Canadian Women's Hockey League
Most recent season or competition: 2018–19 CWHL season | |
![]() | |
Sport | Ice hockey |
---|---|
Founded | 2007 |
Ceased | 2019 |
Commissioner | Brenda Andress (2007–2018) Jayna Hefford (2018–19)interim |
No. of teams | 6 |
Countries | Canada China United States |
Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario, Canada[1] |
Last champion(s) | Calgary Inferno |
Most titles | Montreal Stars/Les Canadiennes de Montréal (4 titles) |
TV partner(s) | Rogers Sportsnet |
The Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL; French: Ligue canadienne de hockey féminin ‒ LCHF) was a women's ice hockey league. Established in 2007 as a Canadian women's senior league in the Greater Toronto Area, Montreal, and Ottawa, the league expanded into Alberta (2011) and internationally in the United States (2010) and China (2017) throughout its tenure. The league discontinued operations on May 1, 2019, after 12 seasons.
For most of its existence, the CWHL was registered as an amateur association but was considered the top women's hockey league in North America. The National Women's Hockey League, later re-branded the Premier Hockey Federation, launched in the US in 2015 and was the first women's league to pay salaries. The CWHL began paying players a stipend during its last two seasons before it folded, citing financial difficulties. The collapse of the league resulted in the establishment of the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA), a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to the professionalization of women's hockey.
History
[edit]Formation and early years (2007–2010)
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/MTS_vs_BTH_0640_%283392704304%29.jpg/220px-MTS_vs_BTH_0640_%283392704304%29.jpg)
The CWHL was an initiative spearheaded by players including Jennifer Botterill, Lisa-Marie Breton, Allyson Fox, Kathleen Kauth, Kim McCullough, and Sami Jo Small, all of whom played in the original National Women's Hockey League, which disbanded in 2007. The players worked with a group of volunteer business people to form the CWHL. The league, which would operate as a non-profit business, would be responsible for all travel, ice rentals, uniforms, and some equipment costs, but would not pay salaries.[2][3] Unlike the NWHL, in which teams were independently owned and operated, the CWHL was to be centrally run, and teams formed affiliations with local youth hockey associations.[4] In addition to top Canadian players, the league ultimately attracted American and international players.[5][6]
In 2007, Hockey Canada announced that it would revamp the Esso Women's Nationals, with the Western Women's Hockey League (WWHL) finalists meeting the CWHL finalists in a playoff.[4] Beginning in 2009, teams from the two leagues competed for the Clarkson Cup at the end of the season.[7]
The Brampton Thunder won the first CWHL championship in 2008, winning 4–3 over the Mississauga Chiefs in the final.[8] In 2008–09, the Montreal Stars won 25 of 30 games and the CWHL Championship before going on to win the first Clarkson Cup over the Minnesota Whitecaps.[7] The Stars would take a third straight regular season championship the following season. The CWHL did not have an individual playoff champion in 2010 but instead had a Clarkson Cup qualifying playoff. The Stars and Chiefs qualified for the Cup tournament from their regular season records and the Thunder qualified through the playoff. The Thunder then played into the Clarkson Cup final but lost to the Whitecaps.[9]
Restructuring and stabilization (2010–2017)
[edit]Prior to the 2010–11 season, the league underwent a structural reorganization, which it considered a relaunch.[10] Changes included the Chiefs, Ottawa Senators, and Vaughan Flames ceasing operations; the addition of a new Toronto team; and expansion into the United States with a team in Boston.[11] This left the league with five teams: Montreal, Brampton, and the Burlington Barracudas, along with the Boston Blades and the Toronto Furies (who were referred to simply as Toronto CWHL during their inaugural season). The league also held its first draft in 2010, although it was limited the three Greater Toronto Area teams as the league decided that without paying salaries, it was infeasible to force players to relocate.[12]
The league announced on April 19, 2011, that it would expand to Alberta ahead of the 2011–12 season, welcoming a single team combining the former Edmonton Chimos and Strathmore Rockies of the WWHL.[13][14] The move effectively marked the end of the WWHL, and controversially left its remaining teams—the Whitecaps and the Manitoba Maple Leafs—as independent teams without a league to play in.[15] The new CWHL team was initially called Team Alberta; it adopted the unofficial Alberta Honeybadgers moniker for its second season, before settling on becoming the Calgary Inferno in 2013.[16] These developments also led to the Clarkson Cup becoming the playoff championship trophy solely for the CWHL.
