ST PAUL, Minn. — The quest for consecutive championships begins at home on Dec. 1 for the newly-minted Minnesota Frost, one of six hockey clubs embarking on the second season of competition for the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).
Minnesota will host the New York Sirens at Xcel Energy Center on opening weekend, the first of 30 games listed on the 2024-25 schedule released by the PWHL on Tuesday. Each team will play 30 games - up from 24 in the league's inaugural run - in a season that will run from Nov. 30, 2024, to May 3, 2025. The playoffs will follow.
Another new wrinkle involves each of the franchises now having an official name instead of just the state or city they play in. The league unveiled those in early September, in time for fans to gear up in new jerseys and merch before the new season gets rolling.
Besides the season opener, other highlights of the Frost schedule include:
- A rematch of the 2023-24 Walter Cup Finals between Minnesota and the Boston Fleet at the Tsongas Center in Boston on Dec. 4.
- Hosting a tilt with the Ottawa Charge on Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 21 at Xcel Energy Center.
The schedule features balanced competition with all teams playing head-to-head six times, including three games at home and three on the road.
“Our teams and players are so eager to bring their new identities to life, and the schedule announcement elevates that sense of anticipation,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Senior VP of Hockey Operations in a released statement. “We have more games, new uniforms, a talented rookie class and so much more for the PWHL community to look forward to. For our players and our fans, the season ahead will be intense, competitive and fun.”
PWHL also built in three "international" breaks in the season, from Dec. 9-16; Feb. 3-10; and April 3-25, so skaters can take part in the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship.
The Frost will be trying to build on their debut season, where the hockey club limped into the playoffs and then got hot, routing 3-0 Boston in a deciding Game 5 to capture the first-ever Walter Cup.
For more on the new schedule and other PWHL news, check out the league website.