Professional women’s hockey league
The (PWHL) is a new league featuring the best female hockey players in the world. The league announced its name and six franchise cities on August 29, 2023. The teams will be based in Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto in Canada, and Boston, Minneapolis-St. Paul and New York in the United States. The PWHL will begin its inaugural season in January 2024, with a 24-game regular season schedule and playoffs. The league aims to provide a sustainable and competitive platform for women’s hockey to grow the sport and inspire future generations of players and fans.
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is a new initiative that aims to provide a platform for the best female hockey players in the world. The league, which is set to launch in 2024, will feature six teams across North America competing for the coveted PWHL Cup.
The PWHL is so new that team names and logos have yet to be decided. Some of the team’s recent signings are listed below. The PWHL also released its order for its Sept. 18 draft. Minnesota will have the first overall pick, followed by Toronto, Boston, New York, Ottawa and Montreal. The order will be reversed for even-numbered rounds, with 15 rounds.
Montreal: Marie-Philip Poulin Forward, Laura Stacey, Forward. and Anne-Renée Desbiens, Goaltender.
Boston: Hilary Knight, Forward; Megan Keller, Defence and Aerin Frankel, Goaltender.
Minnesota: Kendall Coyne Schofield, Forward; Kelly Pannek, Forward; and Lee Stecklein, Defence.
New York: Abby Roque, Forward; Alex Carpenter, Forward; and Micah Zandee-Hart, Defence.
Ottawa: Emily Clark, Forward, Brianne Jenner, Forward, and Emerance Maschmeyer, Goaltender.
Toronto: Sarah Nurse, Forward; Renata Fast, Defence and Blayre Turnbull, Forward.
The PWHL is also the first women’s hockey league to have a union, the PWHL Players Association (PWHLPA), which represents the interests and rights of the players. Four-time Olympic gold medalist and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Jayna Hefford is the commissioner of the Players Association. The PWHLPA aims to improve the players’ working conditions, salaries, benefits, and opportunities and advocate for gender equity and social justice in the sport.
The PWHL is not just a sports league but a movement that seeks to empower women and girls through hockey. The league will offer competitive salaries, benefits, and opportunities for its players, as well as mentorship, education, and community outreach programs. The PWHL will also partner with various organizations and sponsors to promote gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in sports and beyond.
The PWHL pays its players a minimum salary of $50,000 per season, with bonuses and incentives based on performance and attendance. The league also covers travel, accommodation, equipment, and health insurance costs for its players.
The PWHL results from years of hard work and collaboration by many stakeholders, including players, coaches, managers, owners, media, fans, and sponsors. The league’s vision is to create a sustainable and professional environment for women’s hockey, where players can showcase their skills and passion and inspire the next generation of female athletes off the ice.
European Women’s Hockey League (EWHL)
Europe has been a pioneer in the advancement of women’s hockey. In 2004, the European Women’s Hockey League began an international championship for the best women’s ice hockey teams from Hungary, Austria, Italy, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, and Poland.
The EWHL was created in 2004 by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and is parallel to national championships.
The EWHL features ten teams from eight countries divided into two groups: Group A consists of Hokiklub Budapest, MAC Budapest, Aisulu Almaty, KMH Budapest, and DEC Salzburg Eagles; Group B consists of SKP Bratislava, Sabres Vienna, EV Bozen Eagles, KEHV Lakers, and EHV Sabres Juniors. The EWHL season runs from September to March, with each team playing 18 games in the regular season. The teams play each other twice in their group, and then the top four teams advance to the quarterfinals. The quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals are played in a best-of-three format.
The current EWHL champion is Hokiklub Budapest from Hungary, who defeated MAC Budapest 3-0 in the final game of the 2022-23 season. The bronze medal went to SKP Bratislava, who beat Aisulu Almaty 4-3. The EWHL is a competitive and exciting league that showcases some of the best talent in women’s hockey in Europe and beyond. You can follow the league on their website https://ewhl.com/ or social media channels.
Conclusion
The formation of a professional women’s hockey league is long overdue. It empowers women and promotes the idea that women can compete at an elite level in professional sports. It offers an opportunity for aspiring young female hockey fans to become more than just spectators of men’s hockey; it also provides them with the inspiration to participate in sports and motivates them to pursue their dreams of playing professional ice hockey while learning from their favorite female hockey players who helped pioneer a path for them to follow their dreams.
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