The Fearless, Frozen Females of Hockey

During the offseason, many CWHL clubs held surveys, asking their fans which types of merchandising they would like to possibly purchase. Among the offerings that fans showed strong response to, one item in particular was hockey cards. While several CWHL players that have competed for the Canadian or American national teams have earned the cardboard treatment, the chance to be part of a CWHL themed set represents a new experience. Starting the new trend towards its players being featured on hockey cards is the Brampton Thunder. Such an exciting offering also helps to enrich the fan experience. For generations of young boys in the post World War II era, sports cards featuring their favorite hockey, baseball and football players added an exciting new dimension to their sport of choice, while providing a stronger connection to the athletes they idolized. For the young female fans of the Brampton Thunder, the 2014-15 season has enabled them the chance to experience that same conn...

As the Brampton Thunder rebuild, hoping to recapture the glories of season’s past, an impressive rookie crop forms the foundation. Led by Sochi gold medalist Laura Fortino (the first overall pick in the 2014 CWHL Draft) along with 2014 Patty Kazmaier Award winner Jamie Lee Rattray at forward, a patient fan base sees only good things ahead. Such an example was evident during the Thunder’s season opener. Facing off against the Calgary Inferno, who made significant offseason upgrades to their offense, the host team Thunder put up a valiant fight. Standing between the pipes was rookie backstop Erica Howe. Having grown up in the Ottawa area with Rattray, the two have been teammates at the PWHL, IIHF and NCAA levels, winning the NCAA Frozen Four title in 2014. While the Inferno’s offense overwhelmed Brampton, prevailing by a 5-2 score, the rookie crop never gave up. Howe only gave up one goal in the first period (Jenna Cunningham at 9:02) while stifling four power play attempts by t...