While Olympic women’s hockey is well underway (a postponed game aside), seeing many of our PWHL current and former favourites back with their national teams has me guessing about where they’ll be come May.

After the first two PWHL seasons saw similar team match-ups with Montreal, Toronto, and Minnesota making playoffs both years, it’s exciting that fans may see a shakeup in this spring’s playoffs. Of course, we’re only midseason, with lots of hockey to play when the league returns after the Olympics. Here are some predictions.

2026 Playoff Shoo-ins

Boston, if I may, is clearly going to clinch a playoff spot. After missing the playoffs last year by one game’s loss, it’s exciting to see the Fleet consistently at the top of the standings. They sit comfortably for the Olympic break. The Fleet’s schedule after the Olympics could work against them, with five away games before they return to home ice on March 17. However, Boston has won four out of six of their away games this season (not including Takeover Tours hosted by the Fleet). Both Boston and Minnesota are on more than solid win streaks (5 for Boston, six for Minnesota).

The Victoire and The Frost have been league shoo-ins the last couple of years, and it doesn’t look like that will change anytime soon. They’re both sitting comfortably at second and third, although Montreal is not as high in the standings as they were halfway through last season. As a Toronto fan, I’d like to see a new team lift the Cup this year, although it’s not looking like it will be my team.

2026 Playoff Shake-ups

It breaks my heart to say it, but there is just no scenario where the Sceptres make the playoffs this year. They have not had a regulation win since December 27 against Montreal. Their pre-Olympic road trip was just awful, being shut out twice and losing all three games in regulation. Although nothing compared to the Fleet’s, the Sceptres’ schedule is also working against them after the Olympics. They have two road games before they’re back at home on March 3. Clearly, the Sceptres are not the same team from the last two years. It’s not just because the expansion draft stole some of the Sceptres’ best forwards. At the start of the season, I was hoping we’d get to see the Sceptres finally make it to the finals. Unfortunately, they may be stuck mirroring their NHL counterpart for now…

I’m excited for the Sirens, and I’m hoping we get to see them make a playoff run this season. I’m not sure there’s a scenario this season in which we see Ottawa and New York both make it to the postseason. However, as Natalia pointed out earlier this week, if the Charge keep winning in regulation, their playoff chances will rise.

I promise I haven’t forgotten about our expansion teams. Unfortunately, I think we will see Toronto and Seattle flip-flop for last place over the next few months. It would have been awesome to see PWHL Playoffs in Climate Pledge Arena in the Torrent’s first year.

I’m not counting Vancouver out of the playoffs just yet; it wouldn’t be fair to do so with Sarah Nurse only just returning to the season and grabbing points in each of her four games since returning. Seeing Nurse’s Olympic stats may drum up some additional Goldeneyes playoff hopes as well. The Goldeneyes could sneak up to that fourth-place standing in just a few games, depending on how the rest of the league is playing post-Olympics.

Personal Playoff Predictions

It’s going to be a tight race again this season, even with the two new teams. If I were a betting man (and I’m not), I would guess we’ll see Boston choosing between what feels like our wild cards (New York or Ottawa). With Montreal and Minnesota facing off in the postseason for the first time. I could also see Boston choosing Montreal in an effort to repeat their first-round sweep from 2024, but where’s the fun in that? If the rumoured 2026–27 expansion continues with the current draft format this offseason. The 2027 playoffs could see major shake-ups as well.