Montreal Force
Montreal's short-lived PHF franchise played one season before league dissolution.
The Montreal Force (French: la Force de Montréal) were a professional women's ice hockey team based in Montreal and part of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF). Founded in 2022, the team began play in the 2022–23 PHF season. The Force existed for just one season; at its conclusion, the PHF was dissolved after its assets were purchased, paving the way for the creation of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), a unified North American professional women's league.
Montreal had been considered for a PHF expansion franchise for some time, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused the league to postpone those plans. In July 2022, the league announced the expansion franchise, with ownership held by BTM Partners—the same group that owned three other PHF teams. The team’s name, logo, and jerseys were unveiled the following month. During the inaugural season, the Force wore three uniform combinations: maroon with white stripes, black with maroon stripes, and white with maroon stripes, all featuring fleur-de-lis shoulder patches.
In September 2022, Peter Smith was named the team’s first head coach, with Pierre Alain as associate coach and Katia Clement-Heydra as assistant coach. The Force’s first goal was scored by captain Ann-Sophie Bettez in the team’s opening game, a 5–4 shootout victory over the Buffalo Beauts. The team had no permanent home arena; instead, it played home games at various rinks across Quebec, including the Aréna Raymond-Bourque in Montreal, the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, the Aréna régional de la Rivière-du-Nord in Saint-Jérôme, and the Centre Premier Tech in Rivière-du-Loup. The Force also planned to play in Gatineau, Quebec City, and Sept-Îles.
In June 2023, the PHF’s assets were purchased, leading to the league’s closure as part of the formation of the PWHL. The following August, Montreal was awarded one of six charter franchises in the new league. PWHL Montréal debuted on January 2, 2024.
The 2022–23 roster included players as of January 20, 2023. The coaching staff consisted of head coach Peter Smith, associate coach Pierre Alain, and assistant coach Katia Clement-Heydra. The front office, as of October 11, 2022, included president Kevin Raphaël, vice president Emmanuel Anderson De Serres, and ownership group BTM Partners.
Quick Facts
- Team
- Montreal Force / Force de Montréal
- City
- Montreal, Quebec
- League
- Premier Hockey Federation
- Founded
- 2022
- Folded
- 2023
- Arena
- Centre 21.02 (practice site only for 2022–23)
- Owner
- BTM Partners
- Gm
- Kevin Raphaël
- Coach
- Peter Smith
- Captain
- Ann-Sophie Bettez
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Montreal was long planned as a location for a PHF expansion franchise, but uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic led the league to delay its plans. An expansion franchise was announced by the league in July 2022, with the owners announced as BTM Partners, which also owned three other PHF teams. The team's name, logo and jersey were revealed in a press release from the league the following month. Three uniforms were used during the inaugural season: one maroon with white stripes, one black with maroon stripes, and one white with maroon stripes, all with fleur-de-lis shoulder patches.
The team announced in September 2022 that Peter Smith would be the team's first head coach, with Pierre Alain as associate coach and Katia Clement-Heydra as assistant coach. The team's first goal was scored in its inaugural match, a 5–4 shootout win against the Buffalo Beauts, by captain Ann-Sophie Bettez. The Force did not have an official home, but instead played home games at select rinks across the province of Quebec, including the Aréna Raymond-Bourque in Montreal, the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, the Aréna régional de la Rivière-du-Nord in Saint-Jérôme, and the Centre Premier Tech in Rivière-du-Loup; the team was also expected to play at venues in Gatineau, Quebec City, and Sept-Îles.
Reader's Guide
The Montreal Force were notable as the final expansion franchise of the Premier Hockey Federation, playing only a single season before the league's assets were purchased and the PHF was wound down in June 2023. This dissolution was part of the creation of the Professional Women's Hockey League, the first unified women's professional league in North America. The Force's brief existence reflected the transitional period in women's professional hockey, as the PHF gave way to a new league structure. In August 2023, it was announced that Montreal had been awarded one of the six charter PWHL franchises, which debuted as PWHL Montréal on January 2, 2024. The Force's legacy lies in being a stepping stone toward that unified league, and in demonstrating the demand for women's professional hockey in Montreal, a city with a deep hockey tradition. The team's nomadic home schedule across Quebec also highlighted the province's widespread interest in the sport.
Did You Know?
- The Montreal Force played only one season, the 2022–23 PHF season.
- The Force had no official home rink, playing at venues across Quebec including Rimouski, Saint-Jérôme, and Rivière-du-Loup.
- The team's ownership group, BTM Partners, also owned three other PHF teams.
More in Defunct Ice Hockey Teams, Part 5 1-24
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