Creating a new brand in the 21st century is a tough endeavor. Finding a logo that hasn’t been used before is tough. Now imagine finding six team names that haven’t been used, whose websites aren’t taken by squatters looking for a quick buck, and aren’t culturally insensitive and you’ll see why the PWHL took their time in finding the new names that will represent their franchises.
It is a little later than anticipated, but following a weekend tease, the PWHL has released the team names and logos for their six franchises. After spending their initial season with generic names (PWHL Minnesota, PWHL Boston, etc.) the league now has six names unique to their home cities.
Did we get hype videos? Yes we did.
Boston Fleet
The sideways anchor of the Fleet’s logo is a nod to the regions history on the waterways from Old Ironsides to the Charlestown Navy Yards, the shipping industry has a long, storied history in Boston. It doesn’t hurt that the color scheme and logo bears an uncanny resemblance to the Hartford Whalers, either.
Minnesota Frost
God bless Minnesota for embracing the fact that it is cold, kind of like Miami did with the Heat. Take a negative and build around it. Or as the defending champs put it, it’s their identity,
“Far from a bleak warning, ‘winter is coming’ draws cheers in Minnesota. Here, when temperatures drop, spirits rise. The Land of 10,000 Lakes becomes the Land of 10,000 Rinks. Kids take their first steps on skates. Warm bonds among friends, family, and teammates are forged with sticks in hand when your breath is visible.”
Victorie de Montreal
Leave it to Montreal to reveal the grandest of all of the names. Also, their logo is pretty sweet. “The main V figure evoking the two-fingered victory sign and the wings of the Goddess of Victory; a subtle, almost hidden M and a demure fleur-de-lis repping Montreal, the province of Québec and its French cultural heritage” is how they describe it on their website.
New York Sirens
The piercing wail of a New York ambulance cutting through the night or a reference to the mythological creatures that lured unsuspecting folks to their doom? Why not both? As for the color palette,
“The Sirens’ primary color, a bright shade of teal, evokes the copper of the Statue of Liberty and links the Sirens to New York’s other women’s sports teams. The accents are twists on the City of New York colors: a dark, almost midnight blue, and a bold orange that nods to the vibrant hues of taxis and construction zones that are ever-present on New York streets. The sans serif typography was chosen for traits that are pure New York—height and density and bold vertical characters packed with power and purpose.”
Ottawa Charge
We know what you’re thinking, “it’s an obvious ripoff of the Calgary Flames”. Sure, but the designers are intent on making you believe that the inspiration came from “the energy of Ottawa“. Despite a passing resemblance to Knuckles, the logo design is,
“a monogram ‘O’ crafted to resemble an ever-spinning ball pulsing all around with electric currents representing both the team and its fans. Spark-like spikes trail the seemingly speeding graphic, angled to show its forward movement. And a faceted cut, reveals the letter ‘C’ framed within the ‘O'”
Toronto Sceptres
Queen City Hockey represent! “When you have sceptres, you’re empowered” is how Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations and Hockey Hall of Famer Jayna Hefford put it. They were looking for a name that had a timeless quality to it while invoking the city’s history and prominent place in hockey history.
Congratulations to the league and to their fans for taking the next step to establishing their own individual identities. Also, to the four teams that don’t end with an “s”, welcome to the awkward grammar that comes along with it. Just go with what sounds best, that’s what we do.
While jerseys have yet to be released, the league’s website is selling merchandise branded with the six new franchise logos, and yes we’re already thinking of picking up some Montreal gear.
