The GIST

Vancouver awarded first-ever PWHL expansion team as this season’s playoff race heats up

It’s happening. Well, two things are happening: The PWHL is expanding, officially naming Vancouver as its seventh franchise on Wednesday, and this season’s on-ice action returns from the international break tomorrow. A women’s hockey double whammy? Yes, please.

April 25, 2025

Everything you need to know about the 2024–25 NHL Playoffs

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After grinding through 82 regular-season games, it’s time to wipe the slate clean. Sixteen NHL playoff teams are contending for the Stanley Cup, the hardest trophy to win in sports.

April 19, 2025

Breaking down the five postseason-bound Canadian teams

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Count ’em — not one, not two, not three, not four, but five Canadian NHL teams are playoff-bound this season, the most since 2017. That means five chances to end Canada’s 32-year Stanley Cup drought. Eh-xcellent.

April 18, 2025

PWHL shares Takeover Tour wins that prove women’s sports should activate out-of-market

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The PWHL shared wins from its first-ever Takeover Tour today, which saw all six teams play games at nine different exhibition sites across the U.S. and Canada. Not only was this a brilliant strategy to market test in potential PWHL cities, but the tour spurred engagement and allowed the league to reach new hockey fans.

April 11, 2025

Everything you need to know about the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship

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If you thought February’s 4 Nations Face-Off was feisty, buckle up — the 24th IIHF Women’s World Championship begins from Czechia today, with the globe’s 10 best women’s national hockey teams in action in the game’s top tourney. So while PWHL teams are on break until the end of the month, some spicy international rivalries are about to take the ice. Pass the milk.

April 09, 2025

PWHL and Greenfly partnership illustrates marketing opportunity in tunnel walks

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Since the beginning, the PWHL has been intentional in its development, from signing a CBA before the puck dropped to nabbing early broadcast and founding partners. One of those decisions — a deal with software company Greenfly — has provided insight into how athlete engagement behaviors can shape sponsorship, especially amid the growth opportunity of tunnel walks.

April 09, 2025

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin notches 895th career goal, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL scoring record

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The GR8 Chase is over — Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal in yesterday’s 4–1 loss to the NY Islanders, making him the top goal scorer in NHL history. Here’s a look at the historic hockey moment, by the numbers.

April 07, 2025

Sports News

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is 13 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record

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February 24, 2025

If you thought last week’s 4 Nations Face-Off was fun, then feast your eyes on Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who’s now just 13 goals away from breaking the NHL’s all-time career goals record, a mark long held by Wayne “The Great One” Gretzky. History is happening.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #454

It’s PWHL expansion time

April 24, 2025

Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify

It’s happening!

The PWHL is officially growing. Yesterday, the upstart pro women’s hockey league announced it’s expanding to Vancouver for the 2025-26 season, delighting local fans who turned out in massive numbers during the PWHL Takeover Tour’s stop in the city.

On this episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Steph Rotz and Lauren Tuiskula dig into why Vancouver was chosen as the league’s first expansion team and what that means for the future of the PWHL. Let’s do that hockey.

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