MONTREAL, QC – (August 30, 2022) – The Montreal Force will take the ice this fall in seven markets across the Canadian province, the Premiere Hockey Federation (PHF) announced today. The Montreal Force is officially the seventh franchise in PHF (formally known as the National Women's Hockey League) history.
The Montreal Force announced Montreal, Gatineau, Québec, Rimouski, Rivière-du-Loup, Saint-Jérôme, and Sept-Îles are among the hosts up for consideration for the inaugural season. Per the league release, the official locations and dates will be confirmed once the full PHF regular season schedule is announced inext month. As previously announced, Centre 21.02, known as the first and only recognized High-Performance Hockey Center for women athletes in Canada, will be the practice facility for Montreal.
About the Name & Logo
The Montreal Force name represents "the team's energy and commitment to the strength of character, community impact, and on-ice ferocity." The team colors are maroon, black, and white. The primary logo features an "F" in the shape of the fleur-de-lis.
“We wanted a powerful name to distinguish ourselves in this amazing hockey market and represent who we are across the women’s sports landscape. We are a force, both on and off the ice, with strong and confident women who will showcase their strength in all facets from competition to community involvement. We are a family of difference makers and role models who will make our province proud.” ~Kevin Raphaël, Team President
The PHF moved to three jerseys last season, and the Force set includes maroon with white stripes, black with maroon stripes, and white with maroon stripes. While each has the primary logo front and center, each design has a distinctive fleur-de-lis pattern. The shoulder patches will also flaunt the Quebec symbol and Montreal Force wordmark. PHF graphic designers Lucas Daitchman and Brendan Poe created the primary logo and Elliot Gerard, Head of Creative at HEARTLENT Group, managed the brand concept and jersey designs.
What the Players Are Saying
The Montreal Force expected to recruit from within the province, and from their 16 signings to date, that has proven to be true. Seven players were announced on July 25, including former Hockey Canada forward Ann-Sophie Bettez.
“Together with my teammates, we are all very excited and proud to make history as members of the Montreal Force,” said forward Ann-Sophie Bettez. “Putting the jersey on for the first time was a special feeling I will never forget. We are all very motivated for this season to showcase what we can do in the PHF and to represent Quebec while connecting with fans in communities all over the province.”
Montreal Force Signings:
Forwards: Kim Deschênes, Jade Downie-Landry, Catherine Dubois, Alyssa Holmes, Samantha Isbell, Alexandra Labelle, Sarah Lefort, Kristina Shanahan, Brooke Stacey
Defenders Catherine Daoust, Christine Deaudelin, Kaity Howarth, and Brigitte Laganière, plus goaltenders Tricia Deguire, Marie-Soleil Deschênes.
Bettez recently joined PHF pioneer and original New York Riveters forward Madison Packer in Bristol, Connecticut, to announce an exclusive streaming deal with ESPN+ for the upcoming eighth season. The two-year agreement features coverage of the PHF regular season, special events, the Isobel Cup Playoffs on ESPN+, and international rights for games, including TSN in Canada.
The league noted that French language coverage of the PHF and the Force would be announced ahead of the upcoming season.