IIHF – PWHL expands to Vancouver

It will be intriguing to see how PWHL Vancouver – the club’s long-term nickname is still to be determined – mingles homegrown talent with international stars. British Columbia has historically trailed Eastern Canada in producing women’s hockey players, but that is starting to shift.

In addition to 2022 Olympic champ and New York Sirens captain Micah Zandee-Hart (Victoria), Canada’s silver-medal team in Ceske Budejovice included two noteworthy rookies from the suburbs of Vancouver (metro population 2.64 million). Forward Jennifer Gardiner (Surrey) led the Women’s Worlds with six goals. Blueliner Chloe Primerano (North Vancouver) played six games as an 18-year-old, becoming Canada’s youngest Women’s Worlds defender since Cheryl Pounder in 1994.

As Hefford noted, the 2010 Olympics marked Vancouver’s international women’s hockey peak. Attracting a record 162,419 spectators over 20 games, the tournament climaxed with the Canada-U.S. gold medal game at Canada Hockey Place (now Rogers Arena). Poulin, then 18, made a huge statement by scoring twice in a 2-0 victory, and goalie Shannon Szabados had 28 saves as the Canadians celebrated their third straight Olympic title.

Vancouver is no stranger to hosting IIHF tournaments in general. The IIHF World Junior Championship also took place here in 2006 and 2019.

PWHL Vancouver’s home arena is just east of downtown. The Pacific Coliseum – home to the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks from 1970 to 1995 – hosted 14 games at the 2006 World Juniors. The Coliseum has a maximum hockey capacity of 16,281. According to the PWHL, the classic 1968-built venue will get a new scoreboard, as well as upgraded dressing rooms, training facilities, and broadcast technology. The club will be the Coliseum’s primary tenant and practice at the neighbouring PNE Agrodome.

According to multiple media reports, a Seattle PWHL expansion franchise is also upcoming. That would offer a natural cross-border rivalry. Seattle, which also hosted a well-attended Takeover Tour game in January, is about a three-hour drive south of Vancouver.

Things have come a long way since the 1920’s Vancouver Amazons and 2000’s Vancouver Griffins, the previous local women’s pro clubs. In the big picture, the PWHL Vancouver announcement underscores the meteoric growth of women’s hockey in this decade, with Canada continuing to prosper.

Bonhomme said she had spoken to the U11 Vancouver Angels girls’ hockey team, which attended the press…