Top-seeded PWHL team will pick playoff opponent

The PWHL announced a unique playoff format Wednesday that requires the top-seeded club to select its first-round opponent.

The top four of the six teams in the league standings qualify for the postseason, which begins the week of May 6. The first seed will have a 24-hour window to choose between the third- and fourth-place team as its opponent.

Playoffs are scheduled to be two best-of-five rounds. Montreal paces the league standings with 24 points while Minnesota, Toronto, and Boston round out the top four entering play Wednesday.

The league also announced an innovative strategy to determine the 2024 draft order for teams outside the postseason. Once a team is mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, it will begin to accrue "draft order points" using the league's standard point system. The team with the most draft order points at the end of the season earns the first overall pick, while the runner-up receives the second selection.

The league announced earlier this week that the 2024 draft will be held in June.