Training camps open November 15 for inaugural PWHL season
Market-specific quotes from team GMs and facility representatives listed at bottom of release
TORONTO, ON (November 13, 2023) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has announced six partnerships for facilities that will serve as the PWHL teams’ permanent homes for on- and off-ice training throughout the season. Boston Sports Institute (PWHL Boston), TRIA Rink (PWHL Minnesota), Centre 21.02 (PWHL Montreal), Chelsea Piers Connecticut (PWHL New York), TD Place (PWHL Ottawa), and Ford Performance Centre (PWHL Toronto) all begin welcoming teams this week as training camps open ahead of the league’s inaugural season.
“Together with our teams, we have found facilities that provide athletes with professional training environments and partners who are equally committed to building cooperative relationships,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations. “An established home base is important for our players and teams, and that’s something they’ll have from the moment training camps begin through the entirety of the season.”
Access to practice ice, strength and conditioning areas, private dressing rooms, equipment rooms, and office space are among the many benefits to the league’s training facilities.
The Boston Sports Institute, a Steward Family Facility, is a multi-use recreation center conveniently located at 900 Worcester Street, Wellesley (Route 9). The facility features two NHL regulation ice surfaces (one fully sled hockey compatible), indoor turf/court field house, competition swimming pool, warm up pool, Boston Sports Performance Center (physical therapy / strength & conditioning), track, and much more.
TRIA Rink, the official practice facility of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, opened its doors in February 2018 on the top floor of the Treasure Island Center. Located just a few blocks from the Xcel Energy Center, the rooftop rink serves as a special place for the Minnesota hockey community. The team is also partnering with D1 Training for access to a premier off-ice training environment.
Centre 21.02 is housed at the Verdun Auditorium, a newly renovated two-pad sports complex with a capacity of 4,114 seats. It is the first and only recognized High Performance Hockey Centre for women athletes in Canada.
PWHL New York will call the Chelsea Piers Athletic Club home and use the rinks, private professional hockey locker and equipment rooms, office space, and conduct off-ice strength and conditioning in both the 360-team training facility and individual conditioning and recovery in the private fitness club.
Both The Arena and The Stadium at TD Place in Lansdowne are a centerpiece of Ottawa. It is the proud host of the CFL’s Ottawa REDBLACKS, the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, the CEBL’s Ottawa BlackJacks, CPL’s Atlético Ottawa, a myriad of live events, concerts, festivals, and a year-round tapestry of community activities.
Lakeshore Arena Corporation owns and operates the Ford Performance Centre, which is a 272,000 sq. ft. recreation facility in Etobicoke, Ontario. The Ford Performance Centre is the official practice facility for the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. It is also the home of the Hockey Hall of Fame D.K. (Doc) Seaman Hockey Resource Centre, Hockey Canada’s Eastern Regional Office, and the NHL Alumni, along with numerous other sport-related businesses and community tenants.
GM and Facility Representative Quotes
Boston
“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with the Boston Sports Institute as our practice facility,” said Danielle Marmer, PWHL Boston General Manager. “The facility boasts two ice sheets, a rehabilitation center, and a state-of-the-art strength training facility, creating a truly professional experience for our athletes. These resources will not only promote team success but allow our players to commit to their individual growth and development. The Boston Sports Institute has also played a crucial role in establishing a player lounge, office space, and locker room enhancements. These additions will undoubtedly contribute to making our PWHL Boston family feel right at home, and we are sincerely grateful for their support.”
“Pairing PWHL Boston with the Boston Sports Institute Wellesley connects the best in class of women’s professional hockey with the premier family recreation and entertainment facility in Massachusetts,” said Brian DeVellis, President of EDGE Sports Global LLC, the programming and operational manager of BSI. “At BSI Wellesley, PWHL Boston will enjoy not only an exceptional facility with unparalleled amenities, but through its partner facilities and programs, will have access to some of the premier youth players in New England to showcase their skills and love of the game to the next generation of players.”
Minnesota
“Minnesota is excited to call TRIA Rink our practice facility,” said Natalie Darwitz, PWHL Minnesota General Manager. “TRIA Rink is one of the best ice rinks in the State of Hockey with their unique atmosphere with the windows that allow natural light. Their rink staff is professional and goes the extra mile to truly make us feel that this is a home for our organization. Our players and staff will benefit from being in TRIA Rink, not only from an on-ice standpoint, but with the amenities it provides, and the staff who operate it.”
