Special Edition: These Barbies light lamps

Pro women’s hockey was grappling with a long and complicated history…until the PWHL hit the ice nearly two years ago, boasting the world’s top talent, a stacked investor group, and a groundbreaking collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the first-ever CBA to be ratified before a women’s sports league launch.

• The first two PWHL seasons were a rousing success, smashing viewership and attendance records and bringing massive growth, highlighted by the announcement of two 2025 expansion teams in Vancouver and Seattle. If you build it...

The regular season for the now eight-team league runs from today through April. Each squad will still play 30 games, but with the addition of the Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent, the season now features 120 total games, up from 90 last year.

• This year’s schedule will also see a pair of international breaks: The first in December for the ongoing Canada vs. U.S. Rivalry Series, and the second starting in January for a little something called the Olympics.

• And that’s not all: The PWHL Takeover Tour returns this season with a whopping 16 games at 11 neutral-site venues across North America. So ready to do that hockey.

❄️ Minnesota Frost: Underestimate the Frost at your own peril — they’ve gone from the fourth and final playoff seed to Walter Cup champs in both PWHL postseasons. Nine of those two-time champs are back to chase a three-peat, most importantly captain Kendall Coyne Schofield. Ice, ice, baby.

🔴 Montréal Victoire: Yes, they suffered an early playoff exit, but the Victoire were the best regular-season team last year. It ain’t broken, so they’re not fixing it — they re-signed much of their core, led by reigning MVP and goal-scoring machine Marie-Philip Poulin, aka Captain Clutch, and reigning Goaltender of the Year Ann-Renée Desbiens. Magnifique.

⚡ Ottawa Charge: Last year’s postseason run was as electric as it was exhausting: Of their eight playoff games, five went to overtime (OT), including one triple-OT and one quadruple-OT. Head coach Carla MacLeod says their goal this year is to be the team opponents hate to see coming — and they’ll do it with reigning Playoff MVP Gwyneth Philips in net…and hopefully a new home.

🟡 Toronto Sceptres: This squad has the talent to make a deep run, but after two straight early postseason exits at the hands of the Frost, the Sceptres have some serious soul-searching to do. They doubled down on their strength this offseason, picking up defender Ella Shelton to pair with Defender of the Year Renata Fast and fortify their formidable D-corps.

⚓ Boston Fleet: The Fleet tripped at the finish line last season, losing five of their last six games to kill their playoff bid. Then came a scrutinized offseason decision: Boston allowed expansion team Seattle to scoop up their captain, living legend Hilary Knight, in favor of investing in younger players like goalie Aerin Frankel and defender Megan Keller. Bold move, Cotton — let’s see if it pays off.

🚨 NY Sirens: The only Original Six team to never make the playoffs, the Sirens went back to the drawing board this offseason, trading away much of their roster to build around a young core. And we mean young: Only nine of their 27 rostered players are older than 25.

• But these kids are certainly alright: 2024 No. 1 draft pick and reigning Rookie of the Year Sarah Fillier is a bona fide gamechanger, and she’ll have the support of 2025 No. 1 draft pick Kristýna Kaltounková.

Expansion teams often struggle in their debuts, but the PWHL’s inaugural expansion squads might bypass the standard growing pains. From a favorable expansion draft structure to a flurry of free agent acquisitions, Seattle and Vancouver are poised to compete now.

🌊 Seattle Torrent: The Torrent are off to a flowing start, inking the aforementioned Knight as their bombshell first signing and new captain. They boast an ideal combination of youth and experience, with second-year star Hannah Bilka and rookie Jenna Buglioni lining up beside the likes of Knight and forward Alex Carpenter.

• Plus, Seattle is quickly becoming a hockey city — its NHL team was established in 2022 and is already central to the sports culture — and a hot spot for women’s sports, so expect a vibrant home crowd in the Emerald City.

👁️ Vancouver Goldeneyes: The Goldeneyes put on a front office masterclass this offseason, bringing some of the league’s most coveted free agents to the West Coast, including forward Sarah Nurse and defender Sophie Jaques. They also boast one of the league’s best one-two punches between the pipes in Emerance Maschmeyer and Kristen Campbell.

• The first PWHL team to be named after an animal, the Goldeneyes should fly into their debut season with playoff aspirations. Yes, this team is that stacked.

Canadians know a winning lineup when they see one, so we were bound to love BRING IT IN, DoorDash’s new platform celebrating the trifecta of women’s sports in Canada: the PWHL, WNBA, and NSL.

Now, it’s women’s hockey’s turn to shine, and taking up to 30% off your order during the PWHL’s opening weekend is only the beginning. Here are three burning questions to debate over dinner:

🤔 Who’ll crush their debut season — Seattle or Vancouver?

🤔 Which Canadian squad looks primed to hoist the Walter Cup this year?

🤔 Who is your way-too-early pick for league MVP?

No matter who comes out on top this season, DoorDash’s support for these three iconic leagues fuels our Canadian pride and our dinner order.