Toronto Six

Lore & Background

The Toronto Six were announced on April 22, 2020, as the National Women's Hockey League's sixth team and first original expansion team, following the collapse of the CWHL and its Toronto Furies. The ownership group was led by Boston-based investors headed by Johanna Neilson Boynton, a former Harvard Crimson women's ice hockey player. Margaret 'Digit' Murphy, former head coach of the Brown Bears, Boston Blades, and Kunlun Red Star WIH, became team president, while sports executive Tyler Tumminia was named chairman. The team name was chosen from over 300 entries submitted in an online poll, referencing the team being the sixth NWHL franchise, the six players on the ice, and Toronto's nickname 'The Six' (from the 416 area code and the six municipalities that formed the city). The colours were red and gold, representing Canada and the Golden Horseshoe, and the logo combined the letters 'T' and 'O' with the number 6 and a maple leaf.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Six began their inaugural season in a bubble in Lake Placid, New York, in January 2021. They played their first game on January 23 against the Metropolitan Riveters, losing 3–0. The team earned its first win on January 26, 2021, defeating the Boston Pride 2–1. The Six clinched the top seed for the Isobel Cup playoffs but lost their semifinal to the eventual champion Boston Pride 6–2. Following the season, forward Mikyla Grant-Mentis became the most decorated player in a single NWHL season, winning the league's MVP award (the first Black player to do so), tying as the leading scorer, and capturing Newcomer of the Year.

In May 2021, the Six's owners also bought the Metropolitan Riveters as part of the league's push for independent ownership. The league rebranded as the Premier Hockey Federation in September 2021. Mark Joslin replaced Digit Murphy as head coach for the 2021–22 season, becoming the first Black head coach in NWHL history. Hockey Hall of Fame member Angela James joined the coaching staff. The team was sold to a new ownership group including Anthony Stewart, Angela James, Bernice Carnegie, and Ted Nolan. For the 2022–23 season, Geraldine Heaney was hired as head coach, and Sami Jo Small joined as team president. On March 26, 2023, the Six won the Isobel Cup Championship, defeating the Minnesota Whitecaps 4–3 in overtime at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona.

Reader's Guide

The Toronto Six hold a unique place in women's professional hockey history as the PHF's final champions. Their founding in 2020 marked the first expansion of the NWHL since the collapse of the CWHL in 2019, and they were one of two Canadian teams in the league alongside the Montreal Force. The team's name and branding deliberately tied into Toronto's identity, using the city's 'Six' nickname and colours representing Canada and the Golden Horseshoe. The Six's inaugural season was played entirely in a COVID-19 bubble in Lake Placid, New York, and their first win came against the Boston Pride. The team's most decorated player, Mikyla Grant-Mentis, set a league record with four accolades in a single season, including MVP. The Six's 2023 Isobel Cup victory made them the last champions of the PHF before the league was dissolved to form the unified Professional Women's Hockey League. The team's ownership and leadership included notable figures such as Digit Murphy, Angela James, and Sami Jo Small, reflecting a blend of experience from both the CWHL and NWHL eras.

Did You Know?

• Mikyla Grant-Mentis became the first Black player to win the NWHL's MVP award.
• The Six won the 2023 Isobel Cup, making them the PHF's final championship team.