#(changed from National Women's Hockey League)

[readinginthestarlight]

They finally made an official announcement:

Also, not sure how reliable this next source is, but it's an interesting and confusing tidbit if true.

It's wild to me that they'd even consider not having a team in Boston because Boston Pride (the current PHF team) was regularly selling out games this past season (possibly they even sold out all of their games, I can't verify how many).

oh boy...

[theemporium]

[5k] luke hughes swore he would never tell another soul and take his confession to the grave. that ends as an epic fail as he tells a really pretty girl his most embarrassing secret. luckily for him, she seems pretty eager to help him out.

series masterlist

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It shouldn’t be embarrassing, but it was. It really fucking was.

It wasn’t always a big deal. When he was in high school, everybody was just like him. Or at least, most people were. HIs friend group were. And they would always talk about how fun college would be, how everything would change, how everyone grew up and just did it. 

And then he went to college and nothing really changed. It was a bit embarrassing, it made his cheeks burn bright red whenever he spoke about it. But it also wasn’t the most unbelievable thing. Between keeping his GPA up, his training regime and the countless games during the season, it wasn’t shocking to anyone that he didn’t have as much free time as movies liked to make it seem like. 

But then he moved up. He went from being a kid with a dream to actually living that dream and beyond. A joke from his childhood became a reality when he found himself on the ice with his older brother, wearing the same jersey as his older brother. Suddenly, it was all real and intense and he was in it properly. 

But, fuck, it was embarrassing that he was in the National Hockey League and he was a fucking virgin.

In theory, he knew it wasn’t a big deal. It didn’t change the way he played or his performance on the ice. It didn’t affect his professional life in any way, shape or form. But it still made him want to curl up in a corner and shrivel his existence away whenever he thought about it too long.

And it wasn’t like it was obvious. He wasn’t announcing it to the world and rambling on about it in interviews. But the amount of jokes people made about women throwing themselves at his feet or having a turnstile of people in his bed felt like he might as well be. 

The awkward laughs and strained smiles would only take him so far before someone caught on. 

And that might have been the worst part—the fact that nobody knew. Not his friends in high school nor the ones he made in college. None of his teammates. Not even his brothers (though, the idea of him even telling them whether or not he was a virgin was an experience he would like to avoid all together). 

Nobody in the fucking world knew Luke Hughes was a virgin except him and, in a weird way, it was kind of fucking lonely.

Or at least, nobody else knew until he met you.

…

The night he met you had been a few days after the Devils had been kicked out of the playoffs. 

Despite the loss, Nico wanted one last team celebration to sign off a good season. Because yes, it fucking sucked that they were knocked out and it sucked they wouldn’t be the ones to lift the Stanley Cup this year. But they still played well, they deserved to appreciate that, to appreciate each other. 

And, on a more personal level, it was a chance to celebrate with the NHL team he could now call his home.

He was in the big leagues now. He was in the NHL and he was a professional hockey player and, by the power of some fucking superior being he did not know, he was lucky enough to share a team with at least one of his brothers. 

It still felt like a dream.

And with that dream came the joys and perks of being a New Jersey Devil—like not being ID’d in the bar the team commonly visited. 

“Takin’ it all in?” 

He tore his eyes away from the surrounding bar to look at his brother, perched on the edge of the pool table Nathan and Kevin were currently competing on. He had been happy to just watch, observe—for lack of better terms—take it all in, like Jack assumed. 

Instead, he just retorted with, “it’s a bar. Not much to take in that I haven’t seen before.”

“Okay, college boy,” Jack snorted, his cheeks flushed the same shade of red as the vodka cranberries he had been drinking all night. “I meant the big leagues.”

Luke resisted the urge to snort. “Ask me again in a year when it’s actually sunk in.”

Something in Jack’s face softened. “I’m glad you’re here, Moose.”

His throat felt a little tight but he still smiled. “Me too.”

He had assumed that was the end of the conversation, but that was Luke’s first mistake. He hadn’t paid much attention to the way Jack’s eyes roamed around the bar, narrowed like he was looking for something or, in this case, someone.

“What do ya think about her?”

Luke blinked, looking at his brother with a confused glance before he followed his line of vision to some blonde settled against the wall on the other side of the bar. 

