PWHL announces team names and logos, one year after launch

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The “Charge” is a perfectly appropriate name for Ottawa’s Professional Women’s Hockey League franchise, maintains team general manager Mike Hirshfeld.

“I love it,” Hirshfeld said moments after the one-year-old league finally unveiled identities for all six of its teams on Monday morning. “I think we have the best fans in the PWHL, with the electric atmosphere and energy provided by their passion.

“And when you think ‘Charge,’ that’s also the way we want to play. We don’t want to sit back, we want to take it to the opponent and play with a gritty style. We want to charge at you.

“It ties us to the fan base, it’s the type of hockey we want to play, and it ties us to the community as well. It made perfect sense to me.”

Along with the Ottawa Charge, a league-led process brought about the creation of the Toronto Sceptres, Montreal Victoire, Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost and New York Sirens.

“The leadership group had conversations with fans, players, staff and people around hockey,” Hirshfeld said. “They are bold and strong names that tie the teams to their communities.”

The much-anticipated identities also include team logos, colours and wordmarks.

A league release stated that “after playing the inaugural season with a name that solely represented their location, each team now has a distinct identity that players can embrace, and fans can rally behind. All teams are retaining their primary colours from season one to maintain a sense of continuity and additional colours have been added to each team’s palette.”

The release went on to explain that “Charge pays tribute to Ottawa itself: from the city’s motto “Advance – Ottawa – En Avant,” nodding to its constant state of dynamic growth and forward progress as Canada’s capital.

The logo, leading with the team’s core colour red, features a monogram “O” designed to convey a sense of energy and movement, signifying the team’s electrifying presence on the ice. The “O” is meant to resemble a spinning object full of electrical current, representing the power that the fans bring to every game. Spikes radiating from the back of the “O” emphasize forward momentum and the spirit of the city.

A faceted cut in the front of the “O” introduces a nod to the letter “C” linking the design to the team’s name, “Charge”. 

Here are explanations of the other new identities:

Toronto Sceptres

The “Sceptres” embody Toronto’s regal history and commanding presence, reflected in the moniker Queen City and iconic places like Queen Street—one of the city’s most culturally vibrant thoroughfares — connecting diverse neighbourhoods and showcasing Toronto’s rich heritage. The ornamented Sceptre itself is a symbol of power and strength found in courts and palaces. Today, it will be wielded on the ice by Toronto’s hockey royalty. The colour palette centres around a rich royal blue. The emblem combines the initials “T” and “S” to represent Toronto Sceptres, with the addition of a sceptre motif to evoke power, reflecting the team’s identity and spirit. The beveled edges add a sense of depth and solidity, enhancing its regal quality and imbuing it with a tangible, prestigious feel, evoking the team’s name and image.  

Montréal Victoire

‘Victoire’ embodies Montréal’s joyously competitive spirit, acting as inspiration for the city to climb to even greater sporting heights. Win or lose, ‘Victoire’ is a mindset, celebrating the city’s pursuit of achievement. The logo features wing-like shapes in the team’s signature deep burgundy colour, subtly alluding to the Goddess of Victory and symbolizing strength and agility. A hidden ‘M’ within the wings pays homage to Greater Montréal. Additionally, a fleur-de-lis, a national symbol of Québec, is gracefully integrated and evokes the rich cultural history of the province and the city. 

Boston Fleet

‘Fleet’ pays homage to Boston’s collective spirit and rich maritime history, representing the city’s unified strength and resilience. The logo combines the iconic letter ‘B’ in the team’s primary deep green colour with an anchor, symbolizing Boston’s identity and nautical heritage. The forward-leaning shape communicates momentum, reflecting the city’s sporting legacy and the team’s advancement on the ice.

Minnesota Frost

‘Frost’ embodies the State of Hockey’s deep-rooted love for the ice — and the sport that has become a timeless tradition, bridging generations. The logo features a stylized letter ‘F’ in the team’s core purple with angular edges and sharp points, reminiscent of icicles, while the overall design conveys a sense of competitive intensity and fierceness.

New York Sirens

‘Sirens’ is an ode to New York City’s one-of-a-kind energy, pace and rhythm – embodying the city’s sounds and people. Sirens also speaks to the sweet sound of the goal horn after the puck goes into the net. The logo, dominated by the team’s vibrant teal, reflects the intensity of New York and evokes the gritty cityscape. The reverberating ‘S’ visually mimics sound waves, and the angular design of the ‘NY’ pays homage to New York’s iconic architecture.  

“The unveiling of these new team identities marks a significant milestone for the entire PWHL community,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL Senior Vice President of Business Operations. “Over the inaugural season, we rigorously developed the most authentic team brands for each city. The PWHL has united the professional women’s hockey community, and we are excited for these new identities to deepen the connection between the teams and their local communities. 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.”

Said Jayna Hefford, the PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations:  “Our teams were so proud to represent their home markets last season, and as we launch Season Two, we’re elevating that pride with new identities that truly embody the spirit of each club. These new names and logos capture the dynamic energy of our athletes and enhance our teams’ presence in their cities, building a stronger foundation for the future of our league.”

While the league is currently working on a schedule for the upcoming season, Hirshfeld said the league’s games will begin earlier than last year’s Jan. 1 start-up date.

Players will report to training camp “in early November,” he added.

What do you think of the logo and name? Let us know in the comments.