The Professional Women’s Hockey League (LPHF) has been trying for almost a year now to build a plane in mid-flight, as the popular expression goes. On Wednesday, she added her newest parts so that the device could land without damage.
Among the new information revealed by videoconference by LPHF vice-president of hockey operations Jenna Hefford and league board member Stan Kasten is that relating to the playoff format, which was until now unknown.
Thus, only the first four teams, among the six existing, in the general classification after the conclusion of the regular schedule on May 5, will advance to the playoffs.
In addition, each series will take place in a best-of-five format. The highest ranked team in each of the two semi-final series will play its first two matches at home, the next two away, and the final match, if necessary, will be played at home.
Furthermore, in the hope of standing out from the main professional circuits, the LPHF has indicated that it will implement a new rule with a view to the playoffs. The team which finishes at the top of the standings at the end of the regular season will have the freedom to choose its opponent in the semi-finals between the clubs which finish in third and fourth place.
If the playoffs had started on Wednesday, Montreal would finish first in the overall standings with 24 points, followed by Minnesota (22), Toronto (21) and Boston (18). . The Montreal club would therefore have the choice between facing the Toronto or Boston team in the semi-finals.
Furthermore, the LPHF indicated that the deadline for carrying out transactions was set at March 17, at 11:59 p.m.
The date of the next LPHF draft is still unknown, but Hefford indicated it should take place around mid-June. “An announcement to this effect should be made within a few weeks,” she said.
Hefford also reiterated that the opening of the free agent market will take place on June 21.
On the other hand, Hefford said she was excited to constantly receive questions about a possible expansion process. However, she recalled that the league, which is only two months old, wishes to proceed in a careful and orderly manner, in order to avoid growing too quickly.
“No plans [d’expansion] is currently on the table,” she simply said on this subject.
Finally, Kasten indicated that we should expect that there will be more and more games taking place on neutral ground next season, possibly in NHL markets. However, he did not want to offer more details on this subject, since the league is currently working on developing its schedule for 2025.
The Montreal team is scheduled to host the Toronto team at PPG Paints Arena, home of the Pittsburgh Penguins, on March 17.