“What about her?”

Jack shot him a look. “Do you think she’s pretty?”

Luke hesitated, almost as though it was a trick question. “Yes?”

Jack’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t sound convinced,” he commented. “So, blonde isn’t your type. What is then? Brunettes? Redheads? Miscellaneous?”

“No, I—” Luke frowned. “I’m surprised you even know what miscellaneous means.”

Jack punched his arm in response. 

“Why are you asking about my type?” Luke questioned, something that felt a lot like uncertainty bubbling in his stomach.

Jack let out a deep sigh, prolonging it to properly encapture his annoyance. “I’m trying to help you get laid, bud.”

Luke froze. 

There was no way Jack could know. He knew that. He did. Logically, it was impossible for his brother to know he was a virgin when Luke had genuinely never admitted as much beyond the age of seventeen. But here he is, seemingly trying to find him someone to sleep with. There was no way he could know, there was no way Jack knew—

“I mean, you’re in the fucking league now, bud. Milk it a little, have some fun!” Jack continued, lost in his own rambles to even notice the way Luke’s shoulders sagged with relief. “I’m sure college was fun and all, but this is better!” 

Luke tried to let out a laugh. “I think I’m alright for tonight.” 

Jack huffed out in annoyance. “Don’t be a bore! Luke, you’re in the NHL. You just fucking played in the playoffs! Enjoy yourself, man.” 

“I am enjoying myself,” Luke countered. 

“You’ve been drinking the same beer since we got here,” Jack snapped back with a knowing look. “And I know it tastes like shit because I did the exact same thing when I first ordered a drink here. I’m trying to be your guru, help you avoid the mistakes I made.”

“My guru,” Luke repeated with a snort. “More like an unwanted Cupid.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “C’mon—”

“Focus on yourself.”

“It’s my duty as a brother—”

“I am not staying to listen to this,” Luke grumbled, batting away his brother’s hands as he began to make his way to the bar. As much as he hated to admit it, Jack was right—this beer tasted horrible and not even the tiny sips he had been taking were going to save it. 

He settled himself on a free spot at the bar, his elbows placed on the slightly sticky countertop as he peered over to try find a bartender. He saw a few on the other side of the bar finishing off a few drinks and accepted the small wait, a little lost in his own thoughts and whether he wanted to try another drink instead of just settling for something non-alcoholic when a hand settled on his back. 

“There you are, babe!”

Luke frowned, turning around to find you staring right back at him with a grin on your face. Honestly, he was expecting to turn around and let the person realise they had made a mistake. But your smile remained on your face, though the wide eyes staring back at him were a little distressing. 

“Uh, I think you—” But he was cut off by another voice, a much deeper one this time.

“This is your boyfriend?” 

The man was average height and fairly built, but that was all he had going for him. His shirt was definitely a size too small to make him look bigger and the chunky chain looked nothing short of tacky. And Luke may have been in his presence for less than thirty seconds, but the body spray was overwhelming and pungent and made him want to plug his nose. 

Now, Luke may be a little slow but he isn’t dumb.

He may be deeply confused by the sudden promotion to boyfriend from a stranger but it didn’t take long for Luke to realise the wide, distressing eyes were a cry for help and the walking embodiment of Axe body spray in a tight shirt was the reason. 

“Uh, yeah!” Luke cleared his throat a little, his arm moving to wrap around your shoulders in the least awkward way he could possibly achieve. “She’s my girl! Uh, girlfriend! She’s my—” His cheeks burned but he couldn’t stop his mouth from moving. “She’s my babe!” 

The man glanced between you and Luke for a few moments before rolling his eyes, muttering something under his breath about wasting his time before he disappeared into the throng of people crowded by the bar. 

“What a dick,” you murmured and it almost made Luke jump when he remembered you were still beside him, that his arm was still around your shoulders. You turned around to look at him once you knew the other guy was gone, and your smile seemed softer now. “Thank you for that, really. You’re a lifesaver.”

“It’s no biggie,” Luke replied, cringing a little before he quickly continued. “Thanks for giving me the honour of being your fake boyfriend.”

You snorted. “Yeah, well, you have a friendly face. You looked like you would go along with it.”

