For PWHL players, new pro league the start of big things to come

The world’s best women’s hockey players have plenty reasons to smile these days.

The launch of the new Professional Women’s Hockey League earlier this summer has generated quite the buzz, with some of the top talent signing deals as part of the league’s Original Six. Marie-Philip Poulin, Hilary Knight, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Sarah Nurse are among some of the game’s top names looking to kick things off with a bang come next January.

“It’s a long time coming,” Poulin told reporters during a Zoom call last week.

For the first time, players went through a free agency process, with each team being able to sign three players ahead of the inaugural draft in September. Most of the initial signings didn’t come as a surprise, with players landing close to where they already lived. But it’s a process the players enjoyed, giving them the most power they’ve had in negotiations to date.

There’s still a lot of unknowns, including team names, arena selections and schedules. But in a short span, the league has grown from a startup idea to building traction in the six new markets. It’s just a start, but many believe it’s the best foundation the sport has had to grow the women’s game. The six teams are in markets with proven NHL success (Montreal, Ottawa, New York, Boston, Toronto, Minneapolis) and all, minus Ottawa, had teams in the PHF (with New York having teams in the surrounding area), giving the league a good starting platform.

“There’s a crazy amount of excitement about the PWHL,” said Montreal forward Laura Stacey. “It’s happening, it’s real.”

Players have been chasing sustainability. And while the league is still in its infancy stages, it’s much more possible for players to earn a living wage than ever before. There’s finally the opportunity for players to focus fully on the game and not whether they’ll be able to get off work to participate in a playoff game.

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. There’s still the concern about former PHF players and what opportunities they’ll have. Many had signed deals for the 2023-24 season only for the league to dissolve. Everyone, from players, managers and those behind the scenes, was left on the outside looking in. The general sense is that previous PWHPA players – comprised mainly of national team players – will have preferential treatment. And based on the early signings, which don’t include a single PHF player from 2022-23, there’s justification for those feelings.

So what’s different now compared to the CWHL or the PHF of the past?

“I think the infrastructure is designed for success,” said Toronto forward Blayre Turnbull. “In the past, we didn’t have that, which is why we haven’t had success. But one thing I think everyone is sure about is this league will succeed because we have the infrastructure and the people in place to make it happen.”

“A big thing is the time is different,” Nurse added. “When the CWHL existed, there wasn’t a heavy emphasis and there wasn’t a value on women’s sport as there is now. We’ve seen this real surge of women, not only us recognizing our value, but other people recognizing how valuable we are to the sport’s ecosystem.”

To succeed, the league will need to continue growing, which is possible through expansion and potential NHL involvement. While some teams had partnerships in the old CWHL days, there haven’t been any announced deals involving NHL and the PWHL, but the NHL did post a statement in support of the league. All teams are owned by the Mark Walters Group, which, among other things, owns the Los Angeles Dodgers and English Premier League club Chelsea F.C.

Whether more teams would come in the form of private ownership, or whether Walters would add more teams, is unclear. But Walters and his company have made it clear: they’re in this for the long run. It needs the long-term support to be viable, especially if salaries are to keep improving over time.

For now, it’s a great start. There’s significant attention for the Sept. 18 PWHL Draft in Toronto, which will be attended by various high-level players. Some of the top players available include forwards Taylor Heise, Natalie Spooner, Alina Muller and Emma Maltais, defenders Sophie Jaques, Claire Thompson and Ashton Bell, and goaltenders Nicole Hensley, Emma Soderberg and Sandra Abstreiter.

After that, it’ll be all about pushing things forward and making the game a more viable product down the road. Some of the game’s top talent, including Poulin, thinks it’s just a matter of time.

“We’re making history right now.”