PWHL San Jose
Sixth PWHL expansion team, debuting in 2026–27.
PWHL San Jose is a future professional women’s ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, set to join the Professional Women’s Hockey League. It is the sixth expansion franchise announced by the league, part of a second expansion wave that also includes Detroit, Hamilton, and Las Vegas, with all four teams beginning play in the 2026–27 season. The team will hold its home games at SAP Center.
The franchise was announced on May 19, 2026. San Jose was chosen despite never hosting a PWHL Takeover Tour game, making it the second expansion city without that experience. Factors cited for the decision include the strong following of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, the Bay Area’s broad support for women’s sports—highlighted by attendance records set by the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries and NWSL’s Bay FC, as well as the launch of the Women’s Pro Baseball League’s San Francisco Firebells—and California’s high participation in women’s hockey, ranking sixth in the U.S. behind five colder states. The team becomes the league’s twelfth franchise overall and its sixth expansion team. On May 22, 2026, Troy Ryan, former head coach of the Toronto Sceptres and current coach of Canada’s women’s national team, was named the team’s first head coach and general manager, becoming the first person in the PWHL to hold both roles simultaneously.
The team’s colors are orange, blue, and white, inspired by the San Jose city flag and meant to reflect the Bay Area’s optimistic energy. Orange nods to the Sharks’ secondary color and local orange groves, while blue represents the Pacific Ocean and sky. Like earlier PWHL teams, the franchise will operate temporarily as PWHL San Jose until a permanent name is chosen. San Jose mayor Matt Mahan suggested the name “Hammerheads” to honor former mayor Susan Hammer, who helped bring the Sharks to the city. PWHL Senior Vice President of Business Operations Amy Scheer confirmed that Hammerheads is on the short list of possible names.
As of July 18, 2026, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2026 was Laila Edwards, selected fourth overall.
Quick Facts
- Team
- PWHL San Jose
- City
- San Jose, California
- League
- PWHL
- Founded
- 2026
- Arena
- SAP Center
- Owner
- Mark Walter Group
- Gm
- Troy Ryan
- Captain
- TBA
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Despite San Jose not having hosted a PWHL Takeover Tour game, the success of the NHL's San Jose Sharks, the Bay Area's strong support of women's sports (with the WNBA's Golden State Valkyries and NWSL's Bay FC setting attendance records, and the creation of the Women's Pro Baseball League's San Francisco Firebells), and California's strong support of women's hockey (ranking sixth in U.S. participation behind five colder-climate states) led the PWHL to place an expansion team there. The team's founding was announced on May 19, 2026, and they will begin playing in the 2026–27 season. The team is the league's twelfth franchise overall and its sixth expansion team. On May 22, 2026, PWHL San Jose announced former Toronto Sceptres and current Canada women's national ice hockey team head coach Troy Ryan as the team's inaugural head coach and general manager, making him the first person to hold both roles simultaneously for a PWHL team. The team's colors—orange, blue and white—are inspired by the San Jose city flag and represent the Bay Area's optimistic energy; orange is an homage to the Sharks' secondary color and the area's orange groves, and blue nods to the Pacific Ocean coastline and sky. Like all previous teams, the team will temporarily operate as PWHL San Jose until a permanent identity is decided. Current San Jose mayor Matt Mahan pitched the name 'Hammerheads' in honor of former mayor Susan Hammer, who helped bring the Sharks to San Jose; PWHL Senior Vice President of Business Operations Amy Scheer confirmed that Hammerheads is on the short list of names.
Reader's Guide
PWHL San Jose marks the league's sixth expansion franchise and its twelfth overall, concluding the second round of expansions alongside Detroit, Hamilton, and Las Vegas for the 2026–27 season. The team's establishment underscores the PWHL's growth into markets without prior Takeover Tour events, relying instead on regional hockey culture and women's sports enthusiasm. The hiring of Troy Ryan as both head coach and general manager—a first for the league—signals a structural innovation. The team's colors and potential name (with 'Hammerheads' under consideration) tie the franchise to local history and geography. The team will play at SAP Center, sharing an arena with the NHL's San Jose Sharks. The 2026 draft saw Laila Edwards selected fourth overall as the team's first draft pick.
Did You Know?
- PWHL San Jose was announced on May 19, 2026, as part of the league's second round of expansions.
- The team will play home games at SAP Center, home of the NHL's San Jose Sharks.
- Troy Ryan was named the team's inaugural head coach and general manager on May 22, 2026, the first person to hold both roles simultaneously for a PWHL team.
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