2023-24 Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) News

[Rob Brown]

And I think that'll be the struggle for this league going forward. It's one thing now. It's retaining all these fans and viewers three months, three years, etc., from now.

This is why I find the whole launch of the league pretty poor. No team names, incredibly generic jerseys, no identity, no creativity, all of which will make it more difficult to market the league and ultimately hold interest.

This is probably a dumb question but is there a reason they have to wear cages? Even wearing visors would make it feel a bit more legitimate (for lack of a better word) and would make it easier to identify who is who, which in turn makes it easier for teams to develop identities etc.

 

[JMCx4]

Game #1 ends, NYC 4 - TOR 0. Surprisingly physical, otherwise nothing unexpected from talented hockey players.

 

[JMCx4]

... This is probably a dumb question but is there a reason they have to wear cages? Even wearing visors would make it feel a bit more legitimate (for lack of a better word) and would make it easier to identify who is who, which in turn makes it easier for teams to develop identities etc.

The PHWL Rulebook requires Facial Protection, either a full shield or a wire cage (ref. Rule 9.7). From following U.S. women's Division I college hockey for several years, those players are accustomed to wearing cages; I assume that's true for Canadian & international players as well. This League is not going to favor "identity" over safety & participant preferences, that would be foolish. Fans can identify the players by their sweater numbers, just as sports fans have throughout modern times.

 

[Rob Brown]

The PHWL Rulebook requires Facial Protection (ref. Rule 9.7). From following U.S. women's Division I college hockey for several years, those players are accustomed to wearing cages; I assume that's true for Canadian & international players as well. This League is not going to favor "identity" over safety & participant preferences, that would be foolish. Fans can identify the players by their sweater numbers, just as sports fans have throughout modern times.

You didn't need to lace your post in pretentiousness. My entire question was prefaced with acknowledgment that there was probably an obvious answer to it.

I'm also entitled to my own opinion - I think the league will struggle with identity, so I personally view the cages as looking more amateur than anything. I never said they shouldn't prioritize safety, I wear a cage when I play ball and ice hockey myself.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

This is why I find the whole launch of the league pretty poor. No team names, incredibly generic jerseys, no identity, no creativity, all of which will make it more difficult to market the league and ultimately hold interest.

This is probably a dumb question but is there a reason they have to wear cages? Even wearing visors would make it feel a bit more legitimate (for lack of a better word) and would make it easier to identify who is who, which in turn makes it easier for teams to develop identities etc.

League really had two choices. Keep the best players off the ice for a whole year and not start till everything was ready until fall 2024 or not lose a whole year and deal with the fact there's going to be some imperfections but the best foundation in NA women's hockey will be laid. The upside is this temp stuff is just for ~5 months. Then next season we'll get all the bells and whistles giving the league another media boost.

Honestly as someone who watches the NHL and other men's hockey league where they wear visors I still don't know who these guys are until all that is off. Doesn't really change much.

 

[Rob Brown]

League really had two choices. Keep the best players off the ice for a whole year and not start till everything was ready until fall 2024 or not lose a whole year and deal with the fact there's going to be some imperfections but the best foundation in NA women's hockey will be laid. The upside is this temp stuff is just for ~5 months. Then next season we'll get all the bells and whistles giving the league another media boost.

Honestly as someone who watches the NHL and other men's hockey league where they wear visors I still don't know who these guys are until all that is off. Doesn't really change much.

Re: the visor part, probably worded it poorly, it was mainly curiosity on my part, but also I think the average sports fan will view it was looking a bit amateur-ish. That's all I meant.

 

[Dessloch]

This is probably a dumb question but is there a reason they have to wear cages? Even wearing visors would make it feel a bit more legitimate (for lack of a better word) and would make it easier to identify who is who, which in turn makes it easier for teams to develop identities etc.

As one random fan said on facebook, "Skip the cages and lets see these new happy professionals smile"

I dont think your question about the visor is weird at all, its a valid point to make! One of the things thats most important to gain new fans is for fans to easily see the difference between players, and thats something that not wearing cages will make easier. Facial expressions is part of the game and the cages ruins some of that, even though it keeps the players faces safe.

 

[Roadhog]

So what's your take on all those empty seats?

