2022–23 PWHPA season

2022–23 PWHPA season
LeagueProfessional Women's Hockey Players Association
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 2022 – March 2023
Teams4 teams
Secret Cup championTeam Harvey's
  Runners-upTeam Scotiabank
Top scorerMarie-Philip Poulin
Championship Weekend
Secret Cup Final
ChampionsTeam Harvey's
  Runners-upTeam Scotiabank
Finals MVPEmily Clark

The 2022–23 PWHPA season was the fourth and final season of exhibition games organized by the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) as part of the Dream Gap Tour. The season took place from October 2022 to March 2023 and featured a more structured format than previous seasons, with four teams competing for season-long standings culminating in a championship weekend. Team Harvey's won the Secret Cup, defeating Team Scotiabank 5–4 in the final.

Background

Following three seasons of Dream Gap Tour events, the PWHPA entered its 2022–23 season with renewed momentum and an enhanced competitive structure.[1] The association continued its mission to advocate for a sustainable professional women's hockey league while organizing competitive showcase events.

The season marked a significant evolution in the PWHPA's approach. For the first time, games throughout the season would count toward overall standings rather than each tour stop being a standalone tournament.[2] The season would culminate in a championship weekend to determine the winner of the Secret Cup.

Throughout the season, speculation continued about the imminent formation of a new professional league. The PWHPA stated it was pursuing creating a paid professional league but was "under NDA with potential partners."[3]

Season format

The 2022–23 season featured several significant format changes designed to increase competitiveness and provide more opportunities for players:[1]

  • Four region-agnostic teams: Unlike previous seasons where teams were based in regional hubs, the 2022–23 season featured four teams with rosters constructed through a player ranking system rather than geography
  • Season-long standings: For the first time, games throughout the season accumulated points toward overall standings
  • Championship weekend: The season culminated in a playoff format to determine the Secret Cup champion
  • Increased schedule: The season featured more games than any previous PWHPA season

Teams

The four teams competing in the 2022–23 season were:

  • Team Adidas – 25 players
  • Team Harvey's – 25 players, coached by Danièle Sauvageau and Kori Cheverie
  • Team Scotiabank – 25 players
  • Team Sonnet – 25 players

Each team featured 25 players for a total of 100 players across the organization.[3] The goal was to avoid players having to relocate while also creating more parity among teams.

Training hubs

The PWHPA maintained five training hubs across North America where players could practice:[3]

  • Boston – Massachusetts
  • Calgary – Alberta
  • Minnesota – Minnesota
  • Montreal – Quebec
  • Toronto – Ontario

Players trained at these hubs but were assigned to teams based on rankings rather than geographic location, allowing for more balanced rosters.

Season schedule

The 2022–23 Dream Gap Tour featured the most extensive schedule in PWHPA history, with stops across Canada and the United States.

Fall/Winter tour stops

Championship Weekend

The championship weekend took place March 10–12, 2023, in Southern California in partnership with the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, Coachella Valley Firebirds, and Oak View Group.[9]

Championship Final

The Secret Cup championship final was played on March 12, 2023, at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California, home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds.[10] Team Harvey's, the top-seeded team, faced Team Scotiabank in a dramatic final. Team Scotiabank took an early 2–0 lead, but Team Harvey's battled back. Emily Clark scored a hat trick for Team Harvey's, including the go-ahead goal in the second period. Jessie Eldridge scored the game-winning goal with 42.1 seconds remaining in regulation to give Team Harvey's a thrilling 5–4 victory.[11]

The Secret Cup was presented by PWHPA operations consultant Jayna Hefford and tennis legend Billie Jean King.[10] Emily Clark was named the game's first star after her four-point performance.[11]

Partnerships and sponsorships

The 2022–23 season saw unprecedented growth in partnerships and support:

NHL and professional hockey partnerships

The season featured partnerships with eight NHL teams, one AHL team, and the Ontario Hockey League:[11]

Corporate sponsors

  • Secret – Title sponsor of the Dream Gap Tour
  • Billie Jean King Enterprises – Continued advisory partnership
  • Canadian Tire – Partnership and All-Star Weekend sponsor
  • Scotiabank – Team sponsor and Hockey Day in Canada partner
  • Adidas – Team sponsor *Harvey's – Team sponsor *Sonnet Insurance – Team sponsor

Media coverage

The season featured expanded media coverage with live streaming of all games on CBC Sports platforms (CBC Sports website, CBC Sports app, CBC Gem, and CBC Sports' YouTube channel).[2] Select games were also broadcast on Sportsnet and TSN/RDS.

