PWHL unveils branding for new franchises Detroit, Hamilton, San Jose and Las Vegas

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  Greg WyshynskiNov 10, 2026, 08:30 AM ET

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  Greg Wyshynski is ESPN's senior NHL writer.

The Professional Women's Hockey League's four new franchises finally have names -- and one has a unique tie to women's sports history.

The PWHL on Tuesday formally revealed the monikers and branding for the Detroit Clutch, Hamilton Havoc, Las Vegas Vanguards and San Jose Sea Lions. These four teams will debut in the 2026-27 season, expanding the league to 12 franchises.

The expansion teams will wear city-branded jerseys in their inaugural seasons, whose looks and colors were revealed last month. The new team logos will be featured on their jerseys in their second seasons, but also on branded merchandise available this season.

Among the inspirations for each team (images courtesy of the PWHL):

San Jose Sea Lions: The name is a nod to the sea lions found around the Bay Area coastline, which also informs the team's color scheme.

But San Jose's PWHL team name has another connection to local sports history. The league said it's meant to reference the San Francisco Sea Lions of the West Coast Negro Baseball Association, who played in 1946. That team featured Toni Stone, an infielder who regularly played in mean's major professional baseball leagues, including for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League. Stone began her professional career with the Sea Lions.

Detroit Clutch: The circular logo references a wheel and automotive clutch, while the name of the team is featured in a chrome, Art Deco typography. Inside the wheel are lines meant to resemble a vinyl record in a tribute to Motown.

Hamilton Havoc: The logo is anchored by Hamilton's official bird, the peregrine falcon, and is meant to evoke the balance of industry and nature in the Canadian city.

Vegas Vanguards: The logo features the kit fox, an adaptable and resilient Mojave Desert native. The desert is the motivation here, with a primary color palette of cactus green, fox ivory, desert gold and midnight navy.

"We approached this process with great care, creating team names and logos that reflect the character and pride of each community, while staying connected to the PWHL," said Amy Scheer, PWHL executive VP of business operations. "As we've seen with our first eight teams, these brands will take on even greater meaning as they are embraced and shaped by our fans and players, ultimately becoming a source of pride and a rallying cry for the communities they represent."

The PWHL's women-led design teams led the process to develop each city's identity. The logos for Las Vegas and San Jose included collaboration with creative agency Doubleday and Cartwright.