Changes continued in 2012 with Burlington folding and the league creating a new draft system whereby players in Boston, Alberta, and Montreal could choose which team they would play on, while players in the GTA could be drafted to play for either of the two GTA teams—Brampton or Toronto. A player's pre-draft declaration of the regional area in which they wished to play could be altered after the draft. As a result of these rules, players wishing to leave GTA teams to play in Boston, Alberta, or Montreal could do so as desired, without compensation to the GTA team that they left. Players who wished to leave one GTA team to go to the other GTA team could only be moved upon a trade between the teams.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Toronto_Furies_vs_Boston_Blades_2015-02-01_%2816427417185%29.jpg/220px-Toronto_Furies_vs_Boston_Blades_2015-02-01_%2816427417185%29.jpg)
In November 2012, the CWHL announced partnerships between the Furies and Inferno with their local National Hockey League (NHL) counterparts, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames.[17][18] The announcement marked a reversal from the position that sponsorships could not be directed to particular teams but only to the league, with the partnerships providing funding for coaches, equipment, and travel expenses, and greater opportunities for marketing and promotion. The Leafs partnership also led to the first CWHL All-Star Game in 2014, hosted by the Leafs at Air Canada Centre.[19] In 2015, the league announced a similar arrangement between the Stars and the Montreal Canadiens, which led to the Stars re-branding as Les Canadiennes de Montréal.[20][21] In 2012, the CWHL also announced a partnership with You Can Play, an LGTBQ organization, to promote inclusiveness—it was the first league to partner with the organization.[22]
In early 2015, the CWHL began working with entrepreneur Dani Rylan to establish an expansion team in New York. However, Rylan ultimately changed plans and instead announced the establishment of a new National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) with four teams in the Northeastern United States.[23] The new league claimed to be the first true professional women's hockey league, offering player salaries ranging from $10,000 to $26,000 per year.[23] However, in 2017 the NWHL cut salaries in half, calling its stability into question.[24]
Chinese expansion and player stipends (2017–2019)
[edit]The CWHL announced on June 5, 2017, that it would expand to China, adding Kunlun Red Star WIH, a team controlled by the Kontinental Hockey League's Kunlun Red Star, and the Vanke Rays, both based in Shenzhen.[25][26] The expansion plan was designed to help Chinese hockey development in preparation for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, while bringing significant partnership revenue to the CWHL.[26][27] In order to minimize travel, each North American team made one trip to China to play a four-game series, while the Chinese teams likewise had road games in North America grouped into sets.[26][28] Kunlun Red Star's debut season was a success, with the team advancing to the Clarkson Cup final, losing 2–1 in overtime to the Thunder.[29]
Alongside the expansion, the league announced it would also begin paying its players for the first time.[30][31] Player stipends were set to a minimum of $2,000 per season and a maximum of $10,000, with a $100,000 salary cap for teams.[30][31] This made the CWHL the second North American women's hockey league to pay its players after the NWHL. The CWHL's move came shortly after the NWHL cut player salaries in half.[30] Alongside the introduction of stipends, the CWHL also boosted prize money and salaries for coaches and managers.[26] Despite the move to pay stipends, the CWHL remained registered as an amateur league with the Canada Revenue Agency.[32]
In January 2018, the Furies' Jessica Platt came out as a transgender woman, making her the first transgender woman to come out in North American professional hockey, and second transgender professional player after Harrison Browne came out as a transgender man in the NWHL in 2016.[22]
On July 19, 2018, league commissioner Brenda Andress announced she would be stepping down, and Jayna Hefford was named interim commissioner.[33][34] The league consolidated its Chinese teams ahead of the 2018–19 season by merging Vanke and Kunlun, rebranding the team as Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays.[35][36] Before the end of the year, the league also restructured its board after losing its largest financial backer amid alleged economic challenges.[37][38]
