PWHL team name and logo reveal
Thumbnail courtesy of John Mac/Wikimedia Commons
Number one draft pick of the inaugural PWHL draft, Taylor Heise, is a forward for the newly named Minnesota Frost. She is a Minnesota native who played at the University of Minnesota before being drafted.
After playing the inaugural season without them, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) unveiled the names and logos of its six franchises. Known before as just a mere geographical location and one primary color, the inaugural six will now forever be known as the Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Sceptres.
Throughout the first year of the PWHL’s existence, many were critical of the league launching without team names. Nonetheless, the expedited time frame between the league’s announcement and the first games played created a unique situation, leaving each team with a location and primary color yet remaining nameless. The PWHL’s Senior Vice President of Business Operations, Amy Scheer, said, "We did a very thorough, thoughtful, and buttoned-up process. I do not think any of us are sitting here concerned about backlash, understanding that we know that we did things the right way.” The league was able to come up with six team names in nine months, each encapsulating the location's history, pride, and identity.
Starting strong with the Boston Fleet, a tribute to the city’s history with a nod to the Hartford Whalers within their logo, who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979-1997. The Minnesota Frost is a reflection of the state’s deep-rooted connection to the sport of hockey and is synonymous with their cold, icy winters. In Montréal, the Victoire’s logo contains a “hidden M,” as well as a fleur-de-lis, a depiction of the lily flower—a national symbol of Québec. The Victoire name is not supposed to be translated when a team plays outside of Montréal because the league wanted to represent Montréal and Québec the best they could by overtly using the French language.
When a team plays for the city that never sleeps, it is only right that the name stands for the sounds one hears while walking the streets, thus, the New York Sirens were born. The Chargers then, inspired by Ottawa’s motto “Advance–Ottawa–En Avant,” carries a sense of dynamism and action meant to encapsulate the capital’s energy and momentum. Lastly, the Toronto Sceptres symbolize the power and strength of the city colloquially known as Queen City. Toronto has also been known to hold another inaugural team, with the Maple Leafs being a part of the NHL’s “Original Six.” A name like the Sceptres commands the positioning of Toronto as a leader in women’s hockey both in Canada and internationally as the PWHL continues to grow.
The PWHL says that new team jerseys are still in production, but are set to be released at the end of October into early November. These jerseys, hopefully, will be a step up from the inaugural season jerseys that left fans wanting more than just a plain single-color jersey with the location diagonal across the chest. As the PWHL grows, these names and logos will become symbols of the league’s drive to lead women’s hockey into a new era. These fresh identities will solidify the league’s presence on the global sports stage, offering fans and athletes alike new symbols to rally behind.