The Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association has announced a new structure for the 2020-21 season.
Players will now be required to try out for one of 25 spots in each of the five regional teams — Calgary, Toronto and Montreal in Canada, and New Hampshire and Minnesota in the United States. The regions will aim to provide players with improved access to resources such as full-time dressing rooms, access to strength and conditioning facilities, support staff and coaches.
This news comes a few days after reports of conditions players faced in the NWHL was published in the Victory Press.
The most significant change is just one Toronto team as the region now has an NWHL team as well. The PWHPA had over 170 members last season, including members who chose to play in Europe. It will be interesting to see what effect this new format will have for players who are outside a region or who don’t make one of the rosters.
In addition to showcases that will have consistent rosters, the PWHPA says it will try to schedule more games within the regions as well.
“The new structure provides players with a more professional training environment on a regular basis which will allow us to put the best product of women’s professional hockey on the ice daily,” said Kendall Coyne Schofield, the president of the PWHPA board, in a press release.
The sports world is in an area of uncertainty, and the start date for the 2020-21 season is likely dependent on many factors with regards to the current pandemic.
