The Detroit Clutch, Hamilton Havoc, San Jose Sea Lions and Vegas Vanguards will make their debuts in December as the Professional Women’s Hockey League expands to 12 teams for the 2026-27 season.
Less than a month before the start of its fourth season, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has officially introduced the names and logos of its four newest franchises.
The four expansion markets, announced in May, will increase the league’s footprint from eight to 12 teams, doubling the size of the PWHL since it began play in January 2024.
Each of the new team identities draws inspiration from its home city’s history, culture or geography.
Meet the four new PWHL teams
Detroit Clutch
The Clutch name pays tribute to Detroit’s automotive heritage while also incorporating a familiar sports term. The circular logo resembles an automotive wheel and clutch, with design elements referencing the city’s Motown music history. The team’s colors are black, chrome, white and red.
Hamilton Havoc
Hamilton’s identity combines the city’s steelmaking heritage with its natural surroundings. The logo features a peregrine falcon, Hamilton’s official bird, alongside steel-inspired lettering. The team’s colors include metallic tones, ivory and orange.
San Jose Sea Lions
California’s first PWHL franchise takes its name from the marine mammals found along the Bay Area coastline. The name also pays homage to the San Francisco Sea Lions, a Negro leagues baseball team that played in 1946. The logo features a sea lion emerging from the water, with blue and sunset orange among the team’s colors.
Vegas Vanguards
Inspired by the pioneering history of the American West, the Vanguards’ logo features a kit fox native to the Mojave Desert, with a star above the fox between its ears. The team’s colors include cactus green, ivory, desert gold and navy.
New names, but not new jerseys (yet)
While merchandise featuring the new team names and logos is already available, fans will have to wait another year to see the logos on the ice.
Following a tradition established by the PWHL’s previous eight teams, the four expansion franchises will wear jerseys featuring their city names diagonally across the front during their inaugural seasons. Jerseys incorporating the new team logos will debut in 2027-28.
When and where to see the new PWHL teams
All four expansion teams will make their regular-season debuts during the PWHL’s opening weekend on December 5-6. San Jose and Vegas will open at home, while Detroit and Hamilton will begin their seasons on the road.
Here are the home openers for each of the four new teams:
| Team | Home opener | Opponent | Arena |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose Sea Lions | Sat., Dec. 5, 4pm PT | Minnesota Frost | SAP Center |
| Vegas Vanguards | Sun., Dec. 6, 5pm PT | Detroit Clutch | T-Mobile Arena |
| Detroit Clutch | Sat., Dec. 12, 12pm ET | New York Sirens | Little Caesars Arena |
| Hamilton Havoc | Sun., Dec. 13, 2pm ET | Ottawa Charge | TD Coliseum |
The expanded PWHL will play a 180-game regular season, with each team playing 30 games between December 5 and April 18.
Single-game tickets, partial-season packages and season ticket memberships are now available for all four expansion teams through the PWHL’s ticketing website. Fans can also purchase merchandise featuring the new team identities through the PWHL’s online shop.
Plan your PWHL outing
Check out the complete schedules for all four PWHL expansion teams, as well as their entire local area’s sports schedule, on our Ultimate Sports Calendar, and start planning your next hockey outing.
