PWHL names and logos receive mixed reactions: ‘You will never please everyone’

Hockey star Hilary Knight wouldn’t expect anything less.

More than a year after the circuit was founded, the Professional Women’s Hockey League unveiled much-anticipated names and logos for all six franchises on Monday.

Many fans took to social media to share their love for the new looks, but others weren’t so sure.

"It's tough,” said Knight, captain of the Boston Fleet. “Whenever you launch something, people are like, 'Oh, I don't know if I like it,' right? There's always sort of a mixed bag of reactions.

PWHL unveils team nicknames and logos entering women’s hockey league’s 2nd season

They are no-names no longer.

In a process nearly a year in the making, the Professional Women’s Hockey League on Monday unveiled the nicknames and logos for each of its six franchises entering its second season.

There’s a Fleet sailing into Boston, a Frost settling in Minnesota and Sirens in New York. For the teams north of the border, there will be Victoire in Montreal, a Charge in Ottawa and the wielding of Sceptres — yes, the Canadian spelling — in Toronto.

The long-anticipated names and logos arrive after time constraints — the league was founded in late June 2023 and began play on Jan. 1 — led to the PWHL spending its inaugural season referring to each team with a PWHL prefix, such as PWHL Minnesota, which won the first Walter Cup championship in May.

PWHL reveals names, logos for all six franchises ahead of second season

The Professional Women’s Hockey League’s team names and logos have finally arrived.

After a season of canvassing fans, players and general managers, the PWHL unveiled long-awaited branding for all six franchises on Monday.

The Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge and Toronto Sceptres will take the ice when the league enters its second season.

"It's a super exciting day, not only for the players to finally be able to say that we play on the Sceptres — it's a lot easier to say than PWHL Toronto, so that's a plus for us,” Sceptres captain Blayre Turnbull said on a conference call after the announcement.

Coca-Cola Coliseum to be primary venue for PWHL Toronto in 2024-25 season

Coca-Cola Coliseum will be the primary venue of the Professional Women's Hockey League's Toronto franchise this upcoming season, the club announced on Tuesday.

Toronto played 11 of its 12 regular-season home games at Toronto Metropolitan University's Mattamy Athletic Centre during its inaugural 2024 campaign.

The exception was a mid-February game held at Scotiabank Arena, home of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, where they played in front of a sold-out crowd.

Toronto played its playoff games at Coca-Cola Coliseum, which is also home to the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies.

Trying to make sense of chaos ahead of NCAA Hockey Summit

Navigating the sometimes bewildering landscape of elite hockey in North America can be difficult and Sean Hogan wants to help. The executive director of College Hockey Inc., a grant-based organization that promotes NCAA hockey, will be in Winnipeg next week as part of the Winnipeg NCAA Hockey Summit to speak to prospective college players and their parents. Recent suggestions that the NCAA was preparing to lift a 40-year ban on players who have played or signed with Canadian Hockey League teams has been a hot topic, with far reaching implications for prospects deciding between the college or major-junior routes. DAVID […]

MacGillivray joins Patrick behind bench of WHL’s Victoria Royals

Two of Manitoba’s most accomplished junior hockey coaches are joining forces.

This week, the WHL’s Victoria Royals added veteran hockey man Don MacGillivray as an assistant coach on the staff of head coach James Patrick.

MacGillivray, a 59-year-old Winnipegger, is changing teams for the second time in as many years.

He spent the 2023-24 season as an assistant coach with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen and head coach Steve Hamilton before the entire staff was dismissed after missing the playoffs. Prior to that, MacGillivray served as head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings from from 2020 until late 2022.

Hockey Canada introduces new junior-level rules in western pilot project

CALGARY - Hockey Canada is trying out a series of changes in the western provinces in an attempt to streamline the development of junior players.

The new rules are part of the Western Canadian Development Model pilot project for the 2024-25 season that the national sport organization announced on Thursday. It was created following an extensive proposal submitted to Hockey Canada by its four western members, their respective junior A leagues and the major junior Western Hockey League.

“The unity between Hockey Canada and the 10 organizations that led the development of the pilot project has never been stronger, and we are grateful for the tremendous work by the members and leagues that led to today’s announcement,” said Pat McLaughlin, chief operating officer and executive vice-president of strategy for Hockey Canada. “We all must continue to evolve to meet the needs of Canadians looking to participate in our national winter sport in a system that operates with an athlete-centred approach and ensures their development and safety on and off the ice is at the forefront of everything we do."

That includes mandating that junior A players under the age of 18 must continue to wear full-face protection, in line with the International Ice Hockey Federation. Players over 18 may now choose to wear half-face protection.

PWHL Montreal signs Boulier, Keopple and Chuli to contract extensions

Montreal’s Professional Women’s Hockey League team signed defenders Amanda Boulier and Mariah Keopple and goaltender Elaine Chuli to contract extensions Monday.

Boulier received a two-year contract, while Keopple and Chuli were each extended for one year.

The 31-year-old Boulier joined Montreal via trade from Ottawa on March 18. She tallied three assists in six games with her new team before playing in three playoff games.

Keopple secured a spot on Montreal’s roster and played in all 24 regular-season games after being passed over in the PWHL draft. The 23-year-old had three assists.

Toronto forward Natalie Spooner named MVP of inaugural PWHL season

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - A year ago, Natalie Spooner was a new mother and her professional women's hockey league was still a concept.

On Thursday, the high-scoring Toronto forward was named the most valuable player of the inaugural Professional Women's Hockey League season.

Spooner was presented with the Billie Jean King MVP Award, as well as the league's award for top forward, at a ceremony Tuesday afternoon.

"A year ago I wouldn't have believed we would have an actual league to play in," Spooner said.

New York selects Princeton, Canadian national team forward Sarah Fillier with 1st pick in PWHL draft

Putting numerous women’s hockey accolades and a degree in psychiatry at Princeton behind her, Sarah Fillier is fully focused on her next career challenge: Being a difference-maker on a PWHL team in New York that struggled both on and off the ice.

A New York team lacking identity, offense and wins in its inaugural season used the No. 1 pick to select the 24-year-old Canadian national team forward — and dubbed “a generational talent” by league scouts — with the No. 1 pick in the Professional Women’s Hockey League draft on Monday night.

“I think it’s exciting. If you look at the talent New York has, I think they’ve built a really solid foundation,” Fillier said. “It’s an amazing sports city and the fans have been amazing this whole season. And I went to school just down the road, so it feels like a bit of a homecoming.”

From outside of Toronto, Fillier is a three-time Patty Kazmaier college player of the year finalist, and completed her four-year career at Princeton ranking sixth on the school list with 93 goals and fourth with 193 points in 120 games. Internationally, she won gold at the 2022 Beijing Games, where she finished second in the tournament with eight goals, and was also a member of three Canadian world championship teams.

Canada’s Sarah Fillier projected to be first pick in Professional Women’s Hockey League draft

Sarah Fillier has a degree from Princeton, but she's opting for a pro hockey career by entering the PWHL draft on Monday.

The projected No. 1 pick from Canada took a moment to cherish her past six years in college.

On the ice, Fillier capped a four-year college career — she took two seasons off to focus on helping Canada win gold at the 2022 Beijing Games — by finishing among the Tigers’ all-time scoring leaders in fourth with 194 points. Off the ice, the 23-year-old leaves the Ivy League with a degree in psychiatry.

“I just feel free to be honest. I loved my time at Princeton. It was a challenge academically for sure and a challenge athletically,” Fillier told The Associated Press last week.