Name That Team: Do The New PWHL Colors Match The Name?

PWHL team social media sites changed their colors this week. Do those changes give us a hint when it comes to team names?

Team names and colors are a point of excitement for fans of the new PWHL. As many astutely observed at the PWHL Draft, each team's table was adorned with different colors; perhaps the colors of future branding. Similarly, in the days that followed the draft, each PWHL franchise changed their social media branding to coincide with those colors.

Could these be a hint toward future names and team colors? Perhaps. 

Here's a look at some potential names for each city, including those with historic relevance and significance.

Ottawa was not only the home of the first women's World Championship in 1990, it's the home of the first photographed game of women's hockey in history in 1891. The participant in that photo was Isobel Stanley, daughter of Lord Stanley, who gifted the Stanley Cup. The NWHL and PHF used Isobel's name for their own championship trophy. The city itself was a hotbed for women's participation in skating and hockey, particularly among the families of Canada's Governor Generals on rinks created near Rideau Hall, the official residence of the governor general. Outdoor games on the Rideau Canal were also popular. Considering this, one name that could fit would be the Ottawa Royals, representing the game's ties to Isobel Stanley, and other hockey fanatics like Lady Byng, who rarely missed an Ottawa Senators game. Another name comes from the city's most historic women's club. By 1916, the Ottawa Alerts were already skating toward on ice dominance. The team won league and provincial titles, and remained a powerhouse until the late 1930s. Their black and yellow colors may not make a return, but their name could. It could also be interesting to see Ottawa follow the NHL's Washington Capitals in Canada as the Ottawa Capitals, although the name is currently in use by a local lacrosse club.

There has been a push to revitalize the Montreal Canadiennes. The team's history, including signing former captain Canadiennes Marie-Philip Poulin to again lead the organization could prove crucial in bringing back the team's legacy, which included four Clarkson Cups. The new PWHL ownership, however, has made it clear they prefer to move away from previous branding from the PHF, and may hold the same for CWHL clubs. Similar to a name recommended for Ottawa, one of the first teams to take the ice and gain notoriety in the city of Montreal, was called the Montreal Royals who played in the 1930s, a team credited with aiding the growth of the game through an American tour in 1939.

In 1929, the Toronto Pats took on a team from Quebec in front of a reported 29,000 fans at the Montreal Winter Carnival. The Pats were led by Canadian legend Bobbie Rosenfeld. Since then, Toronto has had a plethora of women's hockey programs rise to prominence. Many like the Toronto Aeros are still in operation. Following Toronto's official announcement as a market, many fans wanted the return of the CWHL's Toronto Furies, which given the color scheme depicted in current branding, would fit. It seems clear the Toronto Six name is gone, but it's hard to discount the city's most recent championship team. If alliteration factors in, the Towers has been a long discussed name, but perhaps a more fitting name could come from Billie Jean King's PWHL Draft speech, the Toronto Trailblazers. 

The obvious choice here is to hold onto the best logo and branding in the PHF and NWHL from the Metropolitan Riveters. New York's recently posted color however, most closely follows the WNBA's New York Liberty, which could give a hint toward a similarly themed name and logo. Some of the earlier teams in New York history, dating to 1916, simply held names like the St. Nicholas Blues and Manhattan Reds. The names seem simple, but are the type of classic branding many Original Six teams look toward. New York's early star was a woman named Elsie Muller, born in 1895, who grew up skating on the Hudson River, and later became a national speed skating champion representing USA at the 1932 Olympics. Circling back to the Statue of Liberty inspired color theme, Sun and Rays both jump as untapped aspects of the Statue's symbolism. If it wasn't for a team in the American Ultimate Disc League, the New York Empire could have been a contender, but there are many iconic names within the city's history that could emerge.

Boston's first notable run in women's hockey began in 1917 with the Back Bay Hockey Club. The published color of the Boston PWHL team is green, mimicking the NBA's Boston Celtics. Could the PWHL follow the Irish inspiration and go with Shamrocks or Clovers? It seems like the Pride name is no under consideration, and seems unlikely the previous CWHL name of the Boston Blades is also gone. One historic figure tied to Boston who could present logo and naming options is Amelia Earhart. Could the Boston Flyers or Boston Aviators become options? Names like the Boston Breakers and Boston Beacons have both been used, but would fit the city's identity.

The history of the Minnesota Whitecaps has to be a draw, as the Whitecaps franchise truly was an original staple of professional women's hockey in a variety of leagues. The color purple as depicted with Minnesota has strong state ties. Two prime examples include the Minnesota Vikings and the St. Thomas Tommies. If history factors in, the Minnesota Checkers were the state's first national champions in 1979. It could be a name to come back to represent the state's history. Minnesota is also tied to legendary musician Prince, and of course there was “Purple Rain.”Could the Minnesota Rain, or a play on the word as Minnesota Reign be in the mix? Perhaps a fun revival for the state would be bringing back the Minnesota North Stars as a professional women's hockey team. There would likely be a few licensing or trademark hurdles, but there's perhaps no more iconic hockey name available (aside from the Whitecaps).