‘Look at this, it’s incredible’: PWHL takes center stage to kick off 2024 NHL All-Star Game weekend

TORONTO, Ont. – What a crowd. What a sight. What a night.

The Professional Women’s Hockey League’s top talent took center stage at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday, helping to kick off the NHL All-Star Game festivities in Toronto. For once, it wasn’t just a short little showcase aimed at giving the NHLers a rest. The world’s best players – the ones readily available to watch around the globe every single week – were on display in front of an estimated crowd of just over 16,000.

“I got chills during the national anthems,” Alina Muller said with a smile.

And don’t get it twisted: the crowd was significantly more into this event than the awkward, slow draft two hours prior. The screams of young girls were louder than the whistles, and the players loved it.

“The red carpet, coming here for warm-ups and seeing the stands packed, that was a surreal moment,” Savannah Harmon said after scoring a hat-trick in a 5-3 win for Team King. “We were like, “Oh my gosh, look at this, it’s incredible.”

Everyone on that ice for player intros knew how special Wednesday was. Some were wiping back tears. Most were smiling. There has never been a crowd reception like that for a women’s hockey showcase.

The goaltending was unspectacular, and the pace was much slower than usual, but it never is during all-star events.

The whole point was more visibility. That’s the goal of the PWHL’s inaugural season. And between the sellouts across the league, the upcoming Montreal/Toronto game at Scotiabank Arena – and, of course, tonight – showing the product to as many fans as possible is essential.

The in-arena feed had live stat tracking throughout the game, which was a nice touch. We’re starting to see that more in the NHL, but I felt like it helped engulf fans in attendance – many of whom were likely watching the league and the sport for the first time in person.

The best part of the night? After Harmon scored her third goal of the game, her Team King teammates littered the ice with gloves to celebrate the hat-trick.

The NHL made it the highlight of the opening night, and that helped. It helps that Thursday had the cheapest tickets, making it more affordable than any other night. The crowd started to thin out as the game continued, but the excitement was there. A prime-time TV slot – 8:00 PM ET – likely helped, too.

There’s still so much room to grow, but the momentum the PWHL is carrying after just one month of action is real. For once, women’s hockey is getting regular media attention, and the players are drawing attention everywhere they go. Kudos to the PWHL for having its top players involved in events throughout Toronto this week to help promote the sport, because visibility matters. It feels like this management understands that.

Some of the top players took part in the 2020 NHL All-Star Game event for the first time. But back then, the leagues were split, the game wasn’t headed in the right direction and momentum was low. That’s not the case anymore.

“The biggest thing is having our own event,” Ella Shelton said. “That’s what creates visibility for us and it shows that we are just as important and just as valued as the NHL. And to have them backing us has been incredible as well.”

It’s a good first look for the PWHL in what is hopefully a good, long future for the league.

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‘Look at this, it’s incredible’: PWHL takes center stage to kick off 2024 NHL All-Star Game weekend

Recently by Steven Ellis