Notable achievements

The 2022–23 season set several milestones for the PWHPA:

  • Record attendance: A single-game attendance record of 4,301 fans in Niagara, Ontario[11]
  • Most games played: The season featured more games than any previous PWHPA season
  • First All-Star Game: An All-Star skills competition and 3-on-3 tournament took place in Ottawa
  • Television deals: Enhanced broadcast partnerships with Canadian networks
  • Season-long competition: First season with cumulative standings leading to playoffs

Impact and significance

The 2022–23 season proved to be a watershed moment for the PWHPA and women's professional hockey:

Final Dream Gap Tour season

According to PWHPA operations consultant Jayna Hefford, "The 2022-23 PWHPA season was our biggest and best yet."[11] The season demonstrated the viability and marketability of elite women's hockey with increased attendance, media coverage, and professional partnerships.

With the formation of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) announced for 2024, the 2022–23 season became the final Dream Gap Tour, marking the end of the PWHPA's four-year journey as a touring exhibition organization.[11]

Players union formation

In February 2023, during the season, the PWHPA organized a formal labour union—the Professional Women's Hockey League Players Association (PWHLPA)—to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for the new league.[12] This represented a major step toward the PWHPA's ultimate goal of establishing a sustainable professional league.

Transition to the PWHL

Following the season, the PWHPA's efforts culminated in the June 30, 2023 announcement that Mark Walter and Billie Jean King's group had purchased the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF), paving the way for a unified professional league.[13] The Professional Women's Hockey League was officially announced in August 2023 and began play in January 2024, fulfilling the PWHPA's mission.

Notable players

The 2022–23 season featured over 100 of the world's top women's hockey players, including nearly every North American Olympian who had missed the previous season due to Olympic centralization.[2] Notable players included:

Season statistics and results

The 2022–23 season featured comprehensive statistics tracking for the first time in PWHPA history.[11] Final standings and detailed statistics were maintained on the PWHPA's official statistics website.

Final Regular Season Standings:

Team Harvey's

Team Scotiabank Team Sonnet Team Adidas

Legacy

The 2022–23 season marked the successful conclusion of the PWHPA's four-year campaign to establish a sustainable professional women's hockey league. The organization's persistence in advocating for proper infrastructure, compensation, and support for women's hockey culminated in the formation of the PWHL, which began play in January 2024 with six teams and a comprehensive collective bargaining agreement.

The Dream Gap Tour's final season demonstrated that there was significant demand for elite women's hockey, with record attendance, extensive media coverage, and unprecedented partnership support from NHL organizations and corporate sponsors. These achievements validated the PWHPA's approach and set the foundation for the successful launch of the PWHL.

References

  1. ^ a b "PWHPA Announces Details for 2022-23 Season Including Record Number of Games Played, New Roster Format". PWHPA. August 18, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e Dichter, Myles (October 13, 2022). "Return of PWHPA's Dream Gap Tour shifts women's hockey focus back on sport's future". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "PWHPA announces 2022-23 Dream Gap Tour". The Ice Garden. August 19, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "PWHPA Unveils Details, Locations for First Two Events of 2022-23 Season". PWHPA. September 9, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  5. ^ "PWHPA Announces Pittsburgh as Third Stop of 2022-23 Secret® Dream Gap Tour". PWHPA. October 5, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  6. ^ "Four PWHPA showcases scheduled for 2023". The Ice Garden. January 9, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  7. ^ "PWHPA partners with OHL to host 4 Dream Gap Tour games". CBC Sports. December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  8. ^ "Lightning and PWHPA partner to host 2022-23 Secret® Dream Gap Tour". Women's Hockey Life. January 9, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  9. ^ "PWHPA Announces 2022-23 Championship Weekend in Partnership with the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, Coachella Valley Firebirds and Oak View Group". PWHPA. March 23, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  10. ^ a b "PWHPA ends year with bang". IIHF. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "Team Harvey's Wins PWHPA Title To Cap Off a Successful Season". The Hockey News. March 13, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  12. ^ "PWHPA organize formal union, negotiating CBA with their investor group: Sources". The Athletic. February 23, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  13. ^ "Premier Hockey Federation sale could unite women's hockey". ESPN. June 29, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2025.

See also

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