People bought tickets annnd......

-were hungover from last night

-were out of town and didn't get back in time

All I know is I couldn't get a $^%$$&^ ticket no matter what.

 

[JMCx4]

People bought tickets annnd......

-were hungover from last night

-were out of town and didn't get back in time

All I know is I couldn't get a $^%$$&^ ticket no matter what.

Or somebody(-ies) is hoarding seats as a business strategy?

 

[Roadhog]

Or somebody(-ies) is hoarding seats as a business strategy?

I didn't even notice the empty seats you saw, place looked pretty packed.

And I wasn't $^&^&% there!!

 

[Dessloch]

The biggest miss of PWHL history was Toronto not picking Alina Müller, thats going to come back to haunt them for the next 10 years, I am still shocked it happened. Picking a retired 35+ year old instead, yikes.....

 

[JMCx4]

I didn't even notice the empty seats you saw, place looked pretty packed.

And I wasn't $^&^&% there!!

I watched as a camera scanned the bowl from ice level after the national anthems, then a few times during the game (closer to the middle-of-period play to avoid neglecting attendees stuck in restroom or concession lines). Maybe the TOR crowd was encouraged to dress like stadium seats to present a uniform background for video coverage. And you didn't check that box at the beginning of your on-line ticket quest. Strategic error ...

ETA: I did hear one of the broadcast personalities mention she'd been contacted by several people, asking if she could get them tickets. I couldn't tell whether her giggle was sincere or not.

 

[JMCx4]

13k of those viewers were simultaneously posting in the HFBoards "PWHL - Your level of interest" thread that they would never watch women's hockey.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

The biggest miss of PWHL history was Toronto not picking Alina Müller, thats going to come back to haunt them for the next 10 years, I am still shocked it happened. Picking a retired 35+ year old instead, yikes.....

Leading up to the draft and everyone talking about Jocelyne Larocque (the 35yo in question here) going 2nd overall to Toronto I was thinking "no way, that's crazy". But people connected to Kingsbury and Ryan kept bringing it up so I tried getting used to the idea. Then they actually picked Larocque and my jaw was on the floor. Couldn't believe they actually went through with it. There was Mueller and Jaques both available. Both extremely talented young players to carry the team. Both passed over and now Toronto looks like they're already going to need to "retool" or whatever. They'll either finish 4th or 5th and the fans will have to hope Fillier or Serdachny are picked.

The most troubling aspect of all is this team was put together by both Canada's GM and Canada's Head Coach. They're supposedly suppose to be with the National Team to the end of the 2026 Olympics but are they going to make it if they lose in the Rivalry Series in Game 5 or have a terrible season? How is any Canadian fan supposed to derive confidence from this.

 

[uncleben]

Leading up to the draft and everyone talking about Jocelyne Larocque (the 35yo in question here) going 2nd overall to Toronto I was thinking "no way, that's crazy". But people connected to Kingsbury and Ryan kept bringing it up so I tried getting used to the idea. Then they actually picked Larocque and my jaw was on the floor. Couldn't believe they actually went through with it. There was Mueller and Jaques both available. Both extremely talented young players to carry the team. Both passed over and now Toronto looks like they're already going to need to "retool" or whatever. They'll either finish 4th or 5th and the fans will have to hope Fillier or Serdachny are picked.

The most troubling aspect of all is this team was put together by both Canada's GM and Canada's Head Coach. They're supposedly suppose to be with the National Team to the end of the 2026 Olympics but are they going to make it if they lose in the Rivalry Series in Game 5 or have a terrible season? How is any Canadian fan supposed to derive confidence from this.

Aw, the doom and gloom of Toronto hockey.

Fits right in!

 

[JMCx4]

If y'all keep this up, I'm gonna have to petition HFB admin to set up 6 separate PWHL Team Forums for containment of the usual fan wailing & gnashing of teeth.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

I'd have been open to being a Toronto fan depending on how they built their team but alas despite the likeable personalities I'm rooting for at least one of New York, Ottawa, and Montreal to make the Final. All three are put together in ways I find are enjoyable to watch hockey wise. Though Ottawa may need to make a trade in net, not Maschmeyer but bring in someone behind her.