His cheeks burned warmer. “Thanks?”

“You’re welcome,” you grinned before turning to settle in the spot next to him, fingers tapping on the bar counter. “Let me buy you a drink to thank you for your services?” 

Luke began shaking his head. “That really isn’t necessary—”

“Please,” you insisted, a softer expression on your face. “It would make me feel better for dragging you into my scheme.”

“I—” He cleared his throat, hoping to some superior being that his face wasn’t as red as it felt. “O-Okay.”

Your grin widened. “Brilliant. What do you want?” 

“A Coke.”

“Really?”

“Yes?”

“Okay, no judgement, just surprised,” you said, leaning over the bar to place your drink order along with his before you turned back to the boy. “So, do I at least get to know my fake boyfriend’s name?”

HIs lips twitched upwards. “Luke.”

“Luke,” you repeated before telling him your name, something gleaming in your eyes when you did. “So, Luke, what brings you to a bar on a Monday night to drink Coke?” 

“I’m here with some work friends,” he lied easily, not really one to play the professional hockey player card (despite Trevor’s insistence that it was expected to be used for this reason exactly). “Just enjoying the night before we all head off for the summer.”

“Hm, here with your work buddies but staying sober and standing alone at a bar,” you mused. “You’re quite intriguing, Luke.”

“I think that’s a compliment,” he murmured with a frown. 

“It is,” you assured him with a smile.

Luke opened his mouth to say something before the familiar voice of his brother reached him. 

“LUKEY BOY IS GETTING SOME!”

He shut his eyes, muttering a list of curses under his breath before he finally looked at you with a sheepish expression. “I’m so sorry about him. Just ignore him, he’s a little drunk and—”

“Hey, it’s fine,” you assured him with a laugh. “Work buddy?”

“Mhm,” Luke confirmed with a nod. “And my older brother.”

“That sounds like an intense work environment,” you commented.

“Tell me about it,” he grumbled, but there was still a smile on his face. “I wouldn’t blame you for making a run for it now while you have the chance. Jack will only get worse.”

You waved him off, smiling. “Your brother isn’t scaring me off,” you assured him. “Plus, I said I was intrigued and I’m enjoying talking to you. Makes it seem a lot more believable that you’re my boyfriend if that other dude is lingering around.” 

“Yeah, totally,” Luke agreed, something warm bursting in his stomach at the fact you wanted to keep talking to him. 

And despite what Jack and the others assume, nothing more happened between the two of you than just talking. It was bittersweet, in a way. Because Luke really enjoyed talking to you that night, even if he knew he would probably never see you again. 

But it was nice and it replayed in his head a lot more than he cared to admit that summer.

…

He assumed it was guaranteed that he would never see you again. 

So, it was pretty shocking when he did, in fact, see you again at a house party held by one of the boys of all fucking places in the pre-season.

As the new season approached and the overwhelming realisation that he was about to enter his rookie season of the NHL hit him, Luke didn’t even hesitate to accept the invitation for the ‘small get together’ with the boys. These were his teammates, these were the people he was going to have to trust and navigate on the ice with. It seemed like a nice idea to have a few chilled hangouts whilst training dragged everyone back to New Jersey.

What Jack and everyone else had failed to mention was the fact a ‘small get together’ did not just mean the team like he assumed. It meant a house full of people that Luke certainly didn’t know or recognise, but seemed to know exactly who he was. 

He was only slightly ashamed to admit that he clung onto Jack’s side as long as he could. But his brother was a social butterfly who liked to jump between different crowds and it was too much for Luke. Instead, he had settled near a couch where John and Kevin had been rambling away to each other when Jack suddenly appeared—out of thin air—with a huge grin on his face. 

“Hey, Rusty, is that not your girl from the bar?”

Luke’s brows furrowed together in confusion. “Huh?”

But Jack didn’t say much, just nudging his little brother to look over his shoulder. His lips parted again, prepared to tell Jack that he was drunker than he expected him to be after a few beers, only to find the words stuck in the back of his throat when he turned around and saw you.

He had thought about you more than he cared to admit over the summer. Just random little flashes of the conversations you shared. It was stupid, and a little pathetic, but you just felt…different—in the least cliche way possible.

