Finally

News broke early today as the PWHL decided to announce the dates and locations of their 2025-26 Takeover Tour stops. I received an email in my inbox that arrived approximately 30 minutes before the official social media blitz began, but the announcement that the PWHL was coming to Winnipeg to play at the Canada Life Centre felt like a big "finally" had been lifted off this city. Until this year's tournament in April 2025 in Czechia, the IIHF Women's World Championship attendance record had been held by Winnipeg and Selkirk when that event saw 119,231 fans fill the stands in 2007. For some reason, though, Winnipeg has never been on the radar since.

Well, that claim is no more as the PWHL announced that the Montreal Victoire, led by Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey, will play against the Ottawa Charge, led by Brianne Jenner and Manitoban Jocelyne Larocque, on March 22, 2026 at Canada Life Centre at 6pm CT. For a city that has largely been overlooked by both Hockey Canada and the PWHL when it comes to any sort of games being played here, Winnipeg now has a big opportunity to prove that this city is filled with women's hockey fans. You know what to do, Winnipeg.

We've been fortunate to speak to many women on The Hockey Show who have said they'd love to watch a game here. True North Sports and Entertainment isn't ignorant to the fact that there are many women's and girls' hockey games at all levels being played throughout this city on any given night, and I would guess that they're trying to measure the interest level if an expansion or relocation opportunity were to present itself. The latter might be most compelling.

As you know, the Manitoba Moose were once the Minnesota Moose in the IHL. After that, they joined the AHL where they became the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks until 2011 when a new tenant moved into the MTS Centre - now Canada Life Centre - after relocating from Atlanta. The Moose headed east to St. John's, Newfoundland where they became the IceCaps until the Jets decided to move their franchise closer to Winnipeg in 2015. After an arena deal in Thunder Bay fell through, the Moose moved back into the MTS Centre. Note the number of relocations for the same franchise.

Of course, there was also a relocation that allowed the Winnipeg Jets to return to the NHL. The Atlanta Thrashers franchise was officially sold to True North Sports and Entertainment on May 31, 2011, and the relocation of the Thrashers was completed that summer as the Winnipeg Jets took flight for the second time in Winnipeg on October 9, 2011 against the Montreal Canadiens. Again, another relocated franchise lands in Winnipeg under True North's watch.

Why am I talking about relocation? Well, it seems that the future of the Ottawa Charge in the nation's capital is bleak based on recent developments there. That's not to say that the PWHL is listening to offers nor is there a "For Sale" sign on the front lawn, but the changes to the arena situation in Ottawa may force the PWHL's hand in finding a suitable arena in which the Charge can play. Ottawa has none.

You see where I'm going with this, don't you?

True North Sports and Entertainment is already experienced when it comes to relocating teams to Winnipeg. Moreover, a Winnipeg-based team would give Minnesota a natural geographic rival, Winnipeg is relatively the same distance from Vancouver as Seattle is from Minneapolis/St. Paul, and there are arena owners who would love to block out more nights on the calendar where their arena has people in it. The PWHL is likely looking for a 10,000-seat arena at minimum, they'd need a market that has lots of potential sponsors, and they'd need a market where the fans are rabid for women's hockey.

I'll fully admit that the previous paragraph is all speculation. There are other cities like Edmonton, Calgary, and Quebec City that have shown they'd be willing to support professional women's hockey as well, but I truly believe Winnipeg has a shot at being among the short-listed cities if the Charge are forced to move. What would significantly help that cause is selling out the Canada Life Centre when the Victoire and the Charge meet here on March 22.

Winnipeg, we've done it before in 2007 when the best women's players on the planet came to our city and put on a show. We responded by setting an attendance record that stood for 18 years before Czechia broke it this season, and we only had nine teams playing as opposed to the ten that skated in České Budějovice. If Winnipeggers are serious about having a professional women's franchise in this city, let's do our part as fans and buy tickets to sell out the arena when tickets go on sale on Thursday and Friday.

You can cheer for Manitobans Jocelyne Larocque and Logan Angers on the Charge and Kati Tabin on the Victoire if you want to cheer for local heroes. We shouldn't forget Montreal's Kaitlin Willoughby and Ottawa's Emma Bergesen who skated for the Saskatchewan Huskies and Mount Royal Cougars, respectively. And one cannot overlook names like Marie-Philip Poulin, Erin Ambrose, Brianne Jenner, Hayley Scamurra, Shiann Darkangelo, and Ann-Renée Desbiens when it comes to what they've done on the international stage. The stars will be out in Winnipeg, so let's give them a Winnipeg playoff crowd!

Of course, the holiday season is coming, and tickets to the first-ever professional women's hockey game played in Winnipeg would be a wonderful gift no matter which holiday or observance one celebrates. Imagine your little hockey fan's excitement upon receiving that gift, knowing he or she will be going to see the best women's players on the planet! That's a core memory unlocked for many!

Honestly, it's pretty cool to finally get the PWHL to come to town. If we want this to happen again (and perhaps more regularly), we need to fill the arena on March 22! Let's get it done, Winnipeg!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!