Abbey Levy Has Seen Other PWHL Markets And She Believes San Jose Stands Out

For Abbey Levy, joining PWHL San Jose offered an opportunity to take the next step in her career. But the goaltender also saw something in the Bay Area that made the move especially exciting: a level of support from an NHL organization she hadn't experienced with her previous teams.

Levy got an early look at that support during the PWHL's crossover event with the San Jose Sharks, when players from the expansion franchise visited SAP Center and connected with fans. The reception left an impression on Levy, who spent the first three seasons of her professional career with the New York Sirens and Boston Fleet.

"I've come from two other markets and I haven't felt love from an NHL team the way the Sharks showed us that night," Levy said. "That was definitely something that was eye-opening for the community and definitely an excitement piece that we have coming in, knowing that we are supported by the Sharks and the NHL."

For Levy, the difference was particularly noticeable after her time in New Jersey, where the Sirens played at Prudential Center alongside the NHL's New Jersey Devils.

"That's just amazing to hear as a women's program," Levy said. "We do need the support from the men's program right now and they are showing us that. It makes you so excited knowing the ceiling we could hit now, just because we have that."

As PWHL San Jose prepares for its inaugural season, that backing gives the team an opportunity to introduce itself to an established hockey audience while building a following of its own. Levy saw the potential firsthand at the crossover event, where fans lined up during the Sharks game to get autographs from PWHL players.

For a league still working to establish itself in new markets, that kind of reception can be meaningful. San Jose is entering a region with a strong hockey culture, and the Sharks' involvement offers a way to connect the new team with fans who might be encountering the PWHL for the first time.

Levy said the younger players were in awe of the attention they received. For veterans who have watched the women's game develop over the past several years, the experience was a reminder of how much has changed.

"I remember being at the inaugural game, when it was New York vs. Toronto," Levy said. "You're in this small rink and the atmosphere was amazing, but nobody really knew what was being built yet."

Now entering her fourth season in professional women's hockey, Levy has watched the league grow from its inaugural campaign into a competition drawing larger crowds and playing in major venues. She pointed to the league's sellouts, including the game at TD Garden in Boston last season, as examples of how quickly the sport has gained momentum.

"Now, year four, we're selling out arenas, it's insane," Levy said. "Last year, at TD Garden, we sold out a whole stadium. In the US, that's unheard of."

San Jose represents another opportunity to build on that growth. Levy believes the reception at SAP Center is an encouraging sign of what the team could experience once it takes the ice in front of its own fans.

"I just know that there is going to be a game there that's sold out, for sure," Levy said.

The excitement surrounding the move also extends beyond the team's potential attendance. Levy wants to become part of the community herself, something she has made a priority throughout her career.

Over the past three years, she has worked with children with disabilities, including through her connection to her mother's preschool class. That work has shaped how she views the opportunities that come with being a professional athlete. For Levy, community involvement isn't simply about making appearances; it's about giving people a chance to feel connected to the game and the players they watch.

That approach was reflected in her work with Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, where children had the opportunity to contribute to the design of her goalie mask. Rather than treating the mask as something she needed to design herself, Levy wanted to share that experience with young people.

"Throughout my career, I've always worked with children with disabilities," Levy said. "I love giving back, giving an opportunity with the platform I have to someone else to enjoy something, to have that moment."

For a goaltender, a custom mask is a familiar way to express personality and identity. Levy saw an opportunity to make that tradition about someone else, giving children the chance to see their work become part of a professional player's equipment.

"It's just a little thing that can go so far for someone that age or someone struggling," Levy said.

The project fits into the broader role Levy hopes to play in San Jose. She wants young fans to feel that they can approach her, meet a professional hockey player and see themselves represented in the sport.

"I want to immerse myself in every community that I go into," Levy said. "I want all the kids to have the opportunity. If they want to meet an athlete, a professional hockey player, they can come meet me. I want to give that opportunity to anyone."

She recalled one particularly memorable visit with a young patient who had undergone a difficult surgery but still wanted to meet her.

"There was this one girl, she had a crazy surgery that day, ran out saying, 'I want to meet the hockey player,' and it was the most heartwarming moment ever," Levy said.

Those experiences have reinforced the value of making time for young fans, particularly as women's professional hockey becomes more visible. Levy remembers looking up to NHL goaltenders when she was growing up. Her family had season tickets to the New York Islanders, and sitting near the net gave her a close-up view of the position that would eventually become her own.

Rick DiPietro was the goaltender who first sparked her interest.

Now, Levy hopes young girls watching the PWHL will have opportunities she couldn't have imagined when she was starting out. The league's growth means more young players can see professional women's hockey as a realistic goal, but Levy also believes the players entering the league have a responsibility to keep pushing it forward.

"Now that the league is being built, you guys have an opportunity to become a professional, but you're also going to leave it better than it was when you came in," Levy said as a message to young girls playing hockey.

For San Jose, that work will happen on and off the ice. The expansion roster features a young group of players, and Levy expects that youth to bring energy as the team develops its identity. She sees similarities with the Sharks, whose young core includes players such as Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith.

The challenge will be turning that excitement into a team that can compete while also establishing a lasting presence in the Bay Area. Levy's own move was motivated by the chance to build something new, as well as the opportunity to work with head coach and general manager Troy Ryan, whom she described as an established coach who knows how to build a program.

After moving between teams throughout her career, Levy is ready to see what she can help create in San Jose.

The Sharks' support has given her an early reason to be optimistic. But her ambitions for the new franchise extend beyond a successful first season or a strong turnout at the arena. She wants the team to become part of the community and help create a better future for women's hockey.

For Levy, the opportunity to play in San Jose comes with a chance to contribute to something larger than herself.

"Just constantly growing and constantly finding a better place for women's sports, being a role model in that sense," Levy said. "Not taking it for granted and enjoying it."