新赛季女冰联赛9月7日开打，队伍实力更均衡、比赛更具悬念

Core Viewpoint - The 2025-2026 season of the Chinese Women's Ice Hockey Professional League will commence on September 7, 2025, in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, with a reduction in teams from 7 to 5, leading to a more balanced competition and increased suspense in matches [1][2] Group 1: League Structure and Schedule - The new season will feature a total of 30 regular season games and 8 playoff games, continuing until March 7, 2026 [1] - Regular season matches will take place in three locations: Hulunbuir (September 7-12), Qiqihar (November 29-December 4), and Tangshan (December 20-25), using a single round-robin format [1] - The top four teams from the regular season will advance to the finals held at Harbin Sports University, which will utilize a best-of-three format for championship and third-place matches [1] Group 2: Team Composition and Player Development - The league will consist of 5 teams with a total of 162 athletes, representing regions including Beijing, Hebei, Sichuan, and clubs from Shenzhen and Qiqihar [1] - The introduction of foreign players is continued, allowing teams to sign up to 5 foreign athletes (excluding goalkeepers), with 8 Canadian and Russian players currently signed by Qiqihar and Shenzhen Kunlun Hongxing [2] - The league's maturation is fostering the development of young players, with notable improvements seen in athletes like Wu Sijia, Zhang Biyang, Wang Jiaxin, and Zhao Ziyu [2] Group 3: Long-term Goals and Challenges - The Chinese Ice Hockey Association acknowledges the disappointment of not qualifying for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics but emphasizes the importance of domestic league development for nurturing future talent [2] - The focus is on long-term objectives, particularly the 2030 Winter Olympics, highlighting the necessity of maintaining a robust domestic league to support the growth of younger teams [2]