A name and a logo can tell you a lot about the type of team you're about to encounter. After much anticipation, the Professional Women's Hockey League released the names and logos that its six franchises will begin using for the upcoming season on Monday. The league played its inaugural season with each team being referred to by their city.
These names are far better than the leaked ones
Last October, it was reported that the PWHL had trademarked names for their franchises. The trademarked names were the Montreal Echo, the New York Sound, the Boston Wicked, the Minnesota Superior, the Ottawa Alert, and the Toronto Torch.
The choices weren't met with the greatest approval, coming off as awkward in some cases. They also lacked the clear connections the newly announced names have to their cities.
The designs are largely hits
From what I've gathered, the online discourse surrounding the logo and name revelations has been largely positive. I liked most of the designs. Montreal's new logo received praise and it's my personal favorite. The subtle blue "M" carved into the "V" looks cool. I'm also a fan of Boston's logo.
While it is slightly reminiscent of the Hartford Whalers' logo turned on its side, the anchor shape is cool, and the green will help set themselves apart from their NHL counterpart.
Minnesota's name and logo are straightforward, highlighting the team being from the state of hockey and showing appreciation for ice.
While the logos were mostly satisfactory, Ottawa's name and logo drew the most discussion from the court of public opinion. I'll admit I didn't quite understand what they were going for without reading the explanation on Ottawa's site.
The Toronto Sceptres are a mixed bag for me. I appreciate the recognition of Toronto's history and how it steers clear of the Maple Leaf usage. While I initially wasn't a fan, it has grown on me the more I look at it.
I also felt that New York's name was a bit of a head-scratcher, though I understand what they were going for with the logo. It doesn't help that the WNBA's New York Liberty already has the perfect name for a New York sports team.
This news is just as big for the fans as it is for the organizations, who stand to make a good deal of money off the new merchandise they're about to sell.
The fans now have a team with an identity they can support and take pride in. We're still awaiting the release of the 2024-25 playing schedule, which will hopefully be released soon.