“Breaking the Ice on Mental Health” campaign to feature player storytelling, limited-edition merchandise, and community impact across North America
NEW YORK AND TORONTO (May 1, 2026) - The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is marking Mental Health Awareness Month this May with a league-wide initiative focused on raising awareness, reducing stigma, and promoting mental well-being. Through storytelling, fashion, and community engagement, the campaign aims to normalize conversations around mental health in sport and encourage players, fans, and communities to prioritize emotional health.
At the center of the initiative is a limited-edition merchandise collection designed by Peace Collective in partnership with the PWHL, featuring the message “Breaking the Ice on Mental Health.” Three PWHL players – Erin Ambrose (Montréal Victoire), Gabbie Hughes (Ottawa Charge), and Haley Winn (Boston Fleet) – helped shape the creative direction of the collection and serve as primary voices in the campaign, sharing personal insights to help normalize conversations around mental health in sport.
- Ambrose is a longtime advocate for mental health awareness who has spoken openly about her personal journey and the importance of support systems in high-performance environments.
- “The fact that we are doing this as a league, the fact that Haley, Gabbie, myself all decided to be a part of this, I think is so important because we're three hockey players in a league full of so many of us, but maybe we're the ones that need to start these conversations and keep them going.” – Ambrose
- Hughes is the founder of Sophie’s Squad, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting mental wellness among youth athletes and their families.
- “How you hit the ice as an athlete in hockey, you go out with such intention and such fierce bravery to perform at your best for your teammates, for your friends, for your family, and for the fans. And that's exactly how we want to tackle mental health, is with that bravery.”- Hughes
- Winn, a rookie this season, is navigating the transition to the professional level while learning to balance the pressures of elite performance with prioritizing her mental wellbeing, offering a perspective that resonates with the next generation of players finding their footing in the game.
- "Break the ice on mental health just means not being afraid to speak out about it and let people know what you're going through and where you need the help.” - Winn
As part of the campaign, the PWHL and Peace Collective will make donations to Sophie’s Squad and Kids Help Phone to help expand access to critical mental health education, support, and services. Sophie's Squad provides education and awareness to improve the mental health of athletes. Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, multilingual and confidential support to help all young people Feel Out Loud.
The collection is available now for purchase through the league’s online store at thepwhl.com.
ABOUT THE PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE (PWHL)
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that features the best women’s players in the world. It is comprised of eight teams: Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver. Launched on January 1, 2024, the PWHL has broken multiple attendance records and holds the worldwide all-time record for a women’s hockey game. The league was recognized by Sports Business Journal as the Sports Breakthrough of the Year, and ranked No. 1 in Canada for corporate reputation in both 2024 and 2025, according to the Harris Poll. Visit thepwhl.com to purchase tickets and merchandise, and subscribe to the PWHL e-newsletter for the latest updates. Follow the league on social media @thepwhlofficial.
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