Show of hockey solidarity for U.S. women
The U.S. women’s national team, which is planning to boycott the women’s hockey world championship beginning Thursday in Plymouth, Mich., over a wage dispute with USA Hockey, received messages of support in recent days from the NHL Players’ Association, as well as unions that represent NBA, NFL and MLB players.
On Sunday, Octagon agent Allan Walsh, whose clients include Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, tweeted the U.S. men’s national hockey team could also boycott the men’s world championship in a show of solidarity. Walsh’s report came two days after the NHLPA issued a statement in response to USA Hockey’s attempts to find replacement players for the women’s world championship.
“It is important that the best American women players be on the ice for the world championship and the notion of seeking replacement players will only serve to make relations, now and in the future, much worse,” the NHLPA said.
Several female players, including National Women’s Hockey League goalie Brittany Ott, told The Associated Press USA Hockey inquired about their availability for the world championship last week.
“From a personal standpoint, I have never been invited to a USA Hockey series or camp or anything like that and I would honestly love to be invited to something like that,” Ott said. “However, at the current time, this is a fight that I believe in and I’m definitely going to stand up and help fight as much as I can.”
The women’s team is seeking fair wages and more year-round support from USA Hockey, which pays members “virtually nothing” during non-Olympic years and $1,000 per month during the six months leading up to the Olympics. The U.S. team won silver at the last two Olympics and gold medals at the last three world championships.
“We are asking for a living wage and for USA Hockey to fully support its programs for women and girls and stop treating us like an afterthought,” captain Meghan Duggan said in a statement.