PWHL Rosters Grow Before Start

The Professional Women's Hockey League and its players' union agreed on Thursday to expand active rosters and raise minimum pay. The deal modifies the terms of the collective bargaining agreement currently in place. Under the new rules, every team will carry 24 active players, adding one slot to the current roster size.

The league launched in July 2023 with six teams. At that time, players ratified a contract that included a 3% annual salary increase. The new agreement accelerates that growth. The minimum base salary for the upcoming season is set at $42,000, up from approximately $38,000 last year. This figure will climb to $45,000 the following year. Over the next three years, the amount will increase by $2,500 annually, reaching $52,500 by the 2030-31 season.

The league is also changing how teams manage depth. Previously, franchises could sign up to three reserve players. That structure is now gone. Instead, teams may sign players to one-game standard contracts. This joins the existing option for 10-day standard contracts, giving managers more flexibility in player management.

These changes arrive as the league prepares for its largest expansion yet. Four new franchises will join the existing eight, bringing the total to 12 teams for the fourth season. Combined with the single player increase per team, the PWHL will have 104 more roster spots than last year.

The season opens on Dec. 5. Training camps are scheduled to begin on Nov. 18. In a joint statement, the league and the PWHL Players Association said they remain committed to advancing player opportunities and compensation as the sport grows.