Collapse (2019)
[edit]On March 31, 2019, it was announced by the CWHL board of directors that the league would discontinue operations effective May 1. The league cited financial instability due in part to the fragmentation of corporate sponsors between the CWHL and NWHL, noting that the Chinese partnership had kept the league operating during the previous two seasons. The board of directors stated that it owed its players more than the league could continue to provide, suggested that there may only be room for one women's league, and encouraged the players to push any successor leagues to pay a livable wage.[32] Players were not consulted prior to the decision, and tended to express shock and anger at the abrupt closure of the league.[39][40]
The Furies, Les Canadiennes, and the Inferno all released statements that their organizations intended to continue supporting women's hockey and pursuing professional opportunities.[41][42][43] However, The Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays proved to be the only former CWHL team to participate in a 2019–20 season by joining the Russian Zhenskaya Hockey League.[44]
CWHL/NWHL relations
[edit]Relations between the CWHL and the NWHL remained strained in the years after the latter was established. While the NWHL offered salaries, the league was persistently criticized for a lack of professionalism and its approach to growing the women's game.[45][46][47] Over the years there were talks about merging the entities, with some women's hockey leaders emphasizing the need for a unified league and others stating that two or more could coexist.[48] The relationship was further strained by a refusal by the NHL to fully back either entity, and suggesting that it had interest in starting its own women's league from scratch.[48] As late as January 2019, NWHL commissioner Dani Rylan was pursuing the CWHL about a merger.[39] On April 2, 2019, just days after the CWHL board announced its decision to dissolve the league, the NWHL announced plans to expand into Canada with franchises in Toronto and Montreal.[49] The Toronto Six became the league's first Canadian franchise in 2020, and the Montreal Force were added in 2022.[50][51]
PWHPA
[edit]After the collapse of the CWHL, more than 200 prominent women's players launched a boycott of North American leagues and founded the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) to work towards the establishment of a unified, financially stable women's professional league.[52][53] The PWHPA itself had a tumultuous relationship with the NWHL—which was rebranded as the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) in 2021—rejecting overtures at merging and holding out for the construction of a new league with greater financial backing.[54] For several years, players with the PWHPA courted corporate, media, and NHL partnerships, and organized a "Dream Gap" tour to showcase top-level women's hockey.[55] In 2022, the PWHPA entered a partnership with Mark Walter and Billie Jean King, whose business enterprises went on to purchase the PHF in 2023.[56][57] The PWHPA then organized a formal union and negotiated a collective bargaining agreement as part of the establishment of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), which began play in January 2024 with six teams in Canada and the US.[58][59]
Teams
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Caroline_Ouellette_04.jpg/220px-Caroline_Ouellette_04.jpg)
Final season (2018–19)
[edit]Team | City | Founded | Championships | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Calgary Inferno | Calgary, Alberta | 2011 | 2 | Team Alberta (2011–12); Alberta Honeybadgers (2012–13) |
Markham Thunder | Markham, Ontario | 2007 | 2 | Brampton Thunder (1998–2017) |
Les Canadiennes de Montréal | Montréal, Quebec | 2007 | 4 | Montréal Stars (2007–2015) |
Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays | Shenzhen, Guangdong | 2017 | 0 | Merger of Kunlun Red Star WIH (2017–18) & Vanke Rays (2017–18) |
Toronto Furies | Toronto, Ontario | 2010 | 1 | Toronto CWHL team (2010–11) |
Worcester Blades | Worcester, Massachusetts | 2010 | 2 | Boston Blades (2010–2018) |
Former teams
[edit]Team | City | Years active |
---|---|---|
Burlington Barracudas | Burlington, Ontario | 2007–2012 |
Mississauga Chiefs | Mississauga, Ontario | 2007–2010 |
Ottawa Senators | Ottawa, Ontario | 2007–2010 |
Phénix du Québec | Montréal, Québec | 2007–2008 |
Vanke Rays | Shenzhen, Guangdong | 2017–2018 |
Vaughan Flames | Vaughan, Ontario | 2007–2010 |
Championships
[edit]Numbers in parentheses denotes number of titles won to that point.
