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Evening Notes: PWHPA, Hischier, Hodgson

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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).

Hamilton Bulldogs Hire Laura Fortino

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The first female assistant coach in OHL history will be Laura Fortino, who was officially given a full-time position with the Hamilton Bulldogs today. Fortino will not only serve as an assistant coach but also as the team’s director of player development.

Bulldogs general manager Steve Staios released the following:

We are incredibly excited to welcome Laura to our Hamilton Bulldogs family. Laura exudes the passion, character and leadership that we covet in Hamilton. We have witnessed firsthand through our training and development camps over the years, her ability to coach and mentor players. Laura’s playing experience and success speaks for itself, she has been an instrumental part on many Championship teams and undoubtably will carry on that success as a Coach.

Fortino, 31, is a decorated athlete, with Olympic and World Championship gold medals, a CWHL title, and two nominations for the Patty Kazmaier Award. The Hamilton native has been part of the PWHPA for the last several seasons, and had been helping with the Bulldogs’ camps in the past.

The Bulldogs, led by head coach Jay McKee, reached the Memorial Cup final this season, after winning the OHL Championship. The powerhouse club, which included Anaheim Ducks prospect Mason McTavish, went 51-12-5 during the regular season.

While that success may be difficult to replicate next season, the program has celebrated two championships in four years and has done a great job preparing young players for the professional level.

Snapshots: PWHPA, Kane, Chiasson

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The Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association has entered into a relationship with Billie Jean King Enterprises and The Mark Walter Group according to Hailey Salvian of The Athletic, with the purpose of exploring the launch of a new professional league. The list of “foundational pieces” needed for a new league are as follows:

  • A six-team league with 23-player rosters and three coaches
  • A 32-game schedule played from January to April
  • A four-team playoff with three best-of-five series to determine the league’s champion
  • A minimum salary of $35,000 and a league-average salary of $55,000

The PWHPA recently met with the PHF–currently the only pro women’s league in North America–along with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. Ties were cut soon after and as Salvian reports, the PWHPA board unanimously voted to end discussions of collaboration between the two sides.

  • Evander Kane did not travel with the rest of the Edmonton Oilers, as he was away for the birth of his son. Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic tweets that there is not yet an update on whether Kane will be available for game five tomorrow. The 30-year-old winger has been outstanding for the Oilers in the playoffs, scoring 12 goals in 11 games to lead the entire league. He also leads in shots, as Edmonton’s top line continues to dominate play whenever on the ice.
  • With rumors circling that Alex Chiasson may be on his way to Switzerland last season, Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV reached out to Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford. The executive explained that the team “will not make a decision on him until after free agency,” presumably meaning following the frenzy of early July. Chiasson, 31, ended with 13 goals and 22 points in 67 games after signing a one-year, $750K contract on the first day of the season.

Snapshots: San Jose, Kuzmenko, Bellamy

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The San Jose Barracuda will be hosting the AHL All-Star festivities in 2024 after their new Tech CU Arena is opened next season. It’s interim San Jose Sharks general manager Joe Will who released a statement about the event today, as he is still also the GM of the Barracuda at the moment:

Hosting the AHL All-Star Classic is an incredible opportunity to shine light on the City of San Jose, our facilities and our organization. None of this could have been possible without the vision and support of our owner Hasso Plattner who saw the immense value in moving the Barracuda to San Jose seven years ago.

Though the Barracuda were not very good this season, they have a strong history of success since arriving in San Jose in 2015. The team has made the playoffs in five of the six times they were held, and twice made it to the third round. With the All-Star game now on the horizon, you can bet there will be an investment into some of the more well-known names in the coming years to make sure they have a strong contingent at the event.

  • Another reporter has indicated that the Vancouver Canucks are on the short list for Russian free agent Andrei Kuzmenko, as Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV tweets that the team is a finalist in the sweepstakes. A decision is still not expected for another few weeks, according to Kuzmenko’s agent Dan Milstein. The 26-year-old had 20 goals and 53 points in 45 games this season and has also been linked to the Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, and Vegas Golden Knights, among others.
  • The PHF continues to make news this month, after announcing record contracts and big additions to the league leaders. Once again it’s the latter, as eight-time World Champion Kacey Bellamy has been named Scout and Player Relations Liaison for the upstart league. Bellamy, 35, was a huge part of the U.S. national team for more than a decade and won gold at the 2018 Olympics. Notably, she was also part of the PWHPA for the last two years, meaning another important figure has crossed the line.

Snapshots: Benn, PHF, Team USA

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The Department of Player Safety has handed out another fine for Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn, his second of the series. This time it is a $5,000 fine, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for tripping Calgary Flames forward Trevor Lewis.

With no points and two fines, the series isn’t quite going how Benn had hoped, and he’ll now have to be even more cognizant of any supplementary discipline. The league will be keeping a close eye on his play as the games continue, and any further events might result in a suspension for the 32-year-old forward.

