NWHL alters logos for Buffalo, Connecticut, opens online store

Fans of the NWHL who have been waiting patiently for gear to be released have had their wishes answered. The league opened up an online store Wednesday and fans were treated to new logos from the Buffalo Beauts and Connecticut Whale.

The NWHL’s free agency period closes in less than two weeks, but the biggest changes that happened Wednesday for the Buffalo Beauts and Connecticut Whale were purely aesthetic. Though the two teams have yet to hit the ice, it was announced by the NWHL that the Beauts and Whale were making modifications to their logos. While the modifications — the addition of a Buffalo to the Beauts logo and locating an updated whale inside a large ‘C’ for the Whale’s new look — may not have seemed like a necessity for the clubs, the new logos are fantastic upgrades over the former look.

The Beauts logo change is an obvious one; the NHL’s Sabres have used a buffalo in their crest for years. The stars above, with the crown situated over the buffalo’s head, is a great look and much better than the simple word mark the team had previously. As for the Whale, the logo change harkens back to the NHL’s Hartford Whalers name even more than the original logo did. The whale, with a hockey stick for a smile, resembles the one the Whalers used as shoulder patch logo. Maybe this means a return for AHL Connecticut Whale mascot Pucky the Whale. The alterations to the logos of two of the league’s four clubs wasn’t the only news to come out of the NWHL, however. The league also announced the opening of its long-awaited shop, making merchandise for the women’s league available for the first time. Now, fans of the clubs can purchase shirts bearing the league’s logo or the mark of the Beauts, Whale, New York Riveters or Boston Pride. Fans of the league have been clamoring for the gear to be released online for months. With the season quickly approaching, the NWHL has made it so fans of the league’s ‘Founding Four’ will be able to support their favorite clubs with gear on opening night. The NWHL merchandise is available in sizes for women, men, children and unisex. The next step for the league will be making jerseys available, which the NWHL said would be coming after the free agency period ends on Aug. 17 and rosters are finalized.