What a 24 hour span for hockey in Michigan. Less than a full day after the PWHL announced that Detroit would be receiving an expansion team beginning in the 2026-27 season, the league also confirmed that the city would also be hosting the 2026 entry draft, and 2025-26 Awards ceremony as well.
“Bringing professional women’s hockey to Hockeytown is an undeniable next step for the PWHL and the storied hockey market,” the league said in a prepared statement. “Detroit has welcomed the PWHL from the very beginning, starting with hosting the league’s first-ever neutral-site game at Little Caesars Arena during the league’s inaugural season in 2024, drawing 13,736 fans. Since then, local support has only grown, with Detroit hosting four PWHL games over three seasons — the most of any neutral-site city. Among those games were crowds of 14,288 fans, setting a then-U.S. arena attendance record for women’s hockey on March 16, 2025, and a Little Caesars Arena women’s hockey attendance high of 15,938 at the city’s last Takeover Tour™ game on March 28, 2026, cementing Detroit fans’ demand for a PWHL team to call their own.”
The new franchise will play their home games out of Little Caesar’s Arena, which also houses the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, and the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings.
The offseason festivities will officially kick off on Tuesday June 16th when the 2026 PWHL Awards will descend upon the Motor City. This will then be followed on the 17th by the 2026 PWHL Draft which will operate out of the Fox Theatre.
The league also confirmed a timeline of when finalists for each of the major awards would be announced, which will be as follows:
Tuesday, May 19: Forward of the Year
Wednesday, May 20: Defender of the Year
Thursday, May 21: Goaltender of the Year presented by Rogers
Friday, May 22: Coach of the Year
Tuesday, May 26: Rookie of the Year presented by Ally Financial
Wednesday, May 27: Billie Jean King MVP Award
In addition to the league’s 6 major awards, the league’s First and Second All-Star teams will be announced at the annual ceremony, as will the All-Rookie Team. They will also highlight the PWHL’s Hockey For All Award winner, the Intact Impact Award winner, and the league’s Top Goal Scorer & Points Leader Award (both won by Minnesota’s Kelly Pannek) as well.
The Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP Award will be presented at the conclusion of the Walter Cup Finals.
As in years past, voting on the awards will be comprised of a cross section of representatives which will use a weighted vote model.
- 50% of voting points from media across North America, including all PWHL markets
- 25% from PWHL General Managers and Head Coaches
- 15% from PWHL broadcast talent
- 10% from the PWHL Players Association (PWHLPA)
With the regular season already wrapped up, ballots have already all been cast at this point. Meaning that the Ilana Kloss award is truly the only item still up for grabs.
Ticket presales for the events are expected to go live on Tuesday May 12th at 10am ET.
Photo: PWHL