John Tavares has spent countless hours developing his talent.
Like the hundreds of other NHL players he faces each season, the reward for his sacrifices is a career in the spotlight and millions of dollars in the bank.
Female hockey players – many of whom are stars on the international scene – have never had this chance in the professional ranks.
This situation, certainly frustrating, changed suddenly towards the end of last June when the birth of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (LPHF) was announced.
This league, which should officially begin its activities next January, represents a pivotal moment in the history of women’s hockey.
Women’s hockey has generated some of the greatest moments in the history of the discipline at the Olympic Games and World Championships, notably through the Canada–United States rivalry, but it has never been able to here to establish a business model that will allow it to take root in North America.
The LPHF has established franchises in six hockey-loving markets, and it looks like this time will finally be the right one.
And professional players are delighted by this outcome.
“We want them to develop this market,” said Tavares, the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, during a joint media tour of the NHL and the Players’ Association which took place recently in the suburbs of Las Vegas . (Women’s) hockey on the international scene has been very successful, it’s a lot of fun to watch, and they are very good athletes.
“They play a sport that we love. They excel at what they do, and they deserve to have their own professional league and create their own history – their legacy – like men did,” he added.
Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Boston, Minneapolis-St. Paul and New York make up the “Original Six” of this new women’s league.
“It will be wonderful,” said Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk about the presence of a professional women’s club in the same market as his team. It’s a good market, and a lot of people are interested in it – not just from a sporting point of view, but also from a human point of view.
“I’m very excited that they’re here,” he concluded.
The new women’s circuit has still not revealed the names of the teams or the amphitheaters where they will play, but the coaches and general managers are already working tirelessly. The first draft session in LPHF history took place last month and the rosters are starting to take shape as training camps scheduled for November approach.
“It’s fantastic!” exclaimed Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid. It’s very good for women’s hockey, but also for hockey in general since it can bring everyone together.
“Women can now aspire to become professional players and make a living from their passion, which is great,” he added.
Obviously, it took an incredible number of sacrifices from the players to get to the current situation – many had to work several jobs at the same time, or even leave the ice rink to go straight to the office, simply to have an acceptable quality of life. .
“They could have let their dream slip away, given up without even being able to set up a professional league (like the LPHF), said Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield. They held on, believed in it, which is really “cool”. Several remarkable women will now have the opportunity to be adored and recognized.
“That’s what’s great,” he summed up.
The fact remains that not everyone will come out a winner from this adventure – at least in the short term.
There will only be six clubs in the LPHF, which means that positions will be limited, especially with the arrival of star players from the Professional Hockey Players Association.
“I think they said, ‘Hey, it’s time to take a chance and put together the best of the best, put them among a few teams, and put the best product out there on the ice,'” Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson. It’s probably a good plan, and a good thing. Some will lose their jobs, but sometimes that’s how it is.” »
However, men see a bright future.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Tavares said. I hope their league will be successful. »