Season | Playoff champion | Regular season title | Scoring champion |
---|---|---|---|
2007–08 | Brampton Thunder | Montreal Stars | Jennifer Botterill |
2008–09 | Montreal Stars | Montreal Stars (2) | Jayna Hefford |
2009–10 | Minnesota Whitecaps[a] | Montreal Stars (3) | Sabrina Harbec |
2010–11 | Montreal Stars (2) | Montreal Stars (4) | Caroline Ouellette |
2011–12 | Montreal Stars (3) | Montreal Stars (5) | Meghan Agosta |
2012–13 | Boston Blades | Boston Blades | Meghan Agosta-Marciano (2) |
2013–14 | Toronto Furies | Montreal Stars (6) | Ann-Sophie Bettez |
2014–15 | Boston Blades (2) | Boston Blades (2) | Rebecca Johnston |
2015–16 | Calgary Inferno | Les Canadiennes (7) | Marie-Philip Poulin |
2016–17 | Les Canadiennes (4) | Calgary Inferno | Jess Jones & Marie-Philip Poulin (2) |
2017–18 | Markham Thunder (2) | Les Canadiennes (8) | Kelli Stack |
2018–19 | Calgary Inferno (2) | Calgary Inferno (2) | Marie-Philip Poulin (3) |
Notes
[edit]a In 2009 and 2010, the Clarkson Cup was awarded in a playoff between teams from the CWHL and the WWHL; Minnesota was the 2010 WWHL champion and defeated Brampton in the 2010 Clarkson Cup finals.
Drafts
[edit]The first league draft was held on August 12, 2010, at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto; Olympic gold medalist Tessa Bonhomme was the first overall selection.[60]
First overall picks
[edit]Draft year | Player | Team | College |
2010 | Tessa Bonhomme | Toronto Furies | Ohio State Buckeyes |
2011 | Meghan Agosta | Montreal Stars | Mercyhurst Lakers |
2012 | Hillary Pattenden | Alberta Honeybadgers | Mercyhurst Lakers |
2013 | Jessica Wong | Calgary Inferno | Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs |
2014 | Laura Fortino | Brampton Thunder | Cornell Big Red |
2015 | Sarah Edney | Brampton Thunder | Harvard Crimson |
2016 | Kayla Tutino | Boston Blades | Boston Terriers |
2017 | Courtney Turner | Boston Blades | Union College Dutchwomen |
2018 | Lauren Williams | Worcester Blades | Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey |
All-time leaderboard
[edit]All-time leading scorers (2007–08 to 2018–19)
[edit]The annual CWHL scoring champion was awarded the Angela James Bowl.[61] In 2011–12, rookie Meghan Agosta set a CWHL single-season record with 80 points.[62]
Player | Team(s) | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | PPG |
Caroline Ouellette | Montreal Stars | 202 | 143 | 203 | 346 | 1.71 |
Ann-Sophie Bettez | Montreal Stars | 189 | 127 | 152 | 279 | 1.47 |
Jayna Hefford | Brampton Thunder | 145 | 134 | 113 | 247 | 1.70 |
Marie-Philip Poulin | Montreal Stars | 98 | 93 | 103 | 196 | 2.00 |
Noemie Marin | Montreal Stars | 172 | 91 | 86 | 177 | 1.03 |
Jennifer Botterill | Mississauga Chiefs, Toronto Furies | 87 | 68 | 98 | 166 | 1.91 |
Emmanuelle Blais | Montreal Stars | 210 | 60 | 95 | 155 | 0.74 |
Gillian Apps | Brampton Thunder | 142 | 80 | 68 | 148 | 1.04 |
Rebecca Johnston | Calgary Inferno | 111 | 59 | 84 | 143 | 1.29 |
Meghan Agosta | Montreal Stars | 58 | 62 | 73 | 135 | 2.34 |
All-time leaders in shutouts (2007–08 to 2014–15)
[edit]Kim St-Pierre (2008–09) and Sami Jo Small (2009–10) hold the single-season record with five shutouts.[61][62]
Player | Team(s) | Shutouts |
Sami Jo Small | Mississauga Chiefs, Toronto Furies | 16 |
Charline Labonté | Montreal Stars | 13 |
Emerance Maschmeyer | Calgary Inferno, Les Canadiennes de Montréal | 12 |
