Stability for Women’s Hockey, Finally

Forward Kendall Coyne Schofield sent the puck down to the empty net, emphatically securing the win. The sellout crowd of 6,309 at Minnesota’s Tsongas Center went wild. Minnesota’s forwards Liz Schepers and Michela Cava also scored, and their goaltender Nicole Hensley saved all 17 shots faced. Minnesota defeated Boston 3-0 in a winner-takes-all Game 5, securing the Walter Cup and putting an exclamation point on the inaugural season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL).

Before the existence of the PWHL, job security for women’s hockey players had long been an issue. With the exception of the IIHF Women’s World Championship and the Olympics, few competitions for women’s hockey have stuck around. Since 1999, North America has seen multiple top-level and professional leagues come and go. The Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) lasted the longest, running from 2007 to 2019, but eventually folded due to financial instability. Players rarely received salaries, while stipends and bonuses were intermittent at best. After the CWHL shut down operations, hundreds of women’s hockey players decided to form the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association (PWHPA) in protest for a unified and stable league. Last year, the PWHPA received its wish through the help of LA Dodgers owner Mark Walter and tennis icon Billie Jean King.

The PWHL formed this season with six teams in the U.S. and Canada: New York, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Minnesota, and Boston. Under the PWHPA’s collective bargaining agreement, players receive salaries ranging from $35,000 to $80,000 with additional bonuses and benefits. Though PWHL salaries still sit far below those in the NHL, they are a vast improvement for players who often had to work secondary jobs to survive in other leagues. This uptick in salary is due to the increased revenue from the PWHL. People are watching women’s hockey games more than ever before, and attendance numbers support this trend. During the 2012/13 CWHL season, the league average attendance was 255 per game, which was a large reason why the CWHL was unsustainable. Now, the PWHL league average attendance through the regular season is 5,448 per game. PWHL Montreal’s “Duel at the Top” game against PWHL Toronto at the Belle Centre set the single-game record with 21,105 in attendance; tickets reportedly sold out within minutes. The PWHL has successfully established single-game hype along with sustained viewership—a good combination for any league trying to find its footing.

The PWHL has also received more media attention than any of its predecessors. Many prominent news outlets have started having regular coverage on the PWHL. This takes place, for example, at The Athletic, where staff writer Hailey Salvian writes daily articles on the league. Exposure through mass media has attracted both serious and casual fans to women’s hockey, and as coverage expands, so will fandom.

A common concern for a new sports league is retaining its momentum after the first season. However, this shouldn’t be a big issue for the PWHL. At the time of writing, the league draft is slated for June 10, with New York holding the first overall pick. With this pick, New York will likely select generational forward Sarah Fillier. At 23 years old, Fillier recently completed her college hockey stint at Princeton University, where she led collegiate hockey with a 1.03 goals per game pace. To give a reference point, current captain of PWHL Montreal and Canada’s national team Marie-Philip Poulin scored at a 0.73 goals per game pace during her time at Boston University. Fillier is a lock to be a superstar, and her arrival next season will keep excitement around the league high. If New York drafts her as expected, they in particular will receive a boost; New York finished in last place this season and often had the lowest attendance. The superstar effect, especially in women’s sports, has already proven its efficacy. College basketball star Caitlin Clark’s arrival to the WNBA this season has brought excitement and heightened media coverage to the league. Fillier, though not as well-known as Clark, should have a similar effect.

The success of the PWHL will go beyond benefiting current professionals. The increased popularity and viability of women’s hockey will encourage youth involvement and a new generation of players. In contrast to the sport’s convoluted history, women’s hockey has finally built a home.