toronto six

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

Lead photo by

Toronto Six


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