PWHL unveils long-awaited names for its six teams ahead of Season 2

This image released by the PWHL shows the new logos for the six hockey teams on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024.The Associated Press

After playing its debut season with no team names, the Professional Women’s Hockey League has finally unveiled the long-awaited identities and logos for its six teams ahead of Season 2.

In its inaugural year, the teams were known solely by their location – Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, New York, Minnesota and Boston. Each PWHL club will keep the colours they wore in the kickoff season, but now they also have distinct identities for players and fans to embrace.

The teams have been named the Toronto Sceptres, Montréal Victoire, Ottawa Charge, Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost and New York Sirens.

The PWHL consulted creative agency Flower Shop to develop the identities, which are inspired by the places in which the teams play.

The “Sceptres” embody Toronto’s regal history and commanding presence, reflected in the moniker Queen City and iconic places like Queen Street. The team keeps the royal blue colour, and adds the ornamented Sceptre, a symbol of power in courts and palaces.

‘Victoire’ is a nod to Montréal’s competitive spirit. In burgundy, it incorporates the Goddess of Victory. A hidden ‘M’ within the wings pays homage to the city. It also integrates a fleur-de-lis, a symbol of Québec.

“Charge” pays tribute to Ottawa, inspired by the Capital city’s motto “Advance – Ottawa – En Avant.” The logo, in red, features a monogram ‘O’ that conveys energy and movement.

“Fleet” pays homage to Boston’s maritime history, incorporating a letter ‘B’ in the team’s primary deep green color with an anchor.

“Frost” embodies Minnesota’s love for the ice, and features a stylized ‘F’ in the team’s core purple with sharp points, reminiscent of icicles.

“Sirens” is an ode to New York City’s unique sounds and people as well as the blare of the goal horn after the puck goes into the net. The logo, in teal, has an ‘NY’ and incorporates the city’s skyline.

“Over the inaugural season, we rigorously developed the most authentic team brands for each city,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL Senior Vice President of Business Operations. “We want these to become symbols that our players and fans alike can rally behind as we move forward in this new chapter of our journey.”

These names are different from those that die-hard PWHL fans had been spying on the U.S. Patent and Trademark website over the past year. There, fans had noticed trademark applications for names like Toronto Torch, Montreal Echo, Ottawa Alert, Minnesota Superior, New York Sound, and Boston Wicked. That had women’s hockey enthusiasts speculating for a year about what the PWHL teams would be named. Meanwhile the real names were kept well under wraps.

The new team jerseys, created in collaboration with Bauer, will be unveiled closer to the start of the 2024-25 season. But gear and accessories for each team are available now on the PWHL’s official team shop.

Launched on Jan. 1, 2024, the PWHL broke multiple attendance records, including the worldwide all-time record for a women’s hockey game.