PWHL Toronto officially becomes the Toronto Sceptres as league unveils all team names

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The generic phase of the PWHL is officially over.

Welcome the Toronto Sceptres, the Ottawa Charge, the Montreal Victoire, the Boston Fleet, the New York Sirens, and the Minnesota Frost.

The league unveiled team names and logos Monday after a season in which the PWHL went without names and logos in large part because of quick build from league formation to an on-ice product.

But with a full year to dive in on names and logos, the league completely ignored previously trademarked names to give each franchise a brand new look and a fresh start.

Toronto’s leading goal scorer and the reigning league MVP Natalie Spooner joined Jayna Hefford, the league’s senior vice-president of hockey operations, on CIty TV’s Breakfast Television to make the announcement.

The logo is an actual sceptre with the base of the sceptre formed by a T and an S done in yellow over an ocean blue base.

Since the league dropped hints about all six of its new names last week, we saw a lot of guesses like Toronto Reign or Monarchs or even Queens so Scepters clearly had to be a surprise to many.

It’s been a busy off-season for the Sceptres, who announced a new home rink at the Coca-Cola Coliseum just last week.

Spooner also made some news Monday when she announced that she would be getting back on the ice this week for the first time since injuring her knee in last year’s playoff run.

That’s big news for the franchise, who rely heavily on Spooner’s goal scoring prowess. While the on-ice work is just the start of her strength rebuilding, there is no confirmation yet that she will actually be ready to take the ice in game action when the season starts in December.

But the fact that she is actually skating already puts Spooner ahead of the most optimistic timelines for her return to action.

Toronto, of course, was just one of six teams to get a complete makeover.

Ottawa will now be known as the Ottawa Charge with team colours in red and yellow.

Montreal will be named the Montreal Victoire with team colours in fine Montreal tradition remaining red, white and blue.

Down in the States, Boston will be known as the Boston Fleet (predominantly green), while New York will go by the New York Sirens and retain the teal and navy it had in its first season.

The defending champion Minnesota Franchise will become the Minnesota Frost and like New York retain their initial colours of purple and white.

Next up for the league is a schedule release, although it’s already been announced the league will go to a 30-game season up from 24 last year and have an earlier start than the Jan. 1 debut of season one.

mganter@postmedia.com