The PWHL Original Six Jerseys
Nothing excites a jersey maker like me more than a brand new league. A new league means tons of new jerseys and logos, and that’s exactly what we’re soon going to get with the new Professional Women’s Hockey League.
The PWHL formed very quickly early in the fall of 2023, and teams began league play in January 2024 without team nicknames or logos.
I can’t wait to see what the new PWHL tarps look like.
So, instead of waiting, my team and I designed concept logos and jerseys for each of the PWHL’s Original Six franchises. It remains to be seen what the actual jerseys and logos will look like, but I think our ideas are pretty sharp.
Take a look!
toronto torch
At this point, it seems like Toronto’s P-Dub squad will be christened the Toronto Torch. It’s a strong name, I think. Torch sounds aggressive — “they torched their opponent” — and it can also refer to the team’s barrier breaking role as an original member of the newly formed pro women’s league. They are torch bearers for future generations.
We started with Toronto’s current jersey colour — blue — and added flames shooting up from the waist and wrists. I figure this is a bold new league that deserves a bold new look!
For the logo, we used an Olympic-style torch in the shape of the CN Tower, and added some detailing to create a subtle “T” for “Toronto”. On the back of the jersey, you’ll find the players name below the player’s numbers, a move that the PWHL made this season so that players’ long hair doesn’t obstruct their name.
montreal echo
Montreal’s hockey heritage runs so deep, you can practically hear the echo of great players from the past, like Caroline Ouellette, France Saint-Louis, and Kim St. Pierre. So, I love the name — instant tradition!
Our Montreal Echo logo comes in the shape of Montreal’s famed Notre Dame Basilica, where “Rocket” Richard’s provincial state funeral was held. Inside the crest, we used a radiating pattern to represent the echo that bounces off the brickwork of those hallowed halls. I’m also a huge, huge fan of the colour scheme on this hockey sweater.
boston wicked
This is a bit of a cheeky name, and I’m here for it. “Wicked” has become a known Boston-ism, like in Good Will Hunting when Casey Affleck says “my boy’s wicked smart” after Matt Damon said some intelligent stuff. It could also be seen as reclaiming a history in which strong women were demonised and persecuted as wicked witches, particularly in the New England area in the 17th century.
The colours of our Boston Wicked concept jersey are green and white, which fit well with Beantown’s celtic heritage — Boston Celtics, anybody? We also used a celtic style font for the name letters and captain’s “C”.
For the logo, our designers used a menacing leafless tree backlit by a full moon, for extra spooky effect. You can also see that tree design emblazoned onto the player numbers on the back of the sweater.
ottawa alert
I love everything about this jersey. The Ottawa Alert name is an homage to the Ottawa Alerts — plural, with an “s” — a women’s team that formed in 1915. That team went on to win the first ever Ladies Ontario Hockey Association championship in 1923.
Our logo is a modern spin on the logo that the original Alerts squad used in the early 1900s, and the mid-chest striping gives the jersey a vintage feel. We’ve also given the Alert different home and away logos — the road version features the word “Ottawa” on the crest, while the home version of the shield sports the “Alert” team name.
The jersey customization is done up in an Old English-style font in recognition of Ottawa’s historical importance to Canada.
I’ll be really sad if this isn’t what the Ottawa Alert jersey looks like.
Minnesota superior
Known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Minnesota borders the world’s largest body of freshwater, Lake Superior — hence the name.
So, we doubled down on Minnesota’s seafaring identity with wavy striping across the jersey’s waist and elbows, similar to the angry fisherman jerseys that the New York Islanders wore for a time in the 90s. For the Superior logo, we inverted Poseidon, King of the Sea’s trident for an M, and at the hilt of the trident we’ve placed a star as a nod to the Minnesota North Stars.
new york sound
With its massive skyline and hustle-bustle city life, it’s easy to forget that New York City is right on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. And that’s where the New York Sound got their probable name. The massive inlet from the Atlantic Ocean that separates New York City from Connecticut is called Long Island Sound.
So, we used the city’s coastal geography to inspire a logo, and I gotta say, we hit a home run.
Our team came up with the brilliant idea to use one of New York’s most majestic sea-side residents, the pelican, as the New York Sound logo. The bird’s bill and neck form a subtle “S” shape, for “Sound”. Inside the bird’s neck, we’ve added flowing turquoise strokes to mimic the many rivers that flow through the area and into Long Island Sound.
This is a seriously slick crest, if I do say so myself.
which is your favourite pwhl concept jersey?
All day, every day our squad at Keener Jerseys is designing custom hockey jerseys for teams at every level, and it’s always fun to make up a concept jersey like these ones.
I really dig what the KJ team came up with for all of these PWHL concepts. I think my favourite might be the Ottawa Alert, but that New York Sound logo is inspired, and the Montreal Echo colours are a feast for the eyes.
And, hey, who knows — maybe the bigwigs over at the PWHL will catch a glimpse of these beauties and use ‘em.
If you loved looking at these concept jerseys as much as I loved making them, then sign up for the 4 Shots with Keener newsletter below. Every week I share my deepest thoughts on hockey jerseys and hockey culture, and it’s the best place to get a sneak peek at more concept jerseys in the future.
