Barbie, Tim Hortons (the iconic Canadian restaurant chain known for its donuts) and the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) have teamed up on a new set of hockey dolls in collaboration with PWHL stars Sarah Nurse and Marie-Philip Poulin. Nurse is a niece of former NFL star quarterback Donovan McNabb and a cousin of WNBA standout Kia Nurse. The dolls went on sale earlier this month in both the U.S. and Canada and quickly became a collectors’ item.
“It was super exciting to see my PWHL-inspired Barbie,” said Nurse, who will play for PWHL Vancouver, a new team in the league. “I hope that by showing representation of girls playing hockey, through sport we can give girls a chance to see the endless possibilities for women. A hockey player Barbie shows that women can be strong and athletic, and compete on the ice.”
The hockey Barbies are helping build the next generation of girls and women in ice hockey as $5 (Canadian/$3.63 U.S.) from every doll sold at Tim Hortons and online will be donated to the Grindstone Award Foundation, which strives to get more girls involved in hockey. Although there is not a lot of diversity at present, the PWHL consistently works to encourage girls to take up the sport.
Nurse and Poulin, both Canadian Olympians, were recognized as Barbie role models in 2020 for their trailblazing success and breaking down barriers for women in hockey. The new hockey Barbies come game ready with a PWHL jersey, hockey stick, helmet and skates. “These Barbies show girls that we can be everything — you can love fashion and hockey, you can love pink and skating. We aren’t confined to one thing,” said Nurse.
Now revving up for its third season, PWHL has expanded from its original six teams to eight. Four teams are based in the U.S. and four in Canada, representing the two countries that have dominated the Olympic podium (no other country has won gold). It’s been uplifting to watch the way this league has been embraced and adding some Barbie pink to the equation can only show a diverse range of girls and women that there’s a place for them in the sport.
“We’re especially proud that this initiative also makes a meaningful impact, as the Grindstone Foundation continues to transform the lives of girls across Canada by helping remove barriers and create more opportunities for the next generation of players,” said Amy Scheer, executive vice president of business operations for the PWHL.