Toronto's new pro women's hockey team is called the Six and people aren't hating it
The Toronto Six is the name for the National Women's Hockey League's (NWHL) first Canadian team, and most people seem to be appreciate the many ways the name serves as a double-entendre.
The womens' hockey league unveiled the new name and branding for Toronto's team on Tuesday, and the multiple meanings of the number 6 didn't go unnoticed.
Introducing the sixth team in the NWHL, and the first in Canada...
— NWHL (@NWHL) May 19, 2020
The Toronto Six.
🔗: https://t.co/zOjUIqZ2xQ pic.twitter.com/tPZS0SUFQI
The least popular one: Toronto's 6ix designation, popularized by Drake, maybe invented by Jimmy Prime, quasi-ode to the 416 and 647 area codes.
#NWHL news: Toronto has unveiled their name & logo. They'll be known as the Toronto Six, since they're the league's sixth team, starting in their sixth season and, of course, Toronto's city nickname. pic.twitter.com/4dYY9lFp3r
— Melissa Burgess (@_MelissaBurgess) May 19, 2020
Or, the most credible association: the reference to Toronto's six boroughs, pre-amalgamation.
Then there's some hockey no-brainers: The Toronto Six is also the NWHL's sixth team that begins playing in the league's sixth season.
A hockey team has six players on the ice at a time so literally every time a Toronto set of players are on the ice they are literally the Toronto Six. The pedantic/literal team name critiquer in me is immensely satisfied.
— Marisa Ingemi (@Marisa_Ingemi) May 19, 2020
There's also the fact that there are always six players from a team on the ice at a time.
Maybe the name is a reference to The Original Six, which are the six original teams that made up the NHL, though obviously no women players were on those teams.
The Toronto Six logo looks like what happens when the NHL 75th anniversary logo doesn’t practice social distancing. That said. Welcome Toronto Six. pic.twitter.com/U07Q5KkYko
— 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 (@dalter) May 19, 2020
TO6's logo includes a maple leaf with a hockey stick and a skate edge, though uniforms have not yet been unveiled. According to the NWHL, the name garnered the most votes in their Name the Team poll.
Six boroughs. Six players. Sixth team. The leaf image is well represented. I don't mind the colour scheme. Ottawa doesn't own it.
— Sandra Cormier Turnsek (@Chumplet) May 19, 2020
Also, they can reuse the wine glasses in the arenas! pic.twitter.com/smR9Ln0PLf
Despite the excitement, the launch of the NWHL 2020-2021 in November is already seeing some controversy, including the roughly 200 players in the Professional Women's Hockey Players' Assocation refusing to play in the league.
Toronto Six
Join the conversation Load comments