Hockey boycott gets support

U.S. WOMEN’S TEAM

SCOTT ALLEN The U.S. women’s national team, which is planning to boycott the women’s ice hockey world championships that begin 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 the unions that represent NBA, NFL and MLB players.

On Sunday, Octagon agent Allan Walsh, whose clients include Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, tweeted that the U.S. men’s national hockey team could also boycott the men’s world championships in a show of solidarity. Word is circulating among NHL players that American players will refuse to play in men’s World Championships in solidarity with the women.

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 championships.

“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 wrote in part.

The women’s national team is seeking fair wages and more year-round support from USA Hockey, which pays members of the women’s team “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 medals at the last two Olympics and gold medals at the last two world championships.