SAINT PAUL, Minn. — It's barely been a month since the players for PWHL Minnesota have been competing, but the impact the team is having off the ice is already being noticed.
"Now we have this, and the girls can look up to the players, and it's just incredible," Kalli Funk, director of fan experience and community engagement for PWHL Minnesota, said. "They have something to aspire to."
Thousands of fans made their way to the Xcel Energy Center to see the team take on Montreal Wednesday night, including plenty of young hockey players and their teams.
"It's fun to look up to something when, you know, this didn't exist a couple years ago, so it's cool," one girl said.
"State of hockey!" another added.
Natalie Peters and Shaylen Bennett echo their teammates' thoughts – they may be here to catch a game, but they're also here to catch a glimpse of their future as well.
"I wanna be in the Olympics!" Bennett said.
"Yeah, me too," Peters added. "I really wanna go to the Olympics when I'm older."
Also high on their list – playing in the PWHL.
"I think it's very cool to get these little girls excited about a women's sport." Basia Lutz, a fan of the team, said.
Being an inspiration to these players is something Funk says the team – and league – don't take lightly.
"Just being a positive role model, showing what it takes, how to get there, working hard, just being a good person, it's so important," Funk said. "Everyone in this league is doing that, which is awesome."
With that in mind, the message from the future stars is simple.
"Women's hockey is a big deal!" Bennett said.
The team has more home games coming up, with the season lasting into May. Click here for more information.
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