The new Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) kicks off on 1 January, with six teams competing in a 72-game season. Led by former US women's ice hockey team captain Natalie Darwitz, the Minnesota team will be the only franchise to play home matches in a NHL rink, sharing the Xcel Energy Centre with the Minnesota Wild. The team will comprise 14 players from Minnesota, including Kelly Pannek and former US team member Taylor Heise, who described it as "an honour" to represent her home state. The Toronto team will take on New York in the opening game, which will be available to view on CBC Sports in Canada and CBS Sports in the US.