The 2024-25 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) regular season has started, and there is certainly a buzz going around the city of Montreal. Nine games in, the Montreal Victoire sit in second place for the entire league.
It was a disappointing ending to the team’s inaugural season in 2024 for the team and its fans. The team lost three straight overtime games to get swept out of the playoff semi-finals against Boston back in May. Yet, the team displayed several positive storylines that carried into the new season.
Forward and team captain Marie-Phillip Poulin finished 2024 in third place for scoring leaders across the league. This was backstopped by a goaltending duo consisting of Olympian Anne-Renée Desbiens and league leader in save percentage and goals against average, Elaine Chuli.
The team also came into the new season with new jerseys, a revamped logo, and an official team name: the “Montreal Victoire.” On top of these additions was a change of their home venue. The Victoire are now playing their home games full-time at Place Bell, which holds a capacity of 10,000 fans, compared to just over 4,000 at their old home, the Verdun Auditorium. Two of their three home games have reached full capacity.
The team has continued to play in front of thousands of fans on the road, too. The Victoire have regularly played in the arenas of National Hockey League teams, including one at the Vancouver Canucks’ Rogers Arena. This game against the Toronto Sceptres saw over 19,000 fans in attendance — a league-high for fans this season.
In terms of standings, the Victoire have not disappointed.
The PWHL uses a 3-2-1 point system as compared to the traditional 2-1-0, which means that a regulation win earns a team three points, an overtime win earns two points, and an overtime loss earns one. As of Jan. 13, Montreal holds a record of four regulation wins, two overtime wins, one overtime loss, and two regulation losses. This is good for 17 points in the league standings.
The Victoire have also had their fair share of milestones early in the season.
Five players, including four rookie skaters, have scored their first career PWHL goal. Forward Abby Boreen, who Montreal acquired from the Minnesota Frost in the offseason, is tied for first in team scoring. This has given the Victoire additional scoring they did not have last season. Seven players are within one point of first place in team scoring for Montreal, displaying the team’s scoring depth thus far.
The Montreal Victoire still has 21 games to play in the regular season before it wraps up on May 2. If they finish in the top four in the standings, they will compete in the playoffs for a second straight season. The ultimate goal for the Victoire is to compete in the Walter Cup.