It was almost embarrassing how quickly his cheeks just heated at the sight of you. 

No, correction: it was really fucking embarrassing. 

“Aw, did Lukey invite his lil’ crush?” Jack teased, reaching out to mockingly pinch his cheeks but Luke batted his hand away just in time.

“Shut up,” he grumbled before clearing his throat, turning to faze his brother again. “I didn’t. I–I don’t even know why she is here.”

Jack shot him a look. “Go on, then.”

Luke frowned. “What?”

“You are actually clueless,” Jack grumbled under his breath before giving him a hearty shove. “Go talk to her!”

His eyes widened. “What?!”

“Go talk to her,” Jack repeated, not understanding the panic in his younger brother. “You guys were hitting it off at the bar, what’s the big deal? Maybe you can hook up with her again.”

“I—” He started before realising this was not the time to delve into the same argument they had had since the night at the bar. “It’s fine, she probably doesn’t even remember me.”

His brother scoffed. “You’re shitting me, right?”

Luke blinked. “No?” 

“Dude, she was all over you!” Jack insisted, giving him another shove that had him stumbling slightly. “Go!”

Luke could feel his cheeks heating up. “Jack—”

“It’s my big brother duty to help you!”

Shove.

“Jack, fuck off. It’s not gonna happen.”

Shove.

“Yes, it will. Stop being a coward.”

Shove.

“Can you stop? I am not—”

Shove.

“Go talk to her!”

Shove.

“No—”

Except, the little shoves and lack of balance with the drinks he had been nursing through the night seemed to catch up on Luke. He stumbled back, his footing gone and his free hand reaching out to grasp Jack or something to stop him from falling. But it was too late. He was stumbling and his drink was sloshing and it went all over—

You. 

It went all over you because now you were right there, right in front of him, having just walked across the room to come and see him.

“Oh shit,” Jack muttered from behind him.

You looked down at your shirt—your very white shirt that now had some atrocious red stain splattered across the front from the cocktail John had made him—and stared in shock. 

Luke felt his whole body curl in on itself, his face burning and his chest feeling oddly tight. “I am so sorry—”

But, to his fucking shock (because you seemed to shock him a lot, if he was honest), you looked up at him and laughed. 

“Unlucky timing, huh?” You joked but Luke didn’t feel like laughing. 

“I can—” But he paused, not even sure what he was going to say. 

“Liking the colour red a little too much there, Cherry!” A voice from somewhere in the crowd—Luke genuinely wasn’t sure where—called out and your face brightened. 

“It’s a good thing I can pull it off!” You retorted, unfazed by the name. 

Cherry. 

Usually, Luke would chalk it up to his memory being fairly shit and the months that had passed since that night in the bar making him confuse your name for something else. Except, the boy had practically relived that night in his head on a constant loop. Every word. Every sentence. Every second of it. 

Pathetic? Yes.

Helpful? Probably not in any way, shape or fucking form except for the fact he was certain your name was not Cherry. He was more than certain. At least, he was certain that wasn’t the name you had told him. 

There were so many logical and simple reasons, he knew that deep down. But right now, Luke was embarrassed and flustered and he had this horrible inkling that you told him a fake name in case you thought he was a creep at the bar like the guy he saved you from and—

Yeah, Luke really didn’t like the idea of that. He didn’t like the idea of being paired in a category with that man. And he certainly didn’t like the idea that he made you uncomfortable enough to give him a fake name, even if he had given you no real reason to do otherwise. 

Someone pushed through the crowd as Luke continued to spiral in his own thoughts, unable to even get a coherent sentence out when Nico glanced between you and him. He let out a sigh, shaking his head as he offered you an apology before he turned to Luke.

“You can show her where the bathroom is, right?” 

And, fuck, he really thought this was the closest he could reach to ever feeling something close to hatred towards his captain.

Luke nodded his head, unable to get a word out and nodded towards the stairs. 

You seemed to catch his hint well enough as you turned to head towards the stairs. Until your hand was reaching back, taking his in your grasp and intertwining your fingers together and Luke’s brain short circuited all over again.

“Get it, Moose!”

Jack was pretty high on that almost-hate list too.

