PWHL unveils playoff format but puts aside talk of expansion, salary

The recently launched Professional Women’s Hockey League reached its midseason point on Wednesday by unveiling its playoff format, hinting at the long-awaited arrival of actual team nicknames and logos, while putting aside questions about expansion in Season 2 or beyond for now.

One aspect that won’t be changing any time soon, PWHL advisory board member Stan Kasten said, is the league reassessing its player salary structure, ranging from $35,000 to $80,000, not including bonuses.

“Re-opening the collective bargaining agreement one year into an eight-year deal does not sound likely,” Kasten said in noting that while revenues two months into the league’s first season have exceeded expectations, so have expenditures.

“We still have a long way to go until we are an economic success,” he added.

Joined by PWHL senior VP of hockey operations Jayna Hefford, Kasten spoke during an hour-long video conference call that touched on numerous topics regarding the six-team league that brings together the world’s top players.

“We still have a bumpy road in front of us until we’re a fully formed thing. But we are on track, and we’re certainly ahead of projections,” Kasten said.

The key now is not moving too fast given the challenges the PWHL still faces in terms of securing proper-sized venues, such as Toronto, which has already out-grown its 2,500-seat home, and lags in attendance in other markets. New York, for example, is averaging a leaguelow 2,218 fans while splitting its four home games between Bridgeport, Connecticut, and the NHL Islanders home, UBS Arena.

Boston has the league’s second-lowest attendance average at 3,352, while playing out of the University of MassachusettsLowell’s Tsongas Center, located about a 45-minute drive outside of Boston.

By comparison, Minnesota, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal are driving the PWHL’s attendance, which averaged out to 5,109 through 36 of 72 games.

As for expansion, the PWHL is putting that off for at least next season, while placing a focus on scheduling more neutral site games to test various markets. This season, the PWHL is already having games played in Pittsburgh and Detroit, both scheduled on March 17.

At least the PWHL has a playoff format finally in place that includes several innovative features.

Four teams will qualify for the playoffs, which will begin in May, with the top team having the choice to determine whether to face the No. 3 or No. 4 seed in a five-game semifinal series. The winners will advance to a five-game championship series.