Opinion: The PWHL, the PHF, And You.

Photo via: Lori Bolliger

So. Opinion pieces. Not only has it been a long time since we’ve put anything out, it’s been an even longer time since I’ve written an opinion piece. 

As of the writing of this article we’re a little more than an hour removed from the PWHPA announcing their new league the PWHL. 

Key points from that video are as follows: the PWHL will follow the same season time as the PHF, it will have six teams with four in the U.S. and two in Canada, and it aims to start in Fall of 2023. Let’s address some of the questions:

What does this change?

Honestly? Not much. The PWHPA has been rocking alongside the PHF for four years. Players have bounced back and forth between the two and overall neither has diminished the other. 

In my opinion, the play may have been better in season one of the PW but since then it has far evened out where the best teams in the PHF and the PWHPA could duke it out and it would be one heck of a seven game series.

All it changes is the PW from being a touring gig. Their teams and rosters have been set but they’re just not based anywhere. It seems as though they have their logistics down. I’m slightly biased towards the league that’s been good to me, but this is good for both leagues.

What about the PHF?

Have no fear. Your seven favorite teams are coming back for 2023 with a massive salary cap. Don’t forget this is the highest salary cap in all of women’s sports starting next season. We could even see an eight team pop up before long. I imagine the PWHL will come out with similar salary caps per team.

This is not bad for the PHF. Eleni Demestihas (@strongforecheck) has been active and vocal on how good competition could be for the two leagues. Her piece over on TitleIX sports covers that ground pretty well. Competition isn’t a bad thing in business. No league is better than the other. 

The PW is big because it bolsters North American Olympians. And within its first year it was evident of that. However now, international Olympians have joined the PHF as well as national team players and former PW members. Over the last few years the scales have balanced and the two leagues are as even as ever. There are 32 NHL teams and not all of them have Olympians. Would you argue those aren’t the top of their game? It’s not fair to compare the two. 

At the end of the day it will come down to what Brianna Decker said at the beginning of the season: opportunity. The PHF and PWHL will offer better opportunities for each individual player. Some may take the better health benefits, others will take the city closest to them and their job or families. Different camps offer better practice times, or even chances to work with national teams. Some players want better ice, health benefits, security; it all changes per the player.

Competition with the PHF might worry the PWHL actually. They’re faced with testing new markets or stepping into PHF towns. Montreal and Toronto can handle two hockey teams. But let’s not forget the Pride pulled all the fans away from the Blades. Splitting the fan bases doesn’t benefit either side.

However, the PW cannot ignore massive hockey markets like Minnesota, New York, and Boston. If you want to set the groundwork, go where the fans are. Chicago will definitely be a PW city in their first season. From there you could see Wisconsin join the fun. Best case scenario is the PW opts to move out West and try cities like Seattle, Denver, Portland, Los Angeles, Calgary, Vancouver, even Edmonton. Strong hockey and/or women’s sports markets. 

Eventually the two will conflict in cities. But we’ll cross that road when we get to it.

What if I like one league more?

Okay? Great! Listen, we’re people. You’re a human, and if not then you’re either an alien with an interest in women’s hockey or Marisa Ingemi’s cat. We pick favorites; it’s in our nature. Liking one or the other or both equally does not make you less of a fan. Be more excited to see the Pride at Warrior, or love attending hypothetical PW Boston’s team, or even spend a day at one game in the afternoon or the other in the evening! It’s okay! 

The Future?

Is bright! I’ll be honest. These two sides will never combine. They’re on separate but great trajectories. But at some point both sides' current leadership will be gone. In two years, or ten, or twenty. And when that torch is passed it’s up to those players and executives to make the call. 

Apart from that: look for the two to play against each other. 

Preseason, especially in shared cities, is a high possibility. Boston v. Boston. Toronto at Toronto. Ottawa against Toronto. It’s high competition that isn’t colleges or tipping your hand to teams you’ll see four more times (if not six or even eight in the future). 

Also look at the all-star game in two years. That will be Team PHF vs Team PWHL. It might even be a two game set in PHF and PW markets. That would be fun.

Outdoor games are also back on the table. We all know Pride v. Canadiens at Gillette didn’t go according to plan. However, cities with women’s teams are more likely tp matchup outdoors and in doing so should invite their women’s teams to play as well. 

And finally: the chatter will become too much. “Which trophy is the true best trophy?” Will be tossed around again and again. Eventually, both leagues will have a choice. Whoever’s trophy they choose (most likely Isobel due to history and name) gets put up in a best of 3, or 5, or 7 between the two leagues. And like days of old the champion of both leagues will battle to be crowned champion of women’s hockey. 

And Pride Diehards?

These colors don’t run, folks. At the end of the day we are Pride Diehards. This team has done so much for us from the podcast, to allowing us the chance to be there in Tampa, and make T-shirts, and be our brand that you come for. We’re loyal to our Pride. Until the end. 

That being said, if a team lands in Boston, we wish them the best. This is title town and we’ll be hoping they bring home their Cup to keep this city’s tradition. And we’ll be behind the PWHL 100% hoping and praying they succeed. But you won’t see that from our brand too much. 

Wrap up:

This is great for women’s hockey. There is the potential for fourteen professional women’s hockey teams to be on the ice next year. It is not a bad thing. 

Your allegiances do not have to change, and if they do it’s okay! 

I want to reinforce that this is about opportunity. Through and through. Both leagues are the top in their field. Bolstering incredible play with world class talent. More hockey isn’t bad. That’ll be four more teams than the WNBA. And two more than the NWSL. At the start of this all there were only four professional teams. The CWHL made it possible for there to be those teams and then became professional in themselves. It is what best suits the players.

We are unfortunately burdened with one top league in all major sports. That’s it. The rest are seen as “minor” leagues which in turn are seen as lesser leagues. The closest we had to two top structures were the PBA, USFL, and WHL. Two ended in mergers and the other folded. 

Maybe it’s time for something different and to prove those predecessors wrong. One side won’t become the Champions League, or XFL, AHL, MiLB. No. Instead they will both become their own unique leagues. Both indistinguishably the PHF and PWHL. Both on top. Whether they do so or meet the same fate as their predecessors lies in the players, executives, and fans. 

Please remember, folks, this is an opinion piece. None of it is fact, howeverI hope it helped you form your own opinion on this situation. It was about time this happened. It’s been four seasons and we can't pretend we were blindsided by this. Let’s hope this does great things for women’s hockey.