Forget the fact that the Seattle Torrent sit dead last in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) standings, destined to finish outside of the playoffs in the eight-team circuit with just a few games to play.
For the 16,586 fans who showed up for a 2-0 loss to the visiting Ottawa Charge on Sunday, it just doesn’t matter. And this isn’t just a honeymoon grace period for the inaugural franchise, it’s a movement.
There’s something refreshing about the way the matches are played, the game presentation at the Climate Pledge Arena, and the eclectic mix of fans.
It doesn’t hurt to have a hero in Torrent captain Hilary Knight, also the leader of the Team USA squad that beat Canada for the Gold Medal at the recent Milano Winter Olympics. She’s the face of women’s hockey in the US, and fortunately for the fans and the positive momentum of the business, she plans to re-sign in Seattle and play here for at least another two seasons.
She returned Sunday from a knee injury that kept her out of the Seattle line-up since the Games.
It also doesn’t hurt that Knight is a member of the queer community. She recently became engaged to her live-in partner, American speed skater Brittany Bowe. Knight’s almost omnipotent presence simply adds to the appeal for an LGBTQ+ audience that already follows the women’s sport.
Gay or straight means nothing when rooting for the Torrent to win. There are no prejudicial lines drawn.
Meanwhile, Seattle will have the opportunity to participate in yet another benchmark event. They’ll be the visitors to the home team New York Sirens for the PWHL’s first ever game at Madison Square Garden on April 4th. Don’t be surprised if we see yet another women’s hockey attendance record.
While the mood around Seattle’s NHL team becomes more bleak as the Kraken move down the stretch, slipping further away from a playoff spot, a gloomy atmosphere won’t be enveloping their PWHL cousins.
I imagine even with the inevitable return of an NBA franchise to the city, it won’t affect love for the Torrent, as it might for the Kraken. It’s a different business, a different level of expectation, and in a way, a completely different product given the disparity in level of play.
It doesn’t matter. It’s about fun, it’s about atmosphere, competition and entertainment.
It’s why the Torrent aren’t a novelty, they’re a movement.
Earlier Torrent:
— Seattle Torrent Key To Team USA Olympic Gold