“We are excited to announce that TRIA Rink will be the practice facility for the PWHL in Minnesota,” said Matt Majka, Chief Executive Officer of Minnesota Sports and Entertainment. “We are proud to continue our support of women’s professional hockey in the state and look forward to their inaugural season.”
Montréal
“We’re excited to be performing at Centre 21.02, the home of women’s hockey in Quebec,” said Danièle Sauvageau, PWHL Montreal General Manager. “Over the past four years, the Centre has consistently fostered and developed elite athletes of all ages, and we are honoured to align ourselves with a center dedicated to excellence. Verdun is an upbeat and enthusiastic community that has welcomed our team with open arms.”
“We are proud to have the opportunity to pursue our mission, which is to offer the highest quality of management and coaching for the best players in the world and the next generation,” said Stéphanie Poirier, Centre 21.02 Director. “It’s a great chance to partner with the PWHL and be a part of that great project, which has been long awaited for. We are excited to welcome the players, the coaching and support staff, and above all, the fans to our home, the Centre 21.02.”
New York
“We’re fortunate to operate within the esteemed environment of Chelsea Piers in Stamford that sets the standard and is the pinnacle where our team will strive to achieve their utmost potential,” said Pascal Daoust, PWHL New York General Manager. “In record time, we have been able to create professional locker rooms for our athletes and coaches, set up a space for our athletic trainers, arrange an area for our equipment managers, and establish offices for the hockey and administrative/business staff to work together seamlessly. This allows us the opportunity to build and present the best possible organization to our athletes and fans.”
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) to Chelsea Piers Connecticut,” said Greta Wagner, Chelsea Piers Connecticut Executive Director. “Every day, we see thousands of aspiring young athletes walk through our doors, all with dreams of becoming high school, college, and professional athletes themselves. It is a tremendous honor for us to have the PWHL New York team choose Chelsea Piers Connecticut as their primary practice home and headquarters. Having this exceptional professional women’s team here will serve as a powerful source of inspiration for all our competitive athletes and hockey enthusiasts.”
Ottawa
“We are thrilled to call The Arena at TD Place our home,” said Mike Hirshfeld, PWHL Ottawa General Manager. “The history of the arena, including hosting the first ever women’s world ice hockey championship in 1990, is something we are excited to be a part of. Adrian Sciarra and his team have been incredibly welcoming to our franchise, going above and beyond to help us get settled and prepare for our first ever training camp later this week. We have a brand-new dressing room designed specifically for our team that I know our coaches and players will love. The Glebe neighbourhood is a beautiful area in which to live and work, and the development of Lansdowne Park over the last decade makes this one of the premier locations for the PWHL.”
“We are excited to welcome the PWHL as the newest addition to Ottawa professional sports at TD Place in Lansdowne,” said Adrian Sciarra, President, Ottawa REDBLACKS & Ottawa 67’s. “This exciting new team will enrich the vibrant tapestry of our sporting culture and also paves the way for the advancement of women’s sports. We look forward to witnessing their incredible journey and inspiring the next generation of champions.”
Toronto
“We are excited to call Ford Performance Centre our team’s training facility and home for the 2023-24 season,” said Gina Kingsbury, PWHL Toronto General Manager. “It’s imperative that we provide our athletes and staff with the space needed to create a professional environment for the season. Ford Performance Centre will provide us with the space to build our own locker room, create office space for our staff, and get us started on the right foot for this inaugural season. We are excited to be down the hall from two incredible organizations, the Leafs and Marlies, and can’t wait to get started!”
“I am very excited to welcome the Toronto PWHL team to the Ford Performance Centre and happy to support them as the official practice facility,” said Graham Cocking, Ford Performance Centre Executive Director. “The PWHL joins the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlies as premier, professional teams, that call the Ford Performance Centre their home. We are happy to further support and promote the growth and development of women’s hockey in Toronto. Our local female hockey association, the Etobicoke Dolphins, truly have athletes that they can look up to inside our facility and aspire to become, should they wish to pursue hockey as a profession.”
Fans can stay connected to the PWHL, register for email updates, and secure their spot in line for buying tickets by placing a deposit at thepwhl.com.
Follow the new league on all social media platforms @thepwhlofficial plus all six team accounts @pwhl_boston, @pwhl_minnesota, @pwhl_montreal, @pwhl_newyork, @pwhl_ottawa, and @pwhl_toronto.
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