NHL cheerleading
The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional hockey league with teams in the United States and Canada. Some of the teams have a squad of dancers, ice skaters, or promotional representatives called NHL Cheerleaders or NHL 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 the New York Islanders, made its debut during the 2000–01 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] The Dallas Stars followed suit, launching their inaugural Dallas Stars Ice Girls in the 2001–02 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 the 2006–07 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 the Edmonton 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 the Boston Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes, with more emphasis on fan relations and less on performances.[10][11] This was due to several NHL teams facing criticism for sexual exploitation and objectification of the women dancers and arguments about poor working conditions and low pay.[12][13][14]
Teams
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] |
Notable cheerleaders
- Kate Steinberg, internet and television personality, former cheerleader for the Chicago Blackhawks
See also
References
- ^ a b "Boston Bruins Ice Girls". 5 April 2016.
- ^ "Top 10 Hockey Cheerleader Teams | TheHockeyFanatic". 9 August 2012.
- ^ "Fan Fuel: Carolina Hurricanes want fans to join their Storm Squad".
- ^ "Dallas Stars Ice Girls in images through the years". 9 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Dallas Stars Ice Girls History | Dallas Stars".
- ^ "NHL Ice Girls and Cheerleaders". 19 March 2013.
- ^ "NHL ice girls and cheerleaders in images".
- ^ "Meet lovely ladies of Oilers Octane, Canada's 1st NHL cheer squad". 15 December 2010.
- ^ "Edmonton Oilers disband Octane cheerleading team". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. August 10, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
- ^ "The Bruins are replacing the Ice Girls with the most Boston-model promo team ever". 12 August 2016.
- ^ "This is some of the degrading shit NHL "ice girls" put up with".
- ^ Geschwind, Melissa (14 March 2014). "The institutional sexism of NHL Ice Girls". Yahoo! Sports.
- ^ Chang, Lulu (13 June 2014). "NHL "Ice Girls" Are As Cold As They Look, And Their Working Conditions Are Worse". Bustle.
- ^ "Farewell to the Islanders Ice Girls". Sports Illustrated. 2015-01-20.
- ^ "Fans | Anaheim Ducks | Anaheim Ducks".
- ^ "Fans | Boston Bruins | Boston Bruins".
- ^ "Canes Crew | Carolina Hurricanes".
- ^ Kostek, Jackie (August 12, 2013). "My Blackhawks Ice Crew Tryout: Cold Competition on Ice". DNA Info. Chicago, Illinois. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
- ^ "Dallas Stars Ice Girls | Dallas Stars".
- ^ "Dance Team | Florida Panthers".
- ^ "Ice Crew | LA Kings Hockey Development and Promotional Team | Los Angeles Kings".
External links
Media related to National Hockey League cheerleaders at Wikimedia Commons