PWHL Boston Has ‘All Hands On Deck’ To Start Inaugural Season

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- The PWHL will kick off its inaugural season in January 2024, but there are still a few details that need to be ironed out before Boston, Minnesota, New York, Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal take the ice.

You know, simple stuff, like the schedule, team names and rosters.

That might sound some alarms, but it shouldn't. It's pretty dang hard to start a professional sports league, which is something even the most popular leagues in the world are aware of. The NFL failed to get off the ground for nearly 40 years before being founded in 1920. The NBA was plagued by money-losing franchises, low attendance, declining television ratings and limited national appeal as recently as the 1980s.

The PWHL wants to do things right, and has a group of people willing to put in the hard work to clear up the red tape.

"We've built this league in the span of three months," Boston general manager Danielle Marmer said Thursday as the team opened training camp. "The graphics (in Boston's team facility) were put up Wednesday. It's all kinds of housekeeping. We're still getting people here and getting them their apparel, getting their headshots.

"It's organized chaos right now, but such a good energy and such a good vibe. We're just so excited that everyone is here."

There isn't a single member of Boston's organization that isn't going above and beyond, with Marmer and head coach Courtney Kessel leading the way.

"We're all-hands-on-deck," Marmer said. "I went to a woodshop this week to figure out what the design for our lockers are going to look like. Courtney Kessel has been doing that stuff with me. We've been designing the walls, and someone who works at (Boston Sports Institute) is great with graphic design, so it's been all hands on deck. It takes a village. I think everyone is so excited to get started that we're all willing to chip in."

The PWHL's schedule has yet to be released, but games are expected to start in January, with more detailed team identities to lead us there. In the meantime, Boston's still got work to do, and doesn't mind doing it if it means completing its goal of reimagining women's hockey.