We are 20 days away from a movie about the making of the atomic bomb being released in theatres, (Oppenheimer.) Last night, women’s hockey decided to drop not just any kind of news, it was THE bombshell of a story.
The evening started out innocent enough, until SportsNet’s Jeff Marek tweeted this, which was also confirmed by The Ice Garden’s Dan Rice.
About an hour later, Jeff Marek hit us with the news:
He also stated this pretty clearly too:
So, what does that mean for the players of the PHF? Well, for those that have already signed for next season, Marek had the following to say:
Let the chaos begin. Remember where you were on Thursday, June 29th, 2023.
Hard getting all of the information gathered, but here are a few things that were stated:
Shayna of The Athletic
Melissa Burgess of The Victory Press
Greg Wyshynski, Senior NHL Writer at ESPN
Ian Kennedy of The Hockey News and Yahoo Sports NHL
Ben Steiner of CBC Sports in Canada
Mike Murphy of The Ice Garden
As of writing this, the PHF has no official statement. As confirmed by Ian Kennedy:
And Erin Brown of The Hockey News chimed in with this about the PWHPA:
Greg Wyshynski also said this:
Where does the landscape of women’s hockey go from here? Hard to say, we will just have to wait and see when more details come out.
Although, this whole situation reeks of when Vince McMahon and the WWF bought out WCW:
It’s now , today June, 30th, 2023, and we had more details come out.
As for teams that will survive all of this, Ian Kennedy provides the scoop here:
Hailey Salvian of The Athletic had this to say:
(Please also check out her article.)
Jeff Marek:
Also, this:
Statement from the PWHPA:
Official Statement from the PHF:
NEW WOMEN’S PRO HOCKEY LEAGUE TO LAUNCH IN 2024
Initiative, Led by Mark and Kimbra Walter, Billie Jean King Has PWHPA and PHF Support
CHICAGO AND BOSTON, JUNE 30, 2023 — A new professional hockey league, featuring the world’s best women’s players, will launch in January 2024.
The new league was announced today by business and philanthropic leaders Mark and Kimbra Walter, sports icon Billie Jean King, and Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) Governors Johanna and John Boynton. The league will be supported financially by the Walters and led by board members including King, sports executive Ilana Kloss, and Los Angeles Dodgers President Stan Kasten.
The new league has acquired assets of the PHF and has spent months negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA). These actions will enable the new league to move forward in unprecedented ways. The new league will undertake a thorough and equitable process to ensure that it features the best women’s hockey players in the world.
“I have always believed that professional sports should bring the highest levels of performance and organization, and this new league will have the backing and resources it needs to represent the very best of women’s hockey,” said Mark Walter, who is the controlling owner of the Dodgers and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, co-general partner of the ownership group of the Premier League’s Chelsea Football Club and holder of a significant interest in the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity to advance women’s sports,” said King. “I have no doubt that this league can capture the imagination of fans and a new generation of players. I want to thank Mark and Kimbra Walter for their vision and commitment to investing in women’s sports.”
“This is another step forward for the women who play professional hockey and the girls who dream of it every day,” Johanna Boynton said. “The PHF has been a game-changer and catalyst for growth in the women’s professional game. Today’s announcement builds on this foundation, represents a shared vision for one new league, and reaffirms our belief that collective and collaborative leadership is in the best interest of women’s professional hockey.”
“I celebrate this transformational moment for women’s professional hockey,” said Kasten, who represented the Walters in both transactions. “I thank Jayna Hefford, Kendall Coyne Schofield and the PWHPA player bargaining committee, Johanna and John Boynton and their partners at the PHF, and PHF Commissioner Reagan Carey for their essential roles in this historic accomplishment.”
“This new league will be unlike anything we have seen in women’s hockey,” said Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and PWHPA lead, Jayna Hefford. “I am inspired by this generation of players who are redefining the sport. We will create dreams and opportunities for girls and women around the world for decades to come.”
“I am extremely proud of our PWHPA group, which has remained committed to our vision and steadfast in our efforts to change the landscape of women’s professional hockey forever,” said Coyne Schofield. “Over the past four years, we have worked tirelessly to close the gap on what young girls and boys could dream to become in this sport.”
“This effort is the most significant development in our game since women’s ice hockey became an Olympic sport 25 years ago,” said Carey. “Players, fans, past pioneers, and future generations deserve to see the best athletes come together to elevate professional women’s hockey as never before.”
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