There’s some exciting news coming on the women’s hockey front. In an interview with The Hockey News’ Ian Kennedy, Canadian National Team captain Marie Philip-Poulin confirmed that the current touring structure for PWHPA games will turn into a league for the 2023-24 season, bringing two professional women’s leagues back into the fold for the first time since the CWHL and NWHL were both active.
The PWHPA Dream Gap Tour is the main pool of talent that Canada and the United States select for their national teams. They’ve effectively been limited to playing exhibition games without a league structure governing competition, although that shouldn’t diminish the level of talent and competition on display. A league structure should bring more financial stability and a better plan for growing the women’s game in North America.
- New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier left the team’s in-progress preseason game against the Montreal Canadiens at the first intermission. The team reports that Hischier’s absence is simply due to cramping and that he won’t return to the game for precautionary reasons. Hischier registered a shot on goal and played 6:24 in the first period, his preseason debut.
- Philadelphia Hockey Now’s Sam Carchidi tabs winger Hayden Hodgson as a candidate to crack the Flyers’ roster out of camp this year. Hodgson made waves in the Flyers organization this season after a breakout year in AHL Lehigh Valley, earning an NHL contract near the end of the season and a six-game call-up, where he registered three points. Hodgson hadn’t even played in the AHL since 2017-18, spending every season since then entirely in the ECHL (and partly in Slovakia).
Because, of course, there is more than enough consumer demand to support two women’s pro hockey leagues.
A years long hissy fit that the PHF wasn’t good enough only to build a carbon copy of that league and pretend they won.
Really hope Hodgson makes it.
Women’s hockey Is the latest bundle of crap that they are trying to spoon feed the consumer. Good luck. Lol.
It’s okay, wilf, I get that living in your parents’ basement and being a virgin at your age is hard.
Relax Wilf and quit letting the girls intimidate you. Like all consumers, you have the option to purchase or not purchase the product. No need to be bitter and angry.
Those player action photos from the time when fans weren’t being allowed in arenas are kind of depressing.
Tens of people will be showing up for the much anticipated Dream Gap Tour. Get your tickets while you can!