PWHL announces unique format for first All-Star event in Toronto

The first PWHL All-Star tournament is headed to Toronto, the league announced on Thursday, Sept. 24 , featuring a four-team, 3-on-3 tournament at Scotiabank Arena.

The PWHL-hosted All-Star event will take place March 7, 2027, and will feature a round-robin format between PWHL Canada, PWHL International, PWHL USA, and PWHL Rookies.

The format of the inaugural event follows a similar path as the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, where the U.S. women's hockey team beat Canada in 2026.

The starts will be determined by a combination of voting from fans, players and media, while league officials will select reserve players.

The first ranked team will advance directly to the finals while the second and third ranked teams will meet in a semifinal game.

Each team is made up of six forwards, three defenders and one goaltender.

Full programming and event details, including voting, roster construction, ticketing, and gameplay rules, will be announced leading up to the event, league officials say.

The league makes its return to Canada since it first dropped the puck on Jan. 1, 2024, when Toronto hosted New York in the first game in PWHL history at Mattamy Athletic Centre.

The PWHL will start its preseason on Tuesday, Nov. 22.

Detroit will play its first game at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 23 at the Morgan Firestone Arena in Ancaster, Ottawa, Canada, against the Charge.

Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com.