This is the second season for the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL). The league was established so that female players could have the opportunity the earn a salary while playing hockey. On International Women’s Day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the revolutionary league and how they are growing the game.
The NWHL Makes History
The league’s four teams, the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, and New York Riveters, contain star studded rosters. They boast players such as Hilary Knight, Kelley Steadman, Kelli Stack, and Amanda Kessel. All four have represented the United States in international competition, including the 2014 Sochi Olympics. While they make nowhere near the amount that their NHL counterparts do, it’s a better situation than many of them were in. Some had to pay out of pocket to use facilities in leagues like the CWHL. Currently, players make a minimum of $5000 per season, in addition to 15% of proceeds from the sale of their jerseys and a share of the team’s ticket sales.
The league has made history in more ways than one, being the first professional sports league with an official transgender player policy, as well as the first to have a transgender player on the roster of one of the teams. Buffalo Beauts player Harrison Browne came out as transgender before this season, and his teammates and the league were accepting of his status, allowing him to continue playing as long as he did not medically transition.
Women’s hockey has its similarities and differences to the game played by the NHL. The game itself is faster, with fewer stoppages and penalties (body checking, for example, is not allowed), but there is no lack of thrills or goals (the Pride/Beauts game on March 5th was a 7-1 game). The game may not require the physicality that men’s hockey does, but NWHL players still show the same amounts of skill and speed as their male counterparts- Pittsburgh Penguins forward Phil Kessel has even joked that his sister Amanda is the better player.
The Isobel Cup Playoffs
The Isobel Cup semi-finals continue next week, March 16th and 7th. The final takes place on Sunday, March 19th at the Tsongas Arena at UMass Lowell in Lowell, Massachusetts. It will also be available online and on television. The TV deals will be announced within the next week.
The Boston Pride can repeat as champions and take home the trophy. The trophy was named after Lord Stanley’s daughter, Isobel. She was one of the first known female hockey players in Canada. She also helped create the tradition of the Stanley Cup. More information about the league can be found on their official website: www.nwhl.zone.
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