the NHL, which draws players globally, the PWHL relies almost exclusively on Canadian and American players. General managers and coaches are questioning where these new players will come from.
While this year's draft class is considered deep—featuring Olympic standouts like Caroline Harvey and Abbey Murphy—no player scored more than 16 goals (Kelley Pannek). The league needs new stars to boost offensive output.
Goaltending Dominance
Goaltending has outpaced scoring in the women's game. Montreal Victoire's Ann-Renee Desbiens led with a 1.11 goals-against average, and U.S. star Aerin Frankel posted a 1.17 GAA. For comparison, Dominik Hasek's best NHL season saw a 2.20 GAA. While there are enough quality netminders for 12 teams, the scoring gap remains a concern.
In the PWHL's original six teams, 30% of skaters were Olympians; in a 12-team league, that figure drops to 15%, thinning elite talent across more rosters.
Historical Precedent
When the NHL expanded from six to 12 teams in 1967, scoring declined the following season. Similarly, PWHL scoring dropped from 2.51 to 2.33 goals per game after expanding to eight teams. The last time NHL scoring was this low was in 1935-36.
Coaches Weigh In
Minnesota Frost coach Ken Klee, a former NHL defenseman, attributes his team's scoring success to mindset: "Good players, I guess. Our mindset is that we want to score more than three goals every game." However, he admits concern: "I'm a little concerned. It's a lot to happen all at once. I know there's talent coming in, maybe 20-30 good players, but where are the rest coming from?"
Former Toronto coach Troy Ryan, now leading expansion San Jose, remains optimistic: "I'm trusting the league on this. They've done an incredible job so far of growing the league and the game."
As the PWHL expands, balancing growth with competitive quality will be key to its success.
