By Will Lopes, Staff Writer
The wait is finally over. The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) and the public have now been introduced to the Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge and the Toronto Sceptres.
The PWHL’s inaugural 2023-24 season had lots of action, victory and heartbreak, but up until Sept. 9, none of the six teams carried a logo or team name. Rather they were identified by their geographical location. Now, all six of these teams have a moniker and symbol that they can be known by.
Every team name in the PWHL is entitled after a value or quality of their home city or state. The Minnesota Frost, for example, is named after the frigid conditions in the state of Minnesota. Team captain Kendall Coyne Schofield and the rest of the Frost will be sporting a dark purple uniform and are expected to hit the ice in January 2025 as the favorite to win the 2025 championship.
Professional Women’s Hockey League fans can now bring more excitement to games now that the six teams now have logos and names.
The Boston Fleet were branded in relevance to the historical role they play in America’s maritime history. Bostonians across the town will now have a team to root for that embodies their role as a nautical hub in the nation for hundreds of years. Just some 200 miles southwest, fans can find another PWHL branch, the New York Sirens. The Sirens are a reference to New York’s energetic nightlife and the name goes hand-in-hand with the sound that rings throughout the arena as the puck hits the back of the net.
Ottawa’s official motto reads as “Advance-Ottawa-En Avant” which is why they have come to be known as the Charge. Their Canadian counterpart, the Montréal Victoire, are named after their longtime endeavors for athletic excellence. The Victoire’s National Hockey League counterparts, the Montreal Canadiens, are one of the most celebrated men’s hockey teams, securing 24 championships over the past 110 years.
The last of the three Canadian teams, the Toronto Sceptres, also have a name that corresponds to the city’s history. Toronto is known as the “Queen City of Canada” and the team name is a call to the bustling Queen Street that runs through downtown Toronto.
Young hockey fans across the country now have an identity to associate with their favorite team. Players and fans alike are looking forward to seeing their new colors and branding on display. The reintroduction of the six PWHL teams was worth the wait, and all the action will be on display come January 2025.