Last season, Denver broke and briefly held the American attendance record, for the first time in women's professional hockey history crossing the 14,000 fan mark at their PWHL Takeover Tour game.

This season, Denver will look to show up yet again for not one, but two PWHL Takeover Tour stops at Ball Arena. With the PWHL setting their intention on another 2-4 team expansion following this season, Denver has emerged as a front runner, a status the market could cement with strong support at their Takeover Tour games this season.

While the first stop in Denver this season features the PWHL's two expansion teams, the Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes, multiple members of each roster played in Denver last season and remember the strong response from the city.

"Going to Denver was super fun," said Torrent defender Cayla Barnes who last season played in Denver as a member of the Montreal Victoire. "There was a lot of fans...you don't really know what to expect going into a new market, but they definitely showed up, and showed out, and it was a great game, and a great experience, and the fans were excited."

Like many markets, Barnes remembers the chants from the crowd of "we want a team," and soon, Denver fans might get their wish.

"It was definitely a fun crowd," echoed Abby Boreen, a teammate of Barnes' in Montreal who will now be on the other side of the puck in Denver with Vancouver. "We had a lot of fun. I remember the Minnesota's walk-in fits with the ski uniforms, and I think, you know, both teams really just get into everything that Denver has to offer, so we're just really excited to bring that talent to Denver."

Boreen has her own memories of the stop, including spending time in the mountains surrounding Denver with her teammates.

Sophie Jaques was a member of the Minnesota Frost who faced Montreal last year in Denver. It was her first game back from an injury, and an opportunity for her teammate, Nicole Hensley to play in front of friends and family in her home state. The unique opportunities for players to return home with the league, and to showcase the PWHL has been a highlight for Jaques.

"...a fun atmosphere with the fans and everything there, and I think just the Takeover Tour in general has been so cool to get to bring games to different places, and for it to be some girls' hometowns and the first time they're playing at home in a long time," Jaques said of the Denver stop. 

While Denver is looking to show the PWHL that it can be a viable market for the league, the players are also focused on bringing their best to every city on the PWHL Takeover Tour to showcase the league, and professional women's hockey.

"I think every time we get to play in a new place and reach a new audience, it's something special," said Barnes. "I think we all feel honored to be able to do that, and our responsibility as well, to be able to put on a good show, and show what our product is, and why we deserve to be there." 

"It's such a cool experience being able to go into a market and feel the energy in the building, and not necessarily for one team or the other, but really just the energy and the excitement of women's hockey," said Torrent defender Emily Brown. "We feel it on the ice. I think it's nice in warm-ups, or when we go out, right before the starting lineups, I always try and look around and just see all the excitement and the fans in the crowd, and some of the different signs saying, 'we want a team, or 'we're excited,' so it's definitely a special opportunity to grow our game and grow our league, and I think we all feel that."

When the PWHL returns to Denver this weekend with Seattle taking on Vancouver on Sunday, January 25, and again on March 15 when New York plays Minnesota, it will be another opportunity for the PWHL to showcase their product to new fans. It will also be an opportunity for the City of Denver, and Colorado fans to show they're ready to support a PWHL expansion team next season.