TheNational Hockey League (NHL) is aprofessional hockey league with teams in the United States and Canada. Some of the teams have a squad of dancers, ice skaters, orpromotional representatives calledNHL Cheerleaders orNHL Ice Girls.[1][2] These teams were historically all-female but some have become co-ed in the 21st century.[3] NHL Cheerleaders are involved in dancing and performances, charity work, modeling, and public relations for the league's hockey teams.[4][1]
The NHL's first Ice Girls team, affiliated with theNew York Islanders, made its debut during the2000–01 NHL season.[5] Traditionally, NHL teams had all-male ice teams to clean the ice during the games, and the Islanders rebranded the concept to incorporate dancers and models.[5] TheDallas Stars followed suit, launching their inaugural Dallas Stars Ice Girls in the2001–02 NHL season.[5] Their first team consisted of ten women ice skaters to clear away accumulation of snow around the goals and boards during period time outs.[5][6] By the2006–07 NHL season, the Ice Girls performed choreographed dances and engaged in promotional activities and community events.[5][7] The first Canadian team in the NHL to introduce an Ice Girls group was theEdmonton Oilers in 2010.[8] The Oilers disbanded the cheer team in 2016.[9]
In the 2010s and 2020s, some NHL teams did away with the traditional Ice Girls and opted for co-ed "promo teams", including theBoston Bruins and theCarolina Hurricanes, with more emphasis on fan relations and less on performances.[10][11] This was due to several NHL teams facing criticism forsexual exploitation and objectification of the women dancers and arguments about poor working conditions and low pay.[12][13][14]
A list of some of the NHL Ice Girls and Cheerleaders includes:
| NHL Team | Cheerleading Team Names |
|---|---|
| Anaheim Ducks | Power Players[15] |
| Boston Bruins | Boston Bruins Promo Team[16] |
| Carolina Hurricanes | Canes Crew[17] |
| Chicago Blackhawks | Chicago Blackhawks Ice Crew[18] |
| Dallas Stars | Dallas Stars Ice Girls[19] |
| Florida Panthers | Florida Panthers Dance Team[20] |
| Los Angeles Kings | LA Kings Ice Crew[21] |
Media related toNational Hockey League cheerleaders at Wikimedia Commons
