Jocks In Jills: Tessa Bonhomme And Julia Tocheri Talk PWHL Playoffs & More

Forbes

05-05-2025

Tessa Bonhomme and Julia Tocheri are the voices behind Jocks in Jills, a fast-growing podcast that's become a go-to destination for women's hockey fans. Blending expert insight with sharp humor, the duo has built a loyal community by highlighting the players, perspectives, and stories that often go untold in mainstream coverage.
Bonhomme brings Olympic gold medal credentials from her time with Team Canada and deep broadcasting experience as a former SportsCentre anchor at TSN. Tocheri, known for her sharp hockey IQ and breakout work with TSN's Maple Leafs coverage and BarDown, rounds out the team with a fresh, media-savvy perspective. Together, they're helping reshape how the game is talked about—making hockey feel more accessible, inclusive, and entertaining for all audiences.
In the Q&A that follows, Bonhomme and Tocheri open up about the PWHL playoffs, the evolution of youth hockey, standout podcast moments, and what's next for the growing professional women's hockey.
Q: How did the Jocks in Jills Podcast come to life?
Tessa: Julia and I worked together at TSN in Canada, which is kind of like ESPN's sister company up north. I was a SportsCentre anchor and hosted a lot of women's hockey coverage. And Julia—well, she's been an incredible colleague.
Julia: Thanks, Tessa. I always have to be careful what I say—I don't want to make Tessa sound old! But I did grow up watching her. She's an Olympic gold medalist and has been such an inspiration.
We worked together during the Women's World Championships in Calgary in 2021. We were in a bubble, and it was a unique experience, especially since the previous year's Worlds in Halifax were canceled due to the pandemic. There had been so much momentum for women's hockey, and it felt like COVID hit pause on all of that.
Tessa was pregnant during that time—not exactly a time for beers and brainstorming—but we just got along really well. We're both from Northern Ontario: she's from Sudbury, I'm from Thunder Bay. Not super close geographically, but culturally similar—blue-collar, hockey-first towns.
Tessa brings years of experience in broadcasting and hockey, and I've got a background in digital media and brand building. We complement each other really well, and that's how Jocks in Jills started.
Q: You've both seen women's hockey evolve over the years. The PWHL is in its second year and has been extremely successful. Why do you think it's working now, when previous attempts didn't stick?
Tessa: I've played in earlier iterations of pro women's leagues, and the difference with the PWHL is huge. For one, there's a real business plan this time around. The Mark Walter Group understands that this is a long-term investment. They're not just here for a year or two—they're fully backing it.
Exposure has also improved. The venues, locker rooms—everything's more professional. And in year one, it was smart to stream all the games on YouTube. It made it accessible, brought in new fans, even people who weren't traditional sports followers but were interested in women's sports and athletes.
Also, the players now have a union—their own players' association. That's huge. A lot of the players sat down and said, 'What do we actually need to make this professional?' Add to that support from Billie Jean King, and you've got a strong foundation.
No one's rushing things. There's a sense of building something sustainable, thoughtfully and strategically. It's not just hype—it's real.
Q: Let's switch gears to the playoffs. I'd love your take on the end of the season. Starting with Montreal and Toronto—both clinched playoff spots. How have those teams evolved?
Julia:
They've both had interesting seasons. Toronto got off to a rocky start. Tessa, I think we even wondered if there was a bit of a goalie controversy?
Tessa: Yeah, Kristen Campbell started the year slow, and Raygan Kirk stepped in for a bit. But Campbell has really solidified her game recently.
Toronto has so much offensive talent—Blayre Turnbull, Sarah Nurse, Natalie Spooner, Emma Maltais, and newer stars like Hannah Miller and Daryl Watts. Watts has been on fire—six goals in her last six games, I think. They're deep and in a great place heading into playoffs.
Julia: Montreal, on the other hand, is entering the playoffs in a bit of a weird spot. They started the season fantastic—they were actually my pick to win it all. But their depth started to fade a bit.
Their power play looked amazing on paper, but wasn't always converting. Still, they kept winning tight games. Goaltending has been a strong point, with Ann-Renée Desbiens making huge saves. And when you have Marie-Philip Poulin, you know she can win a game for you at any moment.