  • The PHF, which recently made headlines with a massive contract for one of its rising stars, has grabbed the news again today by pulling an Olympian away from the PWHPA. Amanda Pelkey has signed a contract with the Metropolitan Riveters, just a few months after winning gold with Team USA. Pelky, 28, last played in the league in 2018-19 (then called the NWHL) and has two World Championship golds to go with her Olympic hardware.
  • Speaking of the World Championship, the U.S. announced their captains for the upcoming event, adding a “C” to Seth Jones’ sweater and an “A” to both Nate Schmidt and Austin Watson. The tournament kicks off in just a few days in Finland, where the U.S. will open things with a game against Latvia. Jones, 27, is returning to the event for the first time since 2015.

Amanda Kessel Joins Penguins Executive Management Program

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have established a new Executive Management Program, designed to help candidates develop and work alongside the partnership, marketing, communication, broadcast, and hockey operations departments. The first participant will be three-time Olympic medalist and member of the U.S. women’s national team Amanda Kessel. She released the following statement:

I am excited to learn from one of the best franchises in professional sports. The Penguins presented me with the opportunity to use my experience and love for hockey in a whole new capacity and I look forward to making the most of this program.

Kessel, 30, is not completely closing the book on her playing career, telling Emily Kaplan of ESPN that she is just excited to begin taking the next steps in her hockey journey. She recently competed for the U.S. at the 2022 Olympics, scoring eight points in seven games to take home the silver medal. An incredible offensive talent, Kessel once racked up 101 points in 46 games for the University of Minnesota, winning the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top collegiate player in the country. She is currently a member of the PWHPA.

Obviously, she also already has ties to the Penguins organization or at least a shared history with some of their recent alumni. Phil Kessel, her brother, won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the organization just a few years ago. She also played at the famed Shattuck St. Mary’s prep academy just a few years after Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby.

The new program for the Penguins will focus on women and minority athletes, and provide a one-year opportunity to work alongside all of the different departments in order to expose them to the entire sports business. That includes graduate school and community service components. In a statement, Penguins CEO David Morehouse also explained that it gives “unprecedented access” to attain permanent front office positions.

Snapshots: Forsberg, NHLPA, PWHPA

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This evening on Hockey Night in Canada’s 32 Thoughts segment, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman discussed an update on Filip Forsberg’s contract extension talks, noting that Forsberg’s agent, J.P. Barry and Nashville Predators’ GM David Poille recently met face-to-face for the first time in a while. Friedman says that while it is difficult to gauge any progress on the talks, as nothing was made public from these discussions, the development is significant and represents the two sides continuing to talk.

Forsberg is an impending UFA, who the Predators chose not to trade at this year’s trade deadline, despite not having an extension in place with the forward. Part of the reason to hang onto Forsberg would be for Nashville to use him themselves in another playoff run, but also perhaps their confidence that they could get a deal done with Forsberg before he hits free agency. One advantage Nashville will have over other teams, besides an extended negotiating period and familiarity, is the ability to give Forsberg an eight-year contract as opposed to seven, something he will almost assuredly get.

  • Also from Friedman is that a succession plan for NHLPA Director Donald Fehr could be in place by this summer, though Friedman adds he is not entirely sure what that will look like. Fehr has served in this role since 2010, after a storied career with the MLBPA, however his position has come under fire recently, especially with the release of the results of an independent investigation into the NHLPA and Fehr’s handling of the accusations against the Chicago Blackhawks and Brad Aldrich. The 73-year-old Fehr had already been rumored to be nearing retirement, so to see a succession plan being rumored now is not surprising, even with the investigation news.
  • With the PWHPA planning to go their own way in forming a league without the PHF, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek shares some details of what the new league will look like. First and foremost, Marek says that the league will have a new name, though what that will be is not yet known. The league’s first season will take place from January through April of 2023 and consists of 32 games per team, including six teams spread between the US and Canada. Each team is expected to have 23 players, with the minimum salary being $35K and the average salary being $55K, as well as benefits for all players. Without too many more pertinent details, it’s hard to forecast what this league and season will truly look like and what fans can expect, however having these basic plans in place is a promising step forward after talks between the PWHPA and PHF have not progressed to anything of note thus far.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Wallstedt, PWHPA

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The NHL has released its Three Stars for last week, with Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs taking home top spot. Matthews scored seven more goals in his four games to extend his lead in the Rocket Richard race, and set the Maple Leafs’ single-season franchise record. With 58 goals on the season, Matthews is incredibly already up to 257 in his career, putting him into the top-10 for the Maple Leafs organization–just three behind franchise icon Wendel Clark.

Second and third went to John Carlson and Jonathan Huberdeau respectively, who continue to rack up points of their own. Carlson, somewhat quietly in a year that has had so many other strong offensive performances from defensemen, is up to 63 points after his eight-point week. It’s the fourth time in five seasons that the Washington Capitals defenseman has recorded 60+ and has him closing in on 600 in his career. Huberdeau meanwhile broke the 100-point mark for the first time in his career and now leads the league with 77 assists as he makes a run at both the Art Ross and Hart trophies.

