Women's professional hockey is at a crossroads; how we got here has been a long road

Mike Murphy

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Women's professional hockey is at a crossroads; how we got here has been a long road image

If you’re having trouble keeping up with what’s happening in the world of professional women’s ice hockey in North America — don’t worry, you are definitely not alone.

Since the CWHL’s announcement in late March and official collapse on May 1, a lot of dominos have fallen.

Over the last three weeks, the #ForTheGame movement has changed the entire landscape of professional women’s hockey. It has also put the 2019-20 NWHL season into serious jeopardy, but that hasn’t stopped NWHL commissioner Dani Rylan and company from planning a fifth season.

As we approach the end of the month it’s clear that two factions have emerged, although many might consider that to be a gross oversimplification. There are the players involved in the #ForTheGame push and the newly-formed PHWPA, and those who are not.

At the moment it appears that rift isn’t going anywhere as long as the NWHL remains in operation. On Friday, Allie Thunstrom became the sixth player to sign a contract with an NWHL team just over a week into the league’s free agency period.

So, how did we get here? To help catch you up, here is a timeline of key events since the moment the landscape began to change. 

March 31

The CWHL announces its plans to fold on May 1 after 12 seasons of operation and just one week after the Calgary Inferno win the Clarkson Cup Final.

April 2

The NHL reallocates the $50,000 it had been giving every year to the CWHL to the NWHL, bringing its financial support of the league to $100,000. 

MORE: NWHL announces investment from NHL, expansion into Canada

Furthermore, the NWHL’s Board approves plans for the league to expand to two Canadian markets now vacated by the CWHL: Montreal and Toronto. However, it does not appear that members of the CWHLPA and/or former general managers were informed of the NWHL’s plans before the announcement. 

April 4-14

The 2019 IIHF Women’s World Championship takes place in Finland. Team USA wins a controversial gold medal over Finland; Canada brings home a disappointing bronze medal. 

April 5

Former CWHL investor W. Graeme Roustan expresses interest in reviving the league in time for the 2019-20 season.

April 30

Season tickets for the Minnesota Whitecaps, the first NWHL franchise to turn a profit and the winners of the 2019 Isobel Cup, go on sale. 

May 1

The CWHL officially folds. 

May 2

The #ForTheGame pledge explodes on social media.

Over 200 players announce that they will not play professional hockey in North America next season. The group includes some of the most popular and influential players in the world including Hilary Knight, Marie-Philip Poulin, Shannon Szabados, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Brianna Decker. 

MORE: All-in? The #ForTheGame movement and the future of pro women's hockey in North America

The NWHL releases a statement in response to the social media campaign, citing plans for the upcoming season that include increased player salaries and other benefits. NWHLPA director Anya Battaglino, in a tweet that has since been removed, claims that the announcement will prove costly to the growth of the women’s game. 

May 3

Team USA star Kendall Coyne Schofield tells ABC News that the #ForTheGame pledge is not a boycott. She considers it to be a “gap year.”

May 8

Pegula Sports and Entertainment returns control of the Buffalo Beauts to the NWHL. PSE became the owners of the Beauts on Dec. 21, 2017. During their time as owners, the Beauts were considered to be the most professionally run pro women’s hockey franchise.

According to a report from the Associated Press, the NWHL will have to renegotiate facility fees if the Beauts wish to stay at the Pegula-owned HarborCenter. The Beauts have played at the HarborCenter since the NWHL’s inaugural season.

The NWHL releases a statement in which the league states that it is pleased to regain control of the Buffalo Beauts franchise. 

May 10

Kelty Apperson, who won the 2019 Clarkson Cup with the Calgary Inferno, becomes the first #ForTheGame player to sign with a European team. She agrees to terms with the SDHL’s SDE club.

MORE: Inferno GM Kristen Hagg on CWHL ceasing operations, 'I’m not just folding up my chair and packing it in'

May 15

The 2019 NWHL free agency period begins. All players who played during the 2018-19 season had one-year contracts, making them all are unrestricted free agents. In other words, they are free to sign wherever they choose or to sit out the season.

May 16

Exclusively, Sporting News learns fifteen players are reportedly in contract discussions with the five teams that played in the NWHL last season.

May 17

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports that the New Jersey Devils are dissolving their partnership with the Metropolitan Riveters. The Devils were the first NHL team to form a partnership with an NWHL franchise.

Without the support of the Devils, the Riveters are now without a home rink for the upcoming season. The Boston Pride and Minnesota Whitecaps are now the only two NWHL teams that still have partnerships with NHL teams.

May 20

Boston Pride defender Kaleigh Fratkin becomes the first player to sign a contract for the 2019-20 NWHL season. For the first time since the 2016 offseason, the league releases details on player salaries. It is also revealed that Paul Mara, the Pride’s head coach from last season, will be returning to the team.

Madison Packer, one of the NWHL’s most popular players, re-signs with the Metropolitan Riveters later in the day. 

After being established on March 17, members of the CWHLPA and players involved in the #ForTheGame movement go public with the newly established Women’s Hockey Players’ Association (PWHPA). Members of the newly formed association share its first release on social media using the “#ForTheGame” hashtag. 

In an interview with Kirsten Whelan of the Victory Press, Liz Knox, the former co-chair of the CWHLPA, reveals that the PWHPA is not a union. The association has a nine-player board with a directive to create and/or work towards a “professional league that will provide financial and infrastructure resources to players; protect and support their rights and talents; provide health insurance; and work with companies, business leaders, and sports professionals worldwide who already have voiced support for women’s hockey.” 

May 21

In an interview with Finnish media outlet Yle, former CWHL goaltender Noora Räty reveals that discussions between players and the NHL have been going well. This re-affirms the NHL’s interest in creating a women’s hockey league, although NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said on multiple occasions that he will not interfere if there’s a league already in operation. 

May 23

Providence College forward Christina Putigna inks a deal with the Boston Pride, making her the second rookie to sign on for the 2019-20 NWHL season. She is the fifth player to sign an NWHL contract in four days. 

The NWHLPA announces that it has successfully negotiated for a 50% increase in salary, an increase in minimum player salary and more accommodations for player travel including a raise in per diem and meal allotments.

Language in the NWHLPA’s release also refers to a 24-game schedule for all five teams, which could mean that the league’s plans for expansion have been shelved. 

Thus far we've seen at least one NWHL signing every day since May 20.

The women's professional hockey landscape is developing and changing at every turn.

Players on both sides of the divide are sharing their side of the story, but we are no closer to understanding what happens next — or whether or not there will definitely be 2019-20 NWHL season.

For now, all we can do is stay tuned.

Mike Murphy