Kim St-Pierre | Montreal Stars | 9 |
Erica Howe | Brampton Thunder | 9 |
Television coverage
[edit]Sportsnet aired the CWHL playoffs and the league's All-Star Game from 2014–15 through 2018–19. The most watched game was the 2019 Clarkson Cup Final on March 24, 2019, with 175,000 viewers.[63] Sportsnet was ultimately criticized for its limited coverage, broadcasting just three games per season, and its lack of licensing fees paid to the league, a problem common to women's sports.[64]
References
[edit]- ^ "Contact – Canadian Women's Hockey League". thecwhl.com. Canadian Women's Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2018-01-13. Retrieved 2018-01-13.
- ^ "Canadian Women's Hockey League launches". CBC Sports. 2007-09-27. Archived from the original on 2015-09-29. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
- ^ Cleary, Martin (2007-09-30). "Dreaming of a league of her own". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on 2007-10-23. Retrieved 2014-07-18 – via Canada.com.
- ^ a b "Players form new Canadian Women's Hockey League". Toronto Star. Toronto. The Canadian Press. 2007-09-27. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07.
- ^ Longman, Jeré (2013-11-18). "Crashing the Boards and Cracking the Books". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2013-11-17.
- ^ Staffieri, Mark (2019-03-20). "CWHL Rookies: Venla Hovi—Calgary Inferno". Women's Hockey Life. Archived from the original on 2019-07-26. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
- ^ a b "Clarkson Cup". hhof.com. Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2018-08-20. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ Del Mundo, Rob (2008-03-25). "Brampton Claims Inaugural CWHL Title". The Brampton News. Archived from the original on 2008-06-17. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
- ^ Robson, Dan (2010-03-28). "Minnesota Whitecaps capture Clarkson Cup". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on 2022-11-13. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ "Elite Women's Hockey Action Starts". CWHL.ca. Canadian Women's Hockey League. October 21, 2010. Archived from the original on November 21, 2010.
- ^ "NEWS – The 'NEW' Canadian Women's Hockey League" (Press release). Ottawa Senators. June 7, 2010. Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
- ^ "Women's Elite Hockey "First Ever" Draft". CWHL.ca. Canadian Women's Hockey League. 2010-08-12. Archived from the original on 2010-11-21.
- ^ "Canadian Elite Women's Hockey Moves West with League's Expansion to Alberta". CWHL. 2011-04-19. Archived from the original on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ "Chimos Part of Merger With CWHL". EdmontonChimos.com. Edmonton Chimos. 2011-04-25. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16.
- ^ Clinton, Jared (2018-10-05). "Passion Project: How Undying Dedication has Led to Whitecaps' NWHL Debut". The Hockey News. Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ "The heat is on: Calgary team embraces new Inferno logo and name; ready to melt the ice this season". CWHL.ca. Canadian Women's Hockey League. 2013-09-24. Archived from the original on 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ Girard, Daniel (2012-11-13). "Maple Leafs put faith in Furies". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2024-01-20 – via pressreader.com.