But they stumbled a bit before Worlds. They were hit by injuries—Desbiens missed some time, and Elaine Chuli stepped up as backup. They're trending in the right direction, but still finding their rhythm.
It's tough when you've already clinched and are facing teams fighting for their playoff lives—you're trying to stay healthy, not necessarily playing with the same desperation.
Tessa: Exactly. But Montreal is loaded: Poulin, Laura Stacey, Jen Gardiner, Abby Boreen—and a deep defense with Cayla Barnes, Erin Ambrose, and Kati Tabin. If they find their groove, they're going to be a real threat for the Walter Cup.
Q: Which team surprised you the most this season—either positively or negatively?
Julia: We both agree on the under-performer: New York.
Tessa: Yeah, they just hit a stretch where they couldn't find any points—nine straight games. If they'd gotten even a few points in three of those, they'd be in the playoff mix right now.
They had Sarah Fillier as the first overall pick—she's been great. Alex Carpenter was their offensive leader, but after she went down with an injury, the team just fell apart.
Julia: Another surprising team, in a less positive way, is Minnesota. They're the reigning Walter Cup champs, so we expected more. Instead, they're in the same position as last year—scrapping to stay alive in the playoffs. You'd think they would've built on last year's experience.
Q: There's a lot going on in terms of storylines, but what would you say is the main storyline heading into the playoffs that fans should be paying attention to?
Julia: Oh, honestly, I feel like it has to be about the top dogs, Tessa. Last year, it was Kendall Coyne—she did so much to make this league happen. She made the initial call to Billie Jean King. Like, 'Let's make this happen. How do we build a viable professional women's league?' She was the first to hoist the Walter Cup. It felt like a storybook ending—thank you, hockey gods! We were all thrilled.
So the big question is: who's next? Hilary Knight made it to the finals last year. She's rocking this intense black eye right now—it's playoff-perfect. And let's not forget, they went all the way to Game 5 last year. Is it going to be Hilary, or is it going to be Marie-Philip Poulin—known to win everywhere, known to be Captain Clutch, and always delivers when her team needs her most?
And we're still setting the playoff picture. We don't even know if Ottawa's going to make it in. If they do, I think they could be really dangerous. They have one of the most engaged fan bases in the PWHL. If they gain some momentum and sneak in on the last day? I wouldn't want to face them in the semifinals.
Q: A lot to think about. Okay, let's talk about that fight. The first official fight in the PWHL. I'd love a deeper take on that. We know girls at the youth level typically aren't taught that kind of physicality—fighting, body checking—it's not built into the game the same way it is for boys. So what's your take? Should that change?
Tessa: Yeah, that's a great question. Body checking in particular—I think it's an important skill to learn, regardless of whether it's allowed in your league. I played boys' hockey growing up because there weren't girls' teams where I was, so I learned to give and receive hits early. It just helps you protect yourself, avoid compromising positions, and makes you more prepared overall. It actually makes you a bit of a threat—like, you can take a hit, give one, and stay standing.
A lot of PWHL players did grow up playing boys' hockey, so they already know how to handle physical play. But I think the league is working to implement more systems for girls who didn't have that same upbringing. And honestly, I think we'll see that at the grassroots level soon. If the PWHL is the goal, girls are going to need to be ready for that kind of game.
Julia: And when it comes to fighting—yeah, it's being dubbed the 'first fight,' but there was definitely some heavy scrapping between Toronto and Montreal last year during playoffs or pre-playoffs.
Tessa: Right! And honestly, fighting isn't allowed in any league—it's technically illegal everywhere. But it happens. It stems from emotion, from competitiveness. I've been in two fights—Team Canada vs. Team USA. And look, we're wearing cages—I'm not taking my gloves off to punch someone's helmet. I just got so mad in the moment that it happened.
I don't think we'll see a lot of fighting in the PWHL. The physical play that's allowed now really helps let off steam. But like with siblings, it still might happen once in a while when tensions boil over. We had Megan Duggan on the podcast, and she told us about fighting a teammate in practice once—sometimes it just happens.
And you know what? The two players who fought—Saulnier and Vanišová—totally respect each other. That's the essence of a hockey fight. It's heat-of-the-moment. We're never going to see the 'enforcer' era in women's hockey like we did in men's. But grit? Grit is a huge asset in this league, and it adds so much to the game.
