The PWHL Playoffs is the annual playoff tournament of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) that determines the league champion and winner of the Walter Cup. The playoffs consist of two rounds: the semifinals and the PWHL Finals. All series are played in a best-of-five format with a 2âÂÂ2âÂÂ1 home ice arrangement.
The playoffs feature several unique elements, most notably the playoff opponent selection rule, where the first-place team chooses its semifinal opponent from the third- and fourth-place teams. The playoffs began in May 2024, with the Minnesota Frost winning both championships to date (2024 and 2025).
At the conclusion of the 30-game PWHL regular season, the top four teams by points qualify for the playoffs. Teams earn points using a 3-2-1-0 system:
If teams are tied in points, the tiebreakers are:
One of the most distinctive features of the PWHL playoffs is the playoff opponent selection rule. The first-place team is given a 24-hour window after the regular season concludes to choose its semifinal opponent from either the third- or fourth-place team. The second-place team then faces the remaining team.
This rule gives the top seed a strategic advantage, allowing them to select the matchup they feel most confident about. The selection is announced publicly through league channels.
Both rounds of the playoffs use a best-of-five series format with a 2âÂÂ2âÂÂ1 home ice arrangement:
Unlike the regular season, playoff games use traditional sudden-death overtime periods. If a game is tied after regulation:
This differs from regular season overtime, which features 5 minutes of 3-on-3 play followed by a best-of-five shootout if necessary.
The inaugural PWHL playoffs began on May 8, 2024, and concluded on May 29, 2024. Toronto finished first in the regular season and exercised the playoff opponent selection rule, choosing to play fourth-place Minnesota. This left Montreal (2nd) to face Boston (3rd).
Semifinals:
Finals: Minnesota defeated Boston 3âÂÂ2 in a five-game series to capture the first Walter Cup championship. The decisive Game 5 ended 3âÂÂ0, with Nicole Hensley earning a shutout and Liz Schepers scoring the championship-winning goal.
Taylor Heise led all playoff scorers and was awarded the inaugural Ilana Kloss Playoff Most Valuable Player Award.
The 2025 playoffs began on May 7, 2025, and concluded on May 26, 2025. Montreal finished first and selected third-place Ottawa as their opponent, leaving Toronto (2nd) to face Minnesota (4th).
Semifinals:
Finals: Minnesota defeated Ottawa 3âÂÂ1 to win their second consecutive Walter Cup. All four games were decided by 2âÂÂ1 overtime scores, marking only the second time in professional hockey history that a championship series featured four consecutive overtime games.
Liz Schepers scored the championship-winning goal in overtime of Game 4, making her the only player to score championship-winning goals in consecutive years. Lee Stecklein became the first defender in PWHL playoff history to lead in scoring with 8 points.
Gwyneth Philips of the Ottawa Charge was awarded the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP Award, becoming the second consecutive rookie to win the award, the first goaltender, and the first player from the losing team to receive the honor. Philips led all goaltenders with a 1.23 goals-against average and .952 save percentage in eight playoff starts, posting four wins and one shutout without losing a game in regulation.
The PWHL playoffs have drawn strong attendance figures, building on the league's regular season success.
The 2024 playoffs drew 84,040 fans in 12 playoff games (overall average: 7,230). During the regular season, the league set new attendance records and "sold merchandise faster than they could keep it in stock", and gained a long list of corporate sponsors.
The 2025 PWHL Finals averaged 8,378 fans per game, an 11.6% increase over the 2024 Finals (7,504 average). Game 4 drew a playoff-high 11,024 fans at Minnesota's Xcel Energy Center.
Total playoff attendance for the 2024âÂÂ25 season was 84,040 across 12 games. Combined with regular season attendance, the league reached 737,455 total fans for the season.
In the United States, playoff coverage varies by team market:
In Canada, playoff games are broadcast on TSN (English) and RDS (French). The PWHL Finals air exclusively on TSN/RDS