- ^ "Flames partner with CWHL to support Team Alberta". nhl.com. National Hockey League. 2012-11-13. Archived from the original on 2024-01-20. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ "CWHL All-Star Showcase". mapleleafs.nhl.com. Toronto Maple Leafs. 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-11-15. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ Proteau, Adam (2015-03-19). "Canadiens Support Women's Hockey, Enter Parntership with CWHL's Montreal Stars". The Hockey News. Archived from the original on 2022-05-19. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ "Montreal women's team gets new logo, name: Les Canadiennes". Sportsnet. The Canadian Press. 2015-09-24. Archived from the original on 2015-09-30. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ a b Barnes, Katie (2018-01-11). "CWHL's first transgender woman finds comfort, confidence in professional hockey". ESPN. Archived from the original on 2018-01-13. Retrieved 2018-01-13.
- ^ a b Rutherford, Kristina (2019). "'What's right for the game': Inside the frustrating, inspiring mess that's women's pro hockey". Sportsnet. Archived from the original on 2019-03-30. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ Rutherford, Kristina (2020-03-08). "'A woman willing to change the world': Meet the most controversial and misunderstood woman in hockey". Sportsnet. Archived from the original on 2020-03-15. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
- ^ "Chinese team set to enter Canadian Women's Hockey League". Sportsnet. Associated Press. 2017-06-05. Archived from the original on 2017-06-14. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ a b c d Brady, Rachel (2017-10-12). "After a busy summer, the CWHL is hoping for a big winter in 2017–18". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 2017-10-13. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ Aykroyd, Lucas (2019-02-14). "Barely Drawing a Whisper Where Hockey Is the Talk of the Town". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2019-02-15. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ Rutherford, Kristina (2018-11-07). "Making it in China: Can the CWHL teach China to love hockey?". Sportsnet. Archived from the original on 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
- ^ McGran, Kevin (2018-03-25). "Laura Stacey's overtime winner gives Markham its first Clarkson Cup". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 2023-12-16. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ a b c Brady, Rachel (2017-09-01). "Canadian Women's Hockey League will begin paying its players". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 2020-10-20.
- ^ a b "CWHL announces it will pay players in 2017–18". Sportsnet. 2017-09-01. Archived from the original on 2017-09-08.
- ^ a b "Final Public Communication" (PDF). CWHL. 2 July 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
- ^ "CWHL commissioner Brenda Andress to step down". Sportsnet. The Canadian Press. 2018-07-18. Archived from the original on 2018-08-09.
- ^ "CWHL announce interim commissioner head hockey operations player development". thecwhl.com. Canadian Women's Hockey League. Archived from the original on 20 July 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
- ^ "CWHL to Feature Six Teams in 2018–19". thecwhl.com. Canadian Women's Hockey League. 2018-07-16. Archived from the original on 2018-08-20. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
- ^ Sun, Maura (2018-08-03). "Kunlun Red Stars announce team name change". thecwhl.com. Canadian Women's Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2019-04-07. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
- ^ McGran, Kevin (2018-11-30). "CWHL unveils new lineup for board of directors". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
- ^ Cuthbert, Justin (2018-11-29). "'Single biggest' CWHL investor withdraws financial support". Yahoo Sports. Archived from the original on 2018-11-29. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
- ^ a b Rutherford, Kristina (2019-03-31). "Questions, frustration remain in wake of CWHL's decision to fold". Sportsnet. Archived from the original on 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
- ^ Wawrow, John (2019-04-18). "Players demand say in women's hockey future after CWHL folds". The Seattle Times. The Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2019-04-19. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
- ^ @TorontoCWHL (2019-03-31). "The Toronto Furies are proud of our ongoing contributions to advancing women's hockey on every level here in Toronto. Thank you to everyone who contributed to our successes and the growth we experienced over the years. Let's all #StickTogether as we look to move forward together". Twitter. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
