USA Hockey Magazine

NOV/DEC 2025 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 39 s e a s o n s a n d w h a t i t m e a n s f o r t h e s e a s o n s a n d w h a t i t m e a n s f o r t h e future of girls hockey, with more than future of girls hockey, with more than 98,000 female players registered with 98,000 female players registered with USA Hockey. USA Hockey. "It's been a remarkable two years for "It's been a remarkable two years for the sport, specifically when you look at the sport, specifically when you look at the women's game and just the growth the women's game and just the growth that we've seen. The ability to walk into that we've seen. The ability to walk into an arena in eight different cities on a given an arena in eight different cities on a given night and see a game, or to turn on the TV night and see a game, or to turn on the TV or YouTube, in addition to the Rivalry or YouTube, in addition to the Rivalry Series and the World Championships Series and the World Championships being on NHL Network. The amount of being on NHL Network. The amount of awareness around the game has exponen- awareness around the game has exponen- tially risen in the last two years, and with tially risen in the last two years, and with that comes growth. that comes growth. "That's what excites me so much "That's what excites me so much is knowing USA Hockey had a is knowing USA Hockey had a r e c o r d n u m b e r o f g i r l s a n d r e c o r d n u m b e r o f g i r l s a n d women registering for the game, women registering for the game, which goes to the awareness. which goes to the awareness. As Billie Jean King always says, As Billie Jean King always says, 'You need to see it to be it.' "People 'You need to see it to be it.' "People are seeing it. Now the next genera- are seeing it. Now the next genera- tion of kids want to be it because tion of kids want to be it because they are seeing it." they are seeing it." Once the puck drops for the Once the puck drops for the PWHL regular season on Nov. PWHL regular season on Nov. 2 1 , C o y n e S c h o f i e l d a n d h e r 2 1 , C o y n e S c h o f i e l d a n d h e r Minnesota teammates will be Minnesota teammates will be f o c u s e d o n m a k i n g s u r e t h e f o c u s e d o n m a k i n g s u r e t h e Walter Cup stays in St. Paul and Walter Cup stays in St. Paul and the State of Hockey. the State of Hockey. " We're going to work every " We're going to work every day to try and do it again," she said. day to try and do it again," she said. "That's all that we can do is just put in "That's all that we can do is just put in the work and that's obviously the goal the work and that's obviously the goal when season starts." when season starts." P The 2025-26 PWHL regular season begins on Nov. 21 with the Minnesota Frost hosting the Toronto Sceptres at Grand Casino Arena. 15,800+ Registered Female Players In Minnesota (Most In The U.S.) 13,316 Fans At Frost's Inaugural Home Opener 3 National Championships Wo n B y L e e St e c k l e i n At The University of Minnesota Check Out The Full 2025-26 PWHL Schedule! on the Walter Cup this season, which on the Walter Cup this season, which features all eight PWHL franchises features all eight PWHL franchises playing a 30-game regular season playing a 30-game regular season schedule. However, they also know schedule. However, they also know how hard it will be to lift the Walter how hard it will be to lift the Walter Cup again, especially with two new Cup again, especially with two new franchises in Seattle and Vancouver franchises in Seattle and Vancouver entering the fold. entering the fold. "Nothing in the PWHL is easy "Nothing in the PWHL is easy since every team is pretty great, since every team is pretty great, but we'll see," Heise said. "Doing but we'll see," Heise said. "Doing it twice was harder than doing it it twice was harder than doing it once. Every team is different, and once. Every team is different, and we had to find our own way. We we had to find our own way. We were not the best team on paper, were not the best team on paper, and I don't even feel bad saying it and I don't even feel bad saying it because everyone would say that because everyone would say that about us. I just think we came about us. I just think we came together at the right time, and we together at the right time, and we had the veteran leadership." had the veteran leadership." T h a t s t a r t s w i t h C o y n e T h a t s t a r t s w i t h C o y n e Schofield, the Frost's captain and Schofield, the Frost's captain and three-time Olympian. three-time Olympian. Coyne Schofield, like Stecklein, does Coyne Schofield, like Stecklein, does not view Minnesota's success through not view Minnesota's success through Frost-tinted glasses. Instead, Schofield Frost-tinted glasses. Instead, Schofield likes to celebrate the overall growth of likes to celebrate the overall growth of the PWHL through the league's first two the PWHL through the league's first two Doing it twice was harder than doing it once. Every team is different, and we had to find our own way." — TAY L O R H E I S E yoKffL4IFSk VIDEO | 2025 WALTER CUP FINALS BEHIND-THE-SCENES

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