This is truly joyful for us today: we want to express our interest in the PWHL on Friday Funday. When we watched brief highlights of the women’s Olympic hockey in February, we realized that we honestly would not have known it was women’s hockey if someone hadn’t told us (names and ponytails aside); that’s how talented the women on the ice looked to us over the television broadcast. Thus, we were very excited with Tuesday’s news that San Jose will be getting a new franchise now.

The Professional Women’s Hockey League (better than going with the WNHL, right?) will have 12 teams soon, including four in the Pacific time zone: Las Vegas, San Jose, Seattle, and Vancouver. In addition, there are (or will be) teams in Boston, Detroit, Hamilton (Ontario), Minneapolis-St. Paul, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto. Like we did with the Golden State Valkyries and the WNBA, we will be covering this league, too, since we strongly believe in women’s sports as a societal requirement.

That being said, we love the independence from the NHL, and the league owner seems to be someone of integrity, despite the financial industry background which usually lends itself to ethical and moral dilemmas. Still, this is the same individual/group who also owns the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Lakers, so there must be something right there in terms of being able to absorb a financial loss if needs be. That fiscal stability can keep the league afloat for awhile, for sure, and we support that notion.

We also really enjoy the existing teams’ nicknames: the Boston Fleet, the Minnesota Frost, the Montréal Victoire, the New York Sirens, the Ottawa Charge, the Seattle Torrent, the Toronto Sceptres, and the Vancouver Goldeneyes. We will have to do some brainstorming for the San Jose franchise name, as the four new expansion teams (Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, and San Jose) have yet to announce their mascots. Needless to say, the aforementioned independence from the NHL has its dividends in this way, too.

In weeks to come before the San Jose team officially launches, we will cover some PWHL history and existing teams to build a fan’s knowledge base. Until then, we just rejoice in the impending excitement of women’s professional hockey in the San Francisco Bay Area. Drop that puck! Look for coverage on Saturdays, as we expand NHL Saturdays to include the Professional Women’s Hockey League as well … PWHL Saturdays will become a (new) thing on The Daily McPlay. Happy Memorial Day!