2018–19 NWHL season
The 2018–19 NWHL season is the fourth season of the National Women's Hockey League. All four teams from the previous three seasons returned: the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, and the Metropolitan Riveters while the Minnesota Whitecaps entered the league as an expansion team bringing the league to five teams. League news and notes This is the first full season of the Buffalo Beauts being owned and controlled by Pegula Sports and Entertainment, the owners of the Buffalo Sabres NHL team, instead of the league. The Beauts took part in a doubleheader event immediately before a Sabres game on December 29, 2018, at KeyBank Center. On May 15, 2018, the league announced its first expansion franchise; the Minnesota Whitecaps had been purchased by the league and had joined the NWHL for the 2018–19 season. The Whitecaps had played in the Western Women's Hockey League (WWHL) from 2004 to 2011 and then operated independently from any league after the WWHL ceased operations, including playing a few exhibition games against other NWHL teams during the inaugural 2015–16 season. On August 13, 2018, the Minnesota Wild revealed its partnership with the Whitecaps. As part of a cross-promotional marketing agreement, the Whitecaps' home