Hockey is Canada’s sport. However, women’s hockey struggles to get attention, recognition and financial support. One women’s league recently folded while its successor has seen over 200 players mostly from the United States and Canadian national teams refusing to join in favour of creating their own association, the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association 

Marie-Philip Poulin is currently playing in this association believing that the current options for women and those with her talent are not what they should be. On the other side is Sarah-Eve Coutu-Godbout, a rookie excited to start her pro career and has recently been signed by the Toronto Six with the National Women’s Hockey League. There are also those who believe in both sides like hockey icon and only women to ever play in the NHL, Manon Rhéaume.

These three exemplify the struggle that is professional women’s hockey, the sport they love that doesn’t always love them back. 

CANADIAN WOMEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE: THE OLD

Coutu-Godbout would likely have signed in the CWHL but it ceased its operations in April 2019 leaving hundreds of players shocked and without a job.

“We got a conference call. We thought maybe they would give us good news about sponsors but unfortunately, they said that the league was folding abruptly.” said Marie-Philip Poulin, then captain of the Montreal Canadiennes and current captain of Team Canada.

NATIONAL WOMEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE: THE NEW

While playing for Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, Coutu-Godbout, a Quebec native, used to go watch the Connecticut Whales of the NWHL. 

“I saw the girls that played for the Whales. The caliber was very good and I never heard anything bad about the league. When the PWHPA started, it affected the level of the NWHL a little bit but now it’s crazy. A lot of really good players either came back or just signed with the NWHL and it’s only going to get better each year.”

She knew then that she would want to join that league once her university stint with the Quinnipiac Bobcats was over. “With the CWHL folding and COVID that made it difficult to go play in Europe (she received offers from several Swedish teams), it made my decision very easy to join a NWHL team this season.”

PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S HOCKEY PLAYERS ASSOCIATION: “THE PROTEST”

While everybody thought that all the players from the defunct CWHL would then join various teams in the NWHL, most of them actually boycotted the league and created the PWHPA. The goal of this organization is to unite forces to create a sustainable league that would allow players to have better salaries and conditions than what the NWHL can offer. While the first one is a league with 6 teams based in the US and Canada, the newly created association offers players to showcases on the weekend to show their skills and try to increase the visibility and popularity of the game.

“We want to build something big and it won’t happen overnight. We have to be patient and work hard. We won’t give up. “said Poulin, one of the most famous faces of the PWHPA.

EQUALITY

Professional women hockey players have been struggling for years to make a living. As much as they would like to, they do not get anywhere near the attention, recognition and financial support as their male counterparts. The average salary of an NWHL star player is around $10 000-15 000 per season. The league recently announced that players would also receive shares of the advertising revenue for its 2020-2021 season.

Salaries were also low in the CWHL although some players believed there were greater opportunities to obtain better salaries down the road in that circuit.

PICK ONE

When Coutu-Godbout decided to sign her first professional contract with the Toronto Six, she was worried about what those in the women’s hockey world would think.

“Of course I thought about it but after carefully considering it I decided that the NWHL was better suited for me. Team spirit is extremely important for me. I wanted to be part of a real team and play in a league with rankings and a trophy. It’s ok what the PWHPA is doing but you can’t forget that most of the girls are from the national teams and are already getting paid by their national teams. I am not, so the NWHL was the better option for me. “

RIVALRY

As a result of this split, Women’s hockey is at odds with itself with some players supporting the NWHL and others being fully against it. The mood is tense.

“Honestly, it’s a little taboo. It’s like we can’t talk about it. When I made the decision to go to the NWHL I talked about it with my friends before and I was nervous. It’s kind of stressful to think about the “big players” that are on the “other side”. I find it a bit childish to be honest. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing. We want better conditions for women’s hockey!” says Coutu-Godbout.

SOLUTION IN SIGHT?

According to the only woman to ever play in the NHL, Manon Rhéaume, the ultimate goal should be the involvement of the NHL in the creation of one league. Rhéaume played in 2 exhibition games with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1993.

“I think that if we want professional women’s hockey and have the best players playing in those teams and having everybody in one league. I think that having the support of the NHL and all those NHL teams is so important. It’s like the WNBA, being able to sustain themselves with the support of the NBA and each individual team. So without that, it’s really difficult financially to be able to support that. If everybody could come together, USA Hockey, Hockey Canada and the NHL, I think that it would be the best solution.”

The one common denominator with the NWHL and the PWHPA is that they are both hoping that the NHL would step in just like the NBA did for the WNBA.

ALL-STAR GAME

In an effort to bring the spotlight to women’s hockey, the NHL invited 20 players from the US and Canadian national team to the most recent all-star game. Players participated in various skills competitions with the male as well as playing a 3-on-3 game Canada vs USA.

HOPE

While professional women hockey players are hoping that things will get better in the near future, 23 years old forward Coutu-Godbout is just looking forward to playing for the Toronto Six. “Being part of the inaugural season of a team is something special and I wanted to be a part of it. To have this league come to Canada is a big step for women’s hockey!“