  • The Minnesota Wild are hoping to sign top goaltending prospect Jesper Wallstedt soon, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic, in order to have him play in North America next season. The 19-year-old was picked 20th overall in 2021 and posted a .917 save percentage in 22 appearances for Lulea HF in Sweden this season. The team is into the semi-finals meaning a contract will have to wait at least a little while, though veteran netminder Joel Lassinantti has started all five playoff games to this point.
  • The PWHPA’s board has voted unanimously to end any discussion of collaborating with the PHF, according to Hailey Salvian of The Athletic. The two factions of women’s professional hockey have never seen eye-to-eye but had met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently to try to come to some sort of coalition. It appears that is impossible, at least for the time being, with the two sides ceasing further communication.

Morning Notes: PHF/PWHPA, Chabot, 3ICE

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The NHL has requested a meeting between the PHF and PWHPA–the two feuding women’s hockey factions–to attempt to bring the two sides together. Jeff Marek of Sportsnet reports that details of the proposed meeting are still being worked out, but the PWHPA was informed recently of a multi-million dollar funding deal, one that would be an 8-10 year commitment, that would allow their proposed league to move forward. Marek doesn’t specify where the funding is coming from.

The PHF meanwhile recently announced their own massive investment, a $25MM guarantee from several private donors. That led to a huge increase in the salary cap for each team, added health benefits for the players, and other increases throughout the financial landscape of the league. It also recently saw a group of high-profile investors purchase the Toronto Six, bringing more name recognition to the ownership group. The two leagues are currently splitting the player base, with the vast majority of the U.S. and Canadian Olympians on the side of the PWHPA.

  • Bad news for the Ottawa Senators, as Thomas Chabot is expected to be out long-term with a hand injury. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia notes that the team will have more information in the coming days, but Darren Dreger of TSN was told it is a broken hand. This comes after Jake Sanderson, the team’s top defense prospect, was also ruled out for at least a few weeks, which could put his late-season rendezvous with the Senators in jeopardy. After a midseason hot streak, the Senators are back to their losing ways of late, dropping their last three and eight of ten. Without Chabot, things certainly will be more difficult down the stretch. (UPDATE: Senators head coach D.J. Smith confirmed today that Chabot has suffered a broken hand and will miss the rest of the season.)
  • Back in 2020, a new 3-on-3 league called 3ICE was announced with many recognizable NHL players and coaches attached to the product. While the COVID-19 pandemic put many of the league’s plans on pause, it didn’t kill it completely. 3ICE will be back this summer and today they announced some of their first few signings. Sean Shapiro of The Athletic tweets that David Booth, Chris Bourque, Chris Conner, T.J. Hensick, and Aaron Palushaj are the first five players that will be drafted into what will be a six-team league. All five played in the NHL, with Booth even scoring 31 goals and 60 points during the 2008-09 season with the Florida Panthers.

Snapshots: Paul, Hughes, PWHPA

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Nick Paul has a decision to make and is running out of time to do so. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that progress on a new contract for the impending UFA is still lacking and that Paul appears to be the one dragging his feet. Both Paul and the Ottawa Senators have publicly stated interest in an extension, but with just eight days until the NHL Trade Deadline there has been nothing new on that front. A hard-working, two-way forward, Paul has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches as well as the fans in Ottawa. As the Senators look to take a step forward as a club, they do not want to allow homegrown talent to walk away. However, if Paul cannot give them any assurance by the deadline, GM Pierre Dorion and company will have little choice but to make a trade. Paul is drawing considerable interest and the rebuilding Senators would gain valuable capital in a move. They would prefer to keep him, but that decision remains out of their hands so long as Paul cannot make a commitment to a new contract.

  • Another impressive Hughes is heading to Michigan; however, this one has no relation to Quinn or Luke. The Wolverines have received a commitment from record-breaking AJHL scorer T.J. Hughes, as announced by his current team, the Brooks Bandits. At 20 years old, Hughes is an older prospect and college commit, but has earned his spot with an elite program like Michigan this season. Hughes just completed a 66-goal, 127-points season in just 60 games – an incredible 2.12 points per game. It was the most goals in a single season in Brooks history, as well as a top-ten historical mark in the AJHL and the first 60+ goal season in the league since before the turn of the century. As the star-studded Wolverines continue to chase an NCAA title this season, their incoming classes also continue to grow more and more impressive. Meanwhile, the Bandits are a juggernaut in the AJHL as the playoffs begin. The team holds the top seed in the postseason and each of the top four scorers in the league. They will look to make the most of Hughes’ efforts before he departs for Ann Arbor.
  • The Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association is closing in on the formation of a fully-funded league. Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports that the PWHPA is nearing an announcement of a women’s league that would be the first of its kind in terms of financial backing and sponsor support. The PWHPA represents players that broke off from the PHF (and its previous iterations) and has only been operating as showcases to this point, but a change seems to be on the horizon. Of note, Marek does not believe that this newly-constructed league has any association with the PHF and the two will likely exist separately as competing leagues. Additionally, there is no evidence as of yet to suggest that the NHL is tied in to this new league either.
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