More than a third of the Northern Tridents women's team comprises players from Northland, even though many no longer play in the region.
Of the Tridents' 21 players, eight - Brooke Roberts, Ella Gunson, Jessica Pilmer, Katie Doar, Madison Doar, Olivia Crum, Samantha Polovnikoff and Stacey Michelsen - are from Northland. Only Gunson and Pilmer still play club hockey in the region.
Tridents' assistant coach Sandra Mackie is also a Northlander.
Hockey NZ wanted a Kiwi feel to the team names, with a connection to the land and people. It consulted with senior players, administrators, coaches and former players to help choose the Tridents, Mavericks, Falcons and Alpiners names.
The Northern Tridents have been inspired by the stunning stretch of water from the Bay of Islands to the mighty Hauraki Gulf, and they are named after the weapon of choice of Poseidon – the legendary God of Sea. This team covers the region from Northland to Auckland.
In the men's teams, Dwayne Rowsell, who is playing for the Hauraki Mavericks, is originally from Northland, along with Liam Mortimer, who is in the Tridents men's team.
Hockey New Zealand performance network manager Simon Brill said the league was focused on progressing the country's top players as well as bridging the gap between domestic and international hockey.
"The quality of players in this league is of the highest calibre with a vast array of international performers as well as proven local and developing players spread across the eight squads."
All Vantage Black Sticks players, except a couple who are injured, are available for the league and will be pushing for selection alongside former internationals and future stars for next year's postponed FIH Pro League and the Tokyo Olympics.
Hockey NZ decided to move the league from Auckland to a fully controllable venue in Hamilton to reduce the risk to participants and the event of fluctuating Covid-19 alert levels, particularly in Auckland.
If the country returned to alert level 2 during the league, the bubble being created at the Hamilton venue would protect the health and wellbeing of the players as it would not be used for any other hockey at the time.
"It is disappointing to have to move the league from the new purpose-built National Hockey Centre in Albany but in securing our ability to deliver the competition, the safety of all our participants must come first," Brill said.
All 28 matches in the Premier Hockey League will be available free on Sky Sport NEXT and are also able to be viewed on Sky Sport 9.
The full draw will be released next week, and it will be determined closer to the time whether spectators can attend based on alert levels.
