TORONTO, March 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Across Canada, one in three girls drops out of sports early1, often losing the opportunity to develop the confidence, life skills, and passion that participation provides. To help reverse this trend, Royale, a founding partner of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) and proud supporter of the PWHL Mentorship Program, is launching Her Signature Moment. This unique initiative flips the traditional player-fan autograph experience on its head. Instead of pros signing for fans, young fans are taking up the pen to sign the jerseys of their PWHL heroes. Every signature is a powerful pledge to keep playing, keep dreaming, and never leave the game they love.
As part of the Her Signature Moment initiative, Royale has partnered with PWHL star Emma Maltais to call on young players and fans to sign her jersey, along with the jerseys of other PWHL teams. This isn’t just an autograph session; it’s a movement. Each signature represents a powerful promise and commitment from the next generation to fuel their dreams of becoming the next PWHL stars.
“Growing up, I loved getting autographs from my favourite players,” said Maltais, Toronto Sceptres forward and mentor in the PWHL Mentorship Program. “With Her Signature Moment, when a young girl signs my jersey, or another player’s, it’s a small but meaningful moment. It’s a reminder that she belongs in the game and that her path in hockey is her own. Seeing young players feel that confidence is really special, and it says a lot about where the game is headed.”
As a proudly Canadian brand committed to supporting women in sport, Royale is also ensuring every pledge has a lasting impact. For the first 1,000 signatures received, Royale will donate $25 CAD (to a maximum of $25,000) to the PWHL Mentorship Program, amplifying the initiative’s impact beyond the rink. Fans will also have the option to further support the PWHL Mentorship Program through donations to charity partner, Strong Girls United. This vital funding will help fuel participation in the sport, including bi-weekly mentoring sessions and local PWHL experiences, ensuring Her Signature Moment contributes to the development of the next generation of PWHL stars.
“Royale is honoured to stand with the PWHL and inspire young girls to see themselves in this game,” said Jennifer Lo, Vice President, Marketing for Royale. “Her Signature Moment is our commitment to support the next generation and building a stronger future for women’s hockey.”
Add your signature to a PWHL jersey of your choice at HerSignatureMoment.ca, and encourage others to champion the next generation of stars by sharing your experience with the hashtag #HerSignatureMoment.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Rebecca Lastoria, Citizen Relations: [email protected]
About the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL)
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that features the best women’s players in the world. It is comprised of eight teams: Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver. Launched on January 1, 2024, the PWHL has broken multiple attendance records and holds the worldwide all-time record for a women’s hockey game. The league was recognized by Sports Business Journal as the Sports Breakthrough of the Year, and ranked No. 1 in Canada for corporate reputation in both 2024 and 2025, according to the Harris Poll. Visit thepwhl.com to purchase tickets and merchandise, and subscribe to the PWHL e-newsletter for the latest updates. Follow the league on social media @thepwhlofficial.
PWHL, the PWHL Logo, and PWHL team names and logos are trademarks of the PWHL. © PWHL 2026. All Rights Reserved.
About Royale
Royale products have been loved by Canadians for over 60 years. It offers a full line of household paper products including bathroom tissue, paper towel, facial tissue, and napkins as well as premium baby diapers and training pants. Royale is made by Irving Consumer Products, a proud Canadian company.
1 Canadian Women & Sport. (2020). The Rally Report: Encouraging Action to Improve Sport for Women and Girls. https://womenandsport.ca/the-rally-reportbuild
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c0931037-1628-417d-8691-89cf941fb8b6