Q: That's fascinating. So following up on youth development—especially for girls—what more could be done to prepare them to go from grassroots all the way to pro now that there's a clearer pipeline?
Tessa: Yeah, I think education is key. Kids need to know how important it is to stick with the game and train properly. And we also need to look at the pro level—where are the skill gaps? Shooting, for example, is one area I think we can really improve from the youth level up.
But beyond skills, we also need to educate players and families on the pathway—like, what it really means to be recruited. We talk to so many players on our podcast who had no idea how NCAA recruiting worked when they were coming through. They didn't know about official visits, the paperwork, SATs, eligibility. That's critical info.
And not everyone's path is the same. NCAA isn't the only option. U Sports might be better for some. And even if you don't get drafted, you can still go overseas to the SDHL or other leagues to keep developing. When I played, if you weren't in the national program after college, that was it—you were done. Now, there are more paths. The PWHL has already expanded—who knows how many more teams are coming?
Q: Yeah, totally. And speaking of expansion—two new teams coming, Vancouver and Seattle. What are your thoughts?
Julia: Oh, we are so excited. We got to visit Vancouver and Seattle during the takeover tour this year. It was my first time in Seattle—I was blown away. The arena, the energy, the fan reception—it was incredible. I kind of thought New York had it all, but a couple of their teams actually play in New Jersey. Seattle is the first city with all major women's pro sports teams in place. That feels huge.
And there's so much talent out there. Just last week, we saw a third-string goalie make her debut after sitting on the bench for nearly two full seasons—she stopped 26 shots and blanked the shootout. The depth is insane, especially at that position.
Also, shoutout to Jessica Campbell coaching the Kraken and now sharing that venue with the PWHL team—it's such a cool synergy. And Vancouver? That's where Canada won the most iconic Olympic gold ever in 2010, with Tessa on that team. So it all comes full circle.
Q: Amazing. Let's switch over to the podcast for a bit. What's been your favorite moment or guest this season on Jocks in Jills?
Julia: For me, it was Catherine Dubois. She's not a national team player—just this incredible depth player from Quebec. Over the summer, she was literally laying bricks for her dad's construction company while training. She thought her career was over, then the PWHL started, and she earned a spot as a reserve—and now she's a full-time player.
We had this hilarious conversation about a terrible COVID haircut she gave herself, but also these very real discussions about female-specific health challenges she faced. She was in pain, and wasn't taken seriously—until doctors realized she was a pro athlete. It was raw and powerful. She doesn't get much media, but she gave us one of our best interviews.
Tessa: That was a great one. I'll pick a non-player—Jessica Campbell was great. But by far one of the funniest episodes was with Boston head coach Britni Smith. Her Boston accent, her honesty—she's hilarious. We want her on every week. If she weren't coaching, I think she'd have her own show.
Q: So obviously the podcast has grown a lot—what's it been like seeing fan culture evolve?
Julia: It feels like we're in a giant group chat with our friends. We share our travel mishaps, inside jokes—one time my dog ate an edible—and our listeners know it all. We show up to games and people have signs referencing our jokes. It feels like a true community.
Tessa: Yeah, and it's a unique kind of fandom. It hasn't really been studied or understood yet. Some of us grew up as your typical 'bros sports fan'—that was me and Julia. But then there's this new wave of fans who never followed sports until now. They're here for this. It's inclusive, it's fun, and honestly? I think the Toronto Sceptres could fill Scotiabank Arena every night if they wanted.
Q: Love it. Okay, last question. If someone's tuning in to the PWHL playoffs for the first time, what should they watch for? What makes it so exciting?
Julia: Know the big characters. Every team has stars—Poulin, Knight, Kendall Coyne (if Minnesota makes it in). But also learn the fan favorites—the fourth-liners, the grinders. There's something for everyone.
And rivalries are heating up. That Canada vs. USA tension? It's bleeding into PWHL rivalries now. These players go hard. Last year's playoffs had triple overtimes and one-goal games. It was electric.
Tessa: We're going to drop a full episode to get everyone caught up before playoffs, so if you're new, don't worry—we'll get you up to speed. You'll be yelling at your screen just like us in no time.