Women hold out for better league
Hilary Knight would rather risk missing a year of playing meaningful hockey than settle for the status quo.
The star American forward is among more than 200 of the world’s top female players who announced Thursday that they will not play professional hockey in North America at all this year in a bold attempt to establish a single, economically viable professional league.
“Worst case is we just fall back into pedaling around the current leagues that we have. That would be unfortunate, and I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Knight told The Associated Press. “But we have a chance to create a better future. We have a chance to build, to continue to be pioneers in our sport, and we’re going to take that opportunity.”
The decision for Knight was an easy one, given what she and the players have gone through over the past three years.
She left the U.S.-based National Women’s Hockey League after having her salary cut in half during the 2016-17 season. And she spent the past year playing in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, only to have it abruptly shut down, a move that became official Wednesday.
The players announced their decision on social media in a strikingly unified effort that came together in less than a month. The group includes stars such as American Kendall Coyne Schofield, Canadian national team goalie Shannon Szabados and Finnish goalie Noora Räty, with all expressing their dissatisfaction with the current state of the sport while demanding a say in establishing a league.
“Now we’re at a spot where a place to play is not enough. We should be demanding more than that, and we are now,” goalie and CWHL Players’ Association co-chair Liz Knox said. “We shouldn’t be having to buy our own stick tape. It’s insane some of the things we’ve become complacent in because we’re so thankful just to play hockey.”
The players cited obstacles they’ve had to contend with, including being paid as little as $2,000 a year, travel woes and paying for their own health insurance. Members of the national teams get stipend money for USA Hockey and Hockey Canada, plus occasional sponsorships.