 

[OilerMcLord]

It was an amazingly physical affair. Very entertaining.

I LOVE the fact that they use the 3-2-1-0 point system. The NHL should take notice.

 

[AlphaLackey]

It was an amazingly physical affair. Very entertaining.

I LOVE the fact that they use the 3-2-1-0 point system. The NHL should take notice.

This is a huge improvement over the NHL's standings system and yeah, this fits right into my frustration with the part of the league's launch. New rules to spice things up are a thing a new league can use to start some hype. Remember the original XFL hyping how they replaced the opening coin toss with the scramble for the ball? Yeah of course that was a disaster, but the point still stands. Never once before game day did I see any mention of this rule, or how a SHG for will end the penalty as an added bonus, or how they're allowing limited body checking. Especially that last point.

I get that the timing was just off in a lot of ways and that an 'early access' season is the lesser of two evils for the league, but they have no excuse to not be pushing it hard. They were half of a big day of hockey yesterday, their social media interns had better be up right now with their morning Timmies ready for some bangers.

 

[brentashton]

I watched as a camera scanned the bowl from ice level after the national anthems, then a few times during the game (closer to the middle-of-period play to avoid neglecting attendees stuck in restroom or concession lines). Maybe the TOR crowd was encouraged to dress like stadium seats to present a uniform background for video coverage. And you didn't check that box at the beginning of your on-line ticket quest. Strategic error ...

ETA: I did hear one of the broadcast personalities mention she'd been contacted by several people, asking if she could get them tickets. I couldn't tell whether her giggle was sincere or not.

Like many things, it will hopefully grow in popularity, viewership and in house attendance. I have every hope it will.

By comparison, WJHC has been around for decades,they sell out most games when in Canada, but I’m watching the Slovakia v Finland quarter final right now in Sweden, and honestly, there probably were more people in the stands at Mattamy yesterday than attending this play-off game.

 

[JMCx4]

... Never once before game day did I see any mention of this rule, or how a SHG for will end the penalty as an added bonus, or how they're allowing limited body checking. Especially that last point.

I get that the timing was just off in a lot of ways and that an 'early access' season is the lesser of two evils for the league, but they have no excuse to not be pushing it hard. They were half of a big day of hockey yesterday, their social media interns had better be up right now with their morning Timmies ready for some bangers.

Basing a consumer business startup on the "Forgive and Forget" model is either a bold first move or a fool's game. Time - no matter how long or short - will tell for the PWHL.

 

[JMCx4]

Like many things, it will hopefully grow in popularity, viewership and in house attendance. I have every hope it will.

By comparison, WJHC has been around for decades,they sell out most games when in Canada, but I’m watching the Slovakia v Finland quarter final right now in Sweden, and honestly, there probably were more people in the stands at Mattamy yesterday than attending this play-off game.

The PWHL is the hurriedly shined penny in North American hockey. Worth picking up off the sidewalk & looking at it for potential value for a small number of people who are naturally curious, but the League has a LOT more buffing & polishing to do to make their currency worth bending over to even look at it for the vast majority of hockey fans. The clock is ticking, as foot traffic moves on quickly in 21st Century sports entertainment.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

Game #1 ends, NYC 4 - TOR 0. Surprisingly physical, otherwise nothing unexpected from talented hockey players.

 

[uncleben]

The PWHL is the hurriedly shined penny in North American hockey. Worth picking up off the sidewalk & looking at it for potential value for a small number of people who are naturally curious, but the League has a LOT more buffing & polishing to do to make their currency worth bending over to even look at it for the vast majority of hockey fans. The clock is ticking, as foot traffic moves on quickly in 21st Century sports entertainment.

Again though, they could have gone radio silent for a year, occasionally popping out their heads from behind the curtain to say, "Hey remember us!? We're still polishing!" or they could put out a limited, beta launch to keep the players active, while continuing to work on things behind the scenes.

No way, now, of knowing which way would've been more successful in the end, but I am not shocked (and personally think it makes more sense) they didn't want the players sitting/playing in assorted amateur leagues for a year

It was certainly rushed, and you better hope it's not a completed project, but it's here now!

 

[LadyStanley]