- ^ @LesCanadiennes (2019-03-31). "#FabsForever #OurCityOurClub #TheWomensMovementNeverStops". Twitter. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
- ^ Murphy, Mike (2019-04-01). "SN Q&A: Inferno GM Kristen Hagg on CWHL ceasing operations, 'I'm not just folding up my chair and packing it in'". The Sporting News. Archived from the original on 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
- ^ Kaplan, Emily (2020-01-29). "What the NHL can learn from the KHL's support of women's hockey". ESPN. Archived from the original on 2020-01-29. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
- ^ "Behind the Game: Former Players Detail Life in the NWHL". The Victory Press. May 10, 2020. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- ^ Wharton, David (2020-03-08). "U.S. women's hockey players look for stability in starting their own league". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2022-08-11. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ^ Spencer, Donna (2020-06-11). "Professionalism prompts Kristen Richards to choose PWHPA over NWHL". Toronto Star. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on 2021-02-19. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ^ a b "NWHL commissioner says merger with CWHL 'is inevitable'". Sportsnet. Associated Press. 2018-12-17. Archived from the original on 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
- ^ Wawrow, John (2019-04-02). "U.S.-based women's hockey league OKs plan to expand to Canada after CWHL folds". Toronto Star. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
- ^ Kaplan, Emily (2020-04-22). "NWHL adding first Canadian team, in Toronto". ESPN. Archived from the original on 2020-05-03. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
- ^ "Montreal's new PHF women's hockey franchise will be named the Force". CBC Sports. The Canadian Press. 2022-08-30. Archived from the original on 2022-08-30. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ McKenzie, Bob (2019-05-02). "More than 200 players call for overhaul of women's pro hockey". The Sports Network. Archived from the original on November 16, 2019. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
- ^ Kaplan, Emily (2019-09-20). "Sorting out the current landscape of professional women's hockey". ESPN. Archived from the original on 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ^ Larkin, Matt (2020-06-03). "Jayna Hefford Q&A: head of the PWHPA talks future of the women's game, NHL investment and more". The Hockey News. Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ^ Dichter, Myles (2021-02-10). "NHL partnerships bring unified women's league closer to reality, PWHPA's Hefford says". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on 2021-02-11. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ Salvian, Hailey (2022-05-24). "PWHPA, Billie Jean King considering new league: Source". The Athletic. Archived from the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- ^ Wyshynski, Greg (2023-06-29). "Sources: Premier Hockey Federation sale could unite women's hockey". ESPN. Archived from the original on 2023-06-30. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- ^ Salvian, Hailey (2023-02-23). "PWHPA organize formal union, negotiating CBA with their investor group: Sources". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 2023-09-18. Retrieved 2024-01-18.
- ^ Donkin, Karissa (2024-01-05). "Players beaming as physical play, new rules and historic moments highlight PWHL's 1st week". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on 2024-01-05. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ "Inside the CWHL: Inaugural draft makes women's hockey history". TMLfans.ca. August 14, 2010. Archived from the original on January 3, 2011.
- ^ a b "CWHL (W) Stats—All-time totals". Elite Prospects. Archived from the original on 2023-11-19. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
- ^ a b Scott, Richard. Women's Hockey Review (PDF). Up North Productions. ISBN 9780991867158. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-01-06. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
- ^ "The Canadian Women's Hockey League to Discontinue Operations". Canadian Women's Hockey League. 2019-03-31. Archived from the original on 2019-05-02. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
- ^ Hall, M. Ann (2019-04-03). "Women's sport needs time to carve out a niche. The CWHL didn't get a fair shot". The Globe and Mail (Op-ed). Archived from the original on 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
- Canadian Women's Hockey League
- Women's ice hockey leagues in Canada
- Women's ice hockey leagues in the United States
- 2007 establishments in Canada
- Sports leagues established in 2007
- 2019 disestablishments in Canada
- Sports leagues disestablished in 2019
- Professional sports leagues in Canada
- Multi-national professional sports leagues