2020–21 NWHL season
The 2020–21 NWHL season was the league’s sixth season. To keep players safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, the league held a single “bubble” in Lake Placid, New York, from January 23 to February 5, 2021. Six teams played there, including the new Toronto Six, the league’s first Canada-based team. All games were played without fans.
The season faced several disruptions. The Metropolitan Riveters had to withdraw after many in the team tested positive for COVID-19. The Connecticut Whale forfeited their final game and later pulled out of the playoffs. On February 3, the league suspended the season due to more positive cases. The Isobel Cup playoffs were later moved to March 26–27 at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton, Massachusetts.
Regular-season champions were the Toronto Six. The season MVP was Mikyla Grant-Mentis of Toronto, and the top scorers were tied with nine points: Kaleigh Fratkin of Boston and Mikyla Grant-Mentis of Toronto.
In the playoffs, the Boston Pride won the Isobel Cup, defeating the Minnesota Whitecaps in the final. Jillian Dempsey was the Finals MVP.
The season was broadcast on Twitch for regular-season games, with NBC Sports Network carrying the Isobel Cup semifinals and final. Because of the bubble, there were no in-person attendance numbers.
The league also pushed growth in other ways, with new sponsorships (Discover Card, Dick’s Sporting Goods) and a focus on independent team ownership and all-women officials. The Toronto Six’s entry marked a notable expansion for the league, which continued to adapt during the pandemic.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 03:11 (CET).