From a new general manager to a new name, the Frost have had a busy offseason
Days after the Professional Women’s Hockey League concluded its inaugural season – with PWHL Minnesota hoisting the Walter Cup – on June 7, it was revealed that general manager Natalie Darwitz had been let go and would be exiting the league. Following her dismissal, many other staff members left or were let go from the organization due to unknown conflicts.
The PWHL is set up differently from many leagues. Instead of conventional owners for individual teams, each team is owned by the Mark Walter Group, allowing league-wide officials to make team decisions like firing Darwitz. However, on September 3rd, the league announced they had appointed Melissa Caruso, former American Hockey League (AHL) Vice President of Hockey Operations and Governance, to the general manager position.
”It’s an exciting time for women’s sports, and I thank leadership for trusting me with the opportunity to lead PWHL Minnesota during these crucial formative years for the league,” said Caruso. “I can’t wait to get started on the journey to defend the Walter Cup in Season Two.”
Nicknames & logos
A few days after the news broke about Minnesota’s new general manager, all six teams in the PWHL began posting teasers on social media, hinting at the release of official team names, something the PWHL lacked in its inaugural season. The names were announced on September 9th, causing much excitement among fans and players alike. The names are Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montreal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Scepters.
In a press conference following the announcement, league executives discussed what went into the process and how team names were decided.
Senior Vice President of Business Operations Amy Sheer recounted the many names the league had as options. The ultimate challenge was the legalities of owning names in both the U.S. and Canada.
In keeping with the color schemes from the inaugural season, each team kept their primary colors, incorporating them into the new logos.
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“There’s a lot of equity built up in those colors and we were excited to retain them,” said Kanan Bhatt-Shah.
The jerseys will be released in late October to early November in addition, purchasable replica jerseys will be customizable with player names and numbers on the back.
Additionally, the league announced that the season will start on Nov. 30, and the Frost will host the New York Sirens for their home opener on Dec. 1.
The new names and logos give teams a more professional feel for fans, giving them an individual identity, as the fans wanted. The PWHL didn’t want rushed names. They wanted names representing each city and their fanbase.
Although there was no traditional fan vote, the PWHL looked to social media to gather fans’ opinions. Various names were in the running for every team, but not every name fit the hockey culture surrounding their respective cities, and some fans didn’t like some names. The official names give fans something to cheer for in the upcoming season.
