Photograph by Ty Hickey.
The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) rebranded its name before going into its seventh season.
The PHF was founded in 2015 under the name National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL). It was the first women’s hockey league in North America to pay its players. It is currently the only professional women’s hockey league in North America.
From 2015-2019 there was the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, a former professional women’s hockey league.
According to the PHF’s press release, the change “re-defines the league’s brand based on the skill and talent of its athletes as opposed to their gender.”
They are also the first women’s professional sports league in North America to take “women’s” out of its title.
For the 2021-22 season, the PHF will have games broadcasted in the United States through ESPN+ and through Twitch internationally.
Their season will start on Nov. 6 with a 2 p.m. matchup between the Connecticut Whale and the Metropolitan Riveters at Mennen Ice Arena in New Jersey.