The CWHL was an initiative spearheaded by players including Jennifer Botterill, Lisa-Marie Breton, Allyson Fox, Kathleen Kauth, Kim McCullough, and Sami Jo Small, all of whom played in the original National Women's Hockey League, which disbanded in 2007.

[12] The league announced on April 19, 2011, that it would expand to Alberta ahead of the 2011–12 season, welcoming a single team combining the former Edmonton Chimos and Strathmore Rockies of the WWHL.

[13][14] The move effectively marked the end of the WWHL, and controversially left its remaining teams—the Whitecaps and the Manitoba Maple Leafs—as independent teams without a league to play in.

In November 2012, the CWHL announced partnerships between the Furies and Inferno with their local National Hockey League (NHL) counterparts, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames.

[17][18] The announcement marked a reversal from the position that sponsorships could not be directed to particular teams but only to the league, with the partnerships providing funding for coaches, equipment, and travel expenses, and greater opportunities for marketing and promotion.

However, Rylan ultimately changed plans and instead announced the establishment of a new National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) with four teams in the Northeastern United States.

[25][26] The expansion plan was designed to help Chinese hockey development in preparation for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, while bringing significant partnership revenue to the CWHL.

[26][28] Kunlun Red Star's debut season was a success, with the team advancing to the Clarkson Cup final, losing 2–1 in overtime to the Thunder.

[39][40] The Furies, Les Canadiennes, and the Inferno all released statements that their organizations intended to continue supporting women's hockey and pursuing professional opportunities.

[41][42][43] However, The Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays proved to be the only former CWHL team to participate in a 2019–20 season by joining the Russian Zhenskaya Hockey League.

[48] The relationship was further strained by a refusal by the NHL to fully back either entity, and suggesting that it had interest in starting its own women's league from scratch.

[52][53] The PWHPA itself had a tumultuous relationship with the NWHL—which was rebranded as the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) in 2021—rejecting overtures at merging and holding out for the construction of a new league with greater financial backing.

[54] For several years, players with the PWHPA courted corporate, media, and NHL partnerships, and organized a "Dream Gap" tour to showcase top-level women's hockey.

[56][57] The PWHPA then organized a formal union and negotiated a collective bargaining agreement as part of the establishment of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), which began play in January 2024 with six teams in Canada and the US.

The first league draft was held on August 12, 2010, at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto; Olympic gold medalist Tessa Bonhomme was the first overall selection.

[63] Sportsnet was ultimately criticized for its limited coverage, broadcasting just three games per season, and its lack of licensing fees paid to the league, a problem common to women's sports.