PWHL expansion – The PWHL has unveiled inaugural jerseys for its four newest expansion teams, opting for a minimalist look as fans await official branding.
The sweaters hit the ice this December, but the logos are still waiting in the wings. On Thursday. the PWHL unveiled the inaugural jerseys for its four newest expansion markets—Hamilton. Detroit. San Jose. and Las Vegas—opting for a clean. placeholder aesthetic that mirrors the strategy used previously for Vancouver and Seattle.
Each of the four kits eschews a team crest in favor of a bold. diagonal city name stitched in block letters across the chest. While the league plans to reveal the official team names and logos before the season begins on December 5. 2026. the 2026-27 kits will serve as the opening chapter for these franchises.
For Hamilton, the design leans heavily into local heritage. The gold jersey features deep red. burnt orange. and cream accents. a palette designed to mirror the region’s steel industry and its storied sports history. The red and orange tones evoke rusted steel. while the dominant gold serves as a direct nod to the CFL’s Tiger-Cats and the former OHL Hamilton Bulldogs.
Detroit’s entry opts for a sleek black base complemented by silver. a clear reference to the Motor City’s automotive identity. The jersey features three stripes at the hem in white. silver. and red. a subtle nod to the city’s 313 area code. Meanwhile, Las Vegas goes in a different direction with a green, gold, and navy scheme. The gold accents on the green home uniform are meant to capture the desert sun. and the front of the sweater reads simply as ‘Vegas. ‘ reflecting the natural landscape of Southern Nevada.
San Jose rounds out the group with a vibrant mandarin orange jersey punctuated by sky blue accents. The choice reflects a brighter, coastal aesthetic, specifically designed to capture the beauty of California and the spirit of the Bay Area.
The decision to lead with these generic jerseys highlights a deliberate phased rollout. By prioritizing the city’s visual identity through color palettes before unveiling the specific logos. the league is building anticipation while ensuring each market’s debut feels distinct on the ice. Players will don these temporary designs for the duration of their first year. with full branding set to debut in their sophomore season.
PWHL women's hockey expansion teams Hamilton Detroit Las Vegas San Jose hockey jerseys