Pittsburgh aiming to land PWHL expansion franchise

The Pittsburgh Penguins are keeping close tabs on the PWHL's inaugural season and hope to bring an expansion team to the city.

"We like the initial reports on the excitement and on the attendance numbers," Penguins president of business operations Kevin Acklin told The Athletic's Hailey Salvian and Rob Rossi. "We've expressed our interest in hosting a club here in Pittsburgh for the future - that's the ultimate goal."

The PWHL launched its inaugural campaign earlier in January, consisting of six teams in Boston, New York, Minnesota, Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto.

Expansion isn't imminent, but Acklin said the Penguins will be ready whenever the time is right for the league.

"We're bullish on the future of women's professional hockey," he said. "And we want to be a part of it."

Acklin added: "Pittsburgh is one of the best sports cities anywhere, and hockey is a big part of our identity. If there's going to be a professional women's league, Pittsburgh having a team is a no-brainer."