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Two hockey players face each other on a rink.
Two hockey players face each other on a rink.
Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels
Toronto MU | Culture

The PWHL Effect

Sophie Bart Student Contributor, Toronto Metropolitan University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Toronto MU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

The walk into the arena was filled with arches and intricate floral designs that scaled the pillars supporting the walls. The melodic beep of the ticket scanners and chatter filled the entrance to the Coca-Cola Coliseum with excitement. One scan of the crowd revealed the different shades of blue and yellow, displaying the devotion of home-team fans, the Toronto Sceptres. 

December 1st, 2024, was the opening day for the Sceptres of the 2024-25 season, and the first in their new home after moving from the Mattamy Athletic Centre, formerly Maple Leaf Gardens, in the inaugural season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). 

It felt like a very symbolic move; the Coliseum is a better fit with 5,540 more seats for fans, making it a numerical statement. The league has grown. The fanbase has followed.  

Finding my seat felt surreal: the gleam of the ice under the lights, the reflection of the logo on the ice, the energy, the hundreds of fans of all ages, kids waving homemade signs, and the anticipation unlike any other sports event I had been to. 

When the opening video played, the faces of players I knew lit up the area; Sarah Nurse, Blayre Turnbull, and Natalie Spooner flashed across the Jumbotron. 

Then the puck dropped.

A game of speed, physicality, and prestige—the kind of game that keeps you on your seat, unable to look away for a second. Shot after shot, faceoff after faceoff, powerplays, goals—it had it all. 

A moment that stands out the clearest was when I took a second to look around the stands—the faces, the people, the outfits, the energy; this was much bigger than a hockey game, it was the creation of a future. 

The PWHL Effect: The inspiration, cultural change, and expansion of professional women’s hockey is tangible evidence of the importance and relevance of women’s sports. A future for women in hockey and in sports. 

Not just in the stands but in the statistics. Hockey Canada is reporting record registration rates in girls’ hockey, an increase in BIPOC athletes, and more women stepping into officiating and coaching roles, all evidence of the impact visibility can have on a sport. 

For decades, young girls in hockey didn’t have an option to pursue a full-time career in the sport, but now they can dream of being in the PWHL.

Representation is one of the most influential plays in hockey. Every time a PWHL player steps on the ice, there’s a chance someone else will be inspired.

Sophie Bart

Toronto MU '28

Sophie is a Sport Media major with a French minor at TMU. She's originally from Alberta but moved to Toronto to fulfil her career aspirations and goals! She loves sports and art especially when you can combine them into something bigger. When she's not watching hockey you can find her looking for stickers, paper scraps, and glitter to put in her journal or hanging out with her white crusty dog!