| NEW YORK AND TORONTO (November 10, 2026) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) today unveiled the highly-anticipated brands of its four newest expansion teams — Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, and San Jose — giving fans and players a distinct identity to embrace ahead of their inaugural 2026-27 seasons. Each team’s unique identity was built with the spirit and legacy of its community at the center. While expansion teams will don their city-branded jerseys for their inaugural season, the new team logos will be featured on redesigned jerseys for their second seasons. DETROIT CLUTCHClutch brings together Detroit’s rich legacy of automotive innovation and the defining moments in sports when teams deliver under pressure. Together, the name reflects a city built by people who set ideas into motion, and a team who embraces the relentless pursuit of progress. The circular logo references a wheel and automotive clutch, with the wordmark in chrome, Art Deco-inspired typography. Rhythmic vinyl lines sit within the wheel, a nod to Motown’s enduring influence. The team’s primary color palette of motor black, clutch chrome, hot white, and racing red reflect the performance precision and resilient grit of Detroit. HAMILTON HAVOCHavoc is inspired by the unique balance between the forces of industry and nature in Hamilton, as steel mills rise alongside the natural beauty of the Niagara Escarpment. Shaped by generations of creators, builders, and makers, disruption has always made way for change, adaptation, and reinvention, and this team will be tested and forged in the same spirit. The Havoc logo is anchored by Hamilton’s official bird, the peregrine falcon, reimagined in steel with molten eyes, alongside bold, steel-forged lettering, projecting strength, durability, and unyielding resolve. The primary color palette of rusted metal, molten steel, falcon ivory, and flame orange speak to a city where nature and industry exist side by side. SAN JOSE SEA LIONSSea Lions are proud guardians of the rugged Bay Area coastline, deeply connected to Pacific waters and the communities that define the region. Known for their intelligence, playful expression, agility, and fierce protection of their colonies, the Sea Lion emblem at the logo’s center evokes that same energy. The modern typography, setting sun visual, and primary color palette of coastal blue, sunset orange, tidal navy, and sea mist, are reflective of California’s coastline. The team’s name also has a special connection to the region’s sports history through the San Francisco Sea Lions of the West Coast Negro Baseball Association, who played in 1946 and featured pioneer Toni Stone, the first woman to play baseball regularly in a major men’s professional league. VEGAS VANGUARDSThe name Vanguards celebrates those who lead the way, embracing challenges and creating new opportunities. Inspired by the pioneering spirit that helped shape the West, the name represents courage, determination, and a willingness to forge new paths. The logo features the kit fox, an adaptable and resilient Mojave Desert-native that perseveres and thrives in the face of adversity. Above the fox, Las Vegas’ iconic star is positioned between a ‘V’ silhouette. The typography is inspired by the American frontier, while the primary color palette of cactus green, fox ivory, desert gold, and midnight navy speaks to the spirit and beauty of Las Vegas’ desert home. “Our fans have been eagerly waiting for this moment, and we’re excited to officially introduce these new team identities as we mark another major milestone for the PWHL,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL Executive Vice President, Business Operations. “We approached this process with great care, creating team names and logos that reflect the character and pride of each community, while staying connected to the PWHL. As we’ve seen with our first eight teams, these brands will take on even greater meaning as they are embraced and shaped by our fans and players, ultimately becoming a source of pride and a rallying cry for the communities they represent.” Drawing on community inspiration, women-led PWHL design teams were at the helm of the process to develop each city’s brand identity. The logos for Las Vegas and San Jose included collaboration with creative agency Doubleday & Cartwright. Team merchandise featuring the new brands is available now at the PWHL Online Shop. The puck drops for PWHL Season Four – and the expansion teams’ inaugural seasons – on PWHL Opening Weekend, Dec. 5-6. |
