Global leader in youth hockey partners with the top women’s professional hockey league to help grow the future of girls’ youth hockey through inclusive events and experiences.

NEW YORK AND TORONTO (January 21, 2025) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) and
PLAY Hockey today announced a multi-year partnership, establishing PLAY Hockey as a new event
experience partner for the inaugural PWHL Breakthrough Cup. The partnership will also see a series of
events aimed at fan development and growing girls' youth hockey, building on the PWHL’s efforts to
advance women’s hockey at all levels.

The PWHL Breakthrough Cup powered by PLAY Hockey is a girls hockey tournament set to take place
April 4-6, 2025, in Blaine, MN, bringing together teams of all ages and skill levels to pave the pathway to
women's professional hockey. Held in the State of Hockey, the event also provides participants with the
opportunity to interact with the stars of the PWHL while competing to be crowned PWHL Breakthrough
Cup champions. Registration is now open at https://playhockey.com/pwhl-breakthrough-cup

As part of the partnership, PLAY Hockey will enhance the PWHL’s grassroots hockey marketing efforts by
powering select events through registration, scheduling, event operations, experiences and more. 

“Seeing the passion from fans globally since the PWHL drop its first puck in 2024 has been both inspiring
and game changing,” said Rhys Van Kemenade, Chief Hockey Officer, PLAY Hockey. “At PLAY Hockey,
we’re committed to growing the game and advancing opportunities for women and girls in hockey
across our global portfolio of team, individual entry, tours and development events. Partnering with the
PWHL - the best women’s hockey league in the world - to continue our efforts is beyond exciting.” 

“At the PWHL, we are committed to grassroots hockey, recognizing it as the foundation of our sport,
which is why this partnership with PLAY Hockey is the perfect fit,” said Jayna Hefford, Senior Vice
President of Hockey Operations. “We know how vital it is to support young players, coaches, and
communities at every level to ensure the growth and sustainability of women’s hockey. Through this
partnership, we know we can make a great impact on the sport and foster a lifelong love for the game in
young players.” 

Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL)
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America
comprised of six teams in Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto, each with
rosters featuring the best women’s hockey players in the world. Launched on Jan. 1, 2024, the PWHL has
broken multiple attendance records and holds the worldwide all-time record for a women’s hockey
game. In 2024, the PWHL was recognized by Sports Business Journal as the Sports Breakthrough of the
Year and received the top position in the first-ever Canadian edition of the Harris Poll, which ranks
companies’ reputations. Visit thepwhl.com to purchase tickets and merchandise, and subscribe to the
PWHL e-newsletter to receive the latest league updates. Follow the league on all social media platforms
@thepwhlofficial.

PWHL, the PWHL Logo, and PWHL team names and logos are trademarks of the PWHL. © PWHL 2025.
All Rights Reserved.

About PLAY Hockey
PLAY Hockey is a global leader in youth hockey events, teams, tours and development programs.
Headquartered in Winnipeg, MB with regional operations across North America and Europe, the
company is growing the game for male and female players of all skill levels at over 110 annual events in
seven countries. PLAY Hockey is focused on providing best-in-class experiences for players, families, and
community partners. The organization provides opportunities for young players to build friendships,
have fun, and create family memories that last a lifetime. Learn more at www.playhockey.com or follow
us on all social media platforms at @playhockeyna.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
For press inquiries about PLAY Hockey please contact Andrew Wilkinson, VP, Marketing and Partnerships: awilkinson@playhockey.com
PWHL: press@thepwhl.com