After Sunday's announcement that the CWHL will cease operations effective May 1, the NHL and the NWHL made an effort to emphasize the importance of women's hockey in Canada.
NWHL commissioner Dani Rylan and NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly both released statements after the league announced its folding.
“We will pursue all opportunities to ensure the best players in Canada have a place to play," Rylan said through the NWHL's Twitter account. "Those conversations have started already and have quickly become a priority.”
In response to requests for comment about the players and fans in 🇨🇦,
— NWHL (@NWHL) March 31, 2019
here’s @DaniRylan:
“We will pursue all opportunities to ensure the best players in Canada have a place to play. Those conversations have started already and have quickly become a priority.” pic.twitter.com/cAtBYDynVi
Rylan delivered a more impassioned message from her personal Twitter saying, "the great players and passionate fans in Canada deserve professional women’s hockey."
The great players and passionate fans in Canada deserve professional women’s hockey.
— Dani Rylan (@DaniRylan) March 31, 2019
They have our attention and we will continue to be leaders to advance the game and value of these extraordinary athletes. https://t.co/jk4N19O1YC
In an email to the Associated Press, Daly noted the CWHL's importance to the sport but said the NHL would not consider playing a role in women's hockey until it is without a professional league.
"We recognize the importance of women having options to play the game at the professional level," Daly wrote. "If those options were to become unavailable in the future, we would certainly consider doing what's necessary to fill that void."
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly’s email to The AP on status of women’s pro hockey after CWHL announces it will fold. pic.twitter.com/4hgy1zDqQq
— John Wawrow (@john_wawrow) March 31, 2019
The NWHL responded to the NHL's comments, inviting them to the table.
The NWHL appreciates this thought from Bill Daly to @KrRutherford. We are thankful for the counsel of Gary Bettman and Bill since we started, and we invite all leaders to join us in building a powerful women’s league for the U.S. and Canada. pic.twitter.com/ZZuCRbrNmh
— NWHL (@NWHL) March 31, 2019
Earlier in the day, Rylan revealed in her official statement that the two women's leagues had been in the midst of talks to unify and were scheduled to meet again in April.
So the biggest question now is, what exactly do the NWHL's comments mean? The language does hint at the league looking to step in.
Considering the NWHL expanded successfully this past season with the Minnesota Whitecaps — who also won the 2019 Isobel Cup — would the league want to expand so quickly into Canada? Rylan's comments do suggest that possibility, and with teams already solidified in such cities as Toronto and Montreal, it would be an easier move than the building a new franchise, as has been always rumored.
Only time will tell what will happen. Regardless of whether it's the NHL or the NWHL the only logical step is to keep professional women's hockey in Canada.