Hockey star Kirsten Simms believes Detroit’s new Professional Women’s Hockey League franchise is more than just an expansion team; it’s a milestone moment for girls’ hockey in one of America’s most passionate hockey markets.
The Plymouth native, who skated for Team USA during the Winter Olympics, said bringing a PWHL team to Detroit validates the rapid growth of the women’s game in Michigan and gives young players something previous generations never had: the chance to dream of playing professionally in their hometown.
“Michigan bleeds hockey,” Simms said. “You see the amount of girls in hockey, and it just continues to grow every single year. For hockey to finally be there is just truly incredible.”
Detroit was awarded a PWHL expansion franchise after strong support during the league’s “Takeover Tour” exhibition events.
--> Detroit lands a PWHL team, bringing pro women’s hockey to Hockeytown
Fans routinely packed arenas and displayed signs calling for a permanent team.
Simms said that enthusiasm reflects the city’s identity as “Hockeytown” and shows how deeply women’s hockey has connected with fans.
“The support of the fans and the people behind Hockeytown is super special,” Simms said. “It shows that Michigan and Detroit is such a center for hockey and that the women’s side is just growing immensely.”
The former Wisconsin Badgers standout said women’s hockey offers a unique atmosphere that resonates with communities and families.
She pointed to the speed, skill, and increasing physicality of the professional game as major draws for fans.
“The game’s obviously super fun to watch,” Simms said. “The skill set, the intensity, and the speed of it, girls are hitting now, and it’s pretty cool to see. It just brings another level of excitement to the game.”
Simms also credited the close relationships between players and supporters as a defining feature of women’s sports.
“The community that you have, they just love women’s hockey,” Simms said. “They love seeing women in sports succeed.”
For Simms, the announcement carries personal meaning.
During recent PWHL events in Detroit, youth players from the Little Caesars AAA girls hockey program participated in ceremonies and packed the stands wearing team jerseys, scenes that reminded Simms of her own childhood.
“That was me not that long ago,” Simms said.
Now, she said, young girls in Michigan can aspire to more than college hockey.
“They get to say now that they don’t only dream to play college hockey, but now they get to dream of playing pro hockey in Detroit for their hometown eventually,” Simms said. “That’s a dream that girls, when I was playing youth hockey, I didn’t get to strive for.”
Detroit will also host the PWHL draft in June at the Fox Theatre, adding another major moment for the city’s growing role in women’s hockey.
For Simms, who grew up playing for Little Caesars, the event feels surreal.
“That’s going to be 25 minutes down the road from where I live,” Simms said. “It’s honestly going to give me a bunch of nostalgia.”
Simms added that having her family nearby for such a milestone would make the experience even more meaningful.
“It is honestly a dream come true that I never thought would be a reality,” Simms said.
Watch the full interview below