A new era of hockey arrives in January 2024, and fans are pumped and ready. News broke in late-August signaling the creation of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), a new organization that would effectively dissolve previous attempts to launch women’s pro hockey in North America. The PWHL is gearing up to launch with six teams: Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal in Canada, joined by New York, Boston, and Minneapolis-Saint Paul south of the border.
An agreement was reached between the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association and the Premier Hockey Federation, which sold its assets in June as part of the agreement. The PWHL’s first draft was held on Sept. 18. Three Canadians, Jocelyne Larocque, Ella Shelton, and Erin Ambrose were drafted in the first round, with 49 Canadians selected overall. Thanks to an early collective-bargaining agreement, players on active rosters can expect to earn salaries in the range of US$35,000 to US$80,000.
The Canadian National Women’s Hockey Teams have victories in the Olympics and world championships but are often considered “high-performance” teams rather than professional.
Senior vice president of the PWHL, Jayna Hefford, a retired ice hockey forward and Olympic gold medalist, expressed how important it is for a new league to rise, mostly for the up-and-coming women entering the sport. “The journey to get us here has been long, it’s been twisted, it’s been empowering,” said Hefford in an interview with NHL Tonight. “I’m not sure success comes in a straight line, so I think we’re all excited to move forward together.”
Brian Burke, executive director of the PWHL, recognizes the struggle that women in hockey have experienced due to a lack of adequate resources. As well as being a former player, Burke has been general manager of the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs, and knows how hard the players have worked to earn a spot on a new and improved, professional team.
Stephanie Pascal, assistant coach for the Sudbury Lady Wolves, is one of many who are happy to finally see change happen. “For most girls in women’s hockey,” says Pascal in an interview with the CBC, “if you were not at the top like on the Olympic level, pretty much after post-secondary there weren’t a lot of options.” Now, female hockey players in Canada can envision a future in professional hockey, without having to look internationally.
In the same interview, former Olympic gold medallist Tessa Bonhomme imagined a world where the PWHL existed in her youth. “I would have been lacing up for a professional team, making a living wage and playing the game that I love,” she told the CBC. The creation of the league doesn’t just open up opportunities for players, but the entire apparatus required to support a professional league: from coaches, to the people selling hot dogs. It’s a system that requires a lot of thought, attention, and passion.
“It is like working so hard for something your entire life and finally watching it come to fruition,” said Bonhomme. “None of this feels rushed. It feels like everything’s done with the purpose and nothing is being done just to do it. There’s a plan in mind.”
Even though broadcast deals and ticket prices have yet to be determined, the PWHL says the first game of the season will be available to stream. It will be a game-changing moment.
Veronica is a Staff Writer at The Cascade. She loves to travel and explore new places, no
matter how big or small. She is in her second year at UFV, pursuing the study of Creative
Writing.
