The night of Sept. 18 marked a major milestone for women in sports, more specifically, in the world of women’s hockey. The newly founded Professional Women’s Hockey League held its first draft in Toronto, where 90 of the best female ice hockey players from eight different countries were selected to play in the six-team league. Cities that will host teams include: Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Boston, Minneapolis-St. Paul and New York.
The first pick of the draft was announced by Billie Jean King, tennis star and well-known advocate in women’s sports. Minneapolis-St. Paul selected Taylor Heise, a Minnesota native whose accomplishments prove that she has earned her spot in the league. Heise recently finished her career at the University of Minnesota, where she led the NCAA with 30 goals in her final season. Heise also took home a gold medal with Team USA at the Women’s World Hockey Championships this past April.
The creation of this league has been long awaited by both the players and fans, as previous professional leagues have been quick to dwindle out. Never has there been a women’s hockey league with the aim of highlighting the best players from not only one nation, but from an international field. This opens the opportunity of greater competition to players from other countries besides the widely dominant United States and Canada, whose teams have taken home every Olympic and World Championship in the past. Women in the sport will now have the choice of which path they wish to take: being with a professional team, with a national team or being with both.
The PWHL also brings the option of full-time employment to these female athletes. Hillary Knight, American forward and founding board member of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association, negotiated on behalf of the female athletes entering the league. Housing stipends will be provided to players in their respective cities of play, as well as an average salary of $55,000 for players league wide.
Final team rosters will hold 23 players per team, with 24 regular season games to be scheduled for each. Training camps are set to begin in November, followed by the season debut in January. The first season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League is sure to make history in women’s sports, as well as inspire the next generation of players to follow in the footsteps of the trailblazers that have made this league a reality.