Luke felt like his body was on autopilot as he moved towards the stairs, letting you lead him up with your hands still connected until you reached the top. You looked at him expectantly and he led you towards the bathroom—one of the larger ones because he thought he would die if he was trapped in a small, enclosed space with you after he just spilled his drink all over you.

He opened the door, flicking the light on before stepping aside and letting you head inside. Except, the world seemed to have something against him, you dragged him into the bathroom behind you, your hands still connected, and grinned at him.

“Help a girl out?” 

Luke cleared his throat but nodded. 

He tried not to think too hard when you eventually dropped his hand. He tried not to think too hard when you locked the bathroom door. He tried not to think too hard as you glanced at him through the mirror. 

And he was doing well until you went and pulled your shirt over your head. 

His eyes widened, a spluttered noise of surprise leaving his lips as his eyes instantly snapped to the ceiling. But it was useless, he could already feel his blush crawling down his neck and burning hot.

“Relax,” you laughed. “I’m not giving you the full show. Just need to get this stain out.” 

“Mhm,” he hummed but his eyes remained on the ceiling. 

“Luke?”

“Yes?”

“Are you okay?”

“Uh huh.”

You let out a hum, like you didn’t quite believe him but you didn’t seem to push further. Instead, he heard the tap turn on and the water started running and suddenly, the bigger bathroom didn’t feel big enough.

“I’m not a creep!” He blurted out.

You paused. “Is that why you are staring at the ceiling? To prove you aren’t a creep?”

“No, well—” He cut himself off and let out a deep breath. “No, I just…your friend called you Cherry down there. You gave me a different name. I just…didn’t want you to think you had to give me a fake name because I was a creep. Granted, you don’t owe me anything but I just wanted to assure you—”

“Luke?”

He swallowed hard. “Yeah?” 

“I don’t think you’re a creep. And I didn’t lie about my name either,” you said, your voice a little softer this time. “People just call me Cherry.” 

And for a boy who ate, lived and breathed a sport that classically gave stupid nicknames to everyone and everything, he had never felt quite this dumb.

“Oh.” 

“Are you going to look at me now?” 

He waited for a moment. And then another. And then, before he chickened out of it, he lowered his gaze until he met yours—and didn’t let his eyes wander any further. 

“You’re an interesting boy,” you mused, tilting your head to the side.

His brows furrowed together. “Thank you?”

You grinned at his response before you turned back to the sink, seamlessly continuing to scrub your shirt under the running tap. 

Luke watched you for a few moments, trying to just stew in the silence and let you do your work. But the seconds kept ticking by and the silence was becoming more stifling and there was only so much he could handle before he wanted to rip his eyes out. 

“I’m sorry about my brother, by the way,” he said when he couldn’t think of anything else to say. “He’s a lil’ enthusiastic but he means no harm.” 

“He seems quite desperate to get you laid,” you noted, your eyes briefly finding him in the mirror again. “A lot of your friends do.”

His cheeks burned again. “They do that with everyone. They just like to be wingmen, you know?” 

Your eyes narrowed slightly on him. “But it makes you uncomfortable.” 

You say it like a fact, not a question. 

Luke choked a little. “Well—”

“Why not just tell them to back off?” You questioned and Luke welcomed the fresh, bitter twinge of embarrassment that washed over him.

“Because they would ask questions,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. “It’s just easier to let them mess about.” 

You looked intrigued now. “Why?”

Luke shifted under the intensity of your gaze. “Because then they would ask why I didn’t want to hook up with anyone.” 

You raised your brows. “Not a one-night stand kind of man?”

And honestly, he should have just cut the conversation there. He should have deflected the topic onto something else or gave some vague answer. Hell, even telling you to mind your own business was a better answer. But the alcohol made him feel buzzed, your presence was overwhelming and—for the first time in his life—Luke found himself blurting out the words he swore he would take to the grave.

“Because I’m a virgin.” 

You blinked. And he fucking waited for it. 

He waited for you to laugh. He waited for you to laugh and howl and cackle at his pathetic admission. To mock him, to tease him, to make him feel worse than he already felt. He waited and waited and waited. 

And it never came.

“And you can’t tell them that?” You questioned.

“I, uh,” Luke shook his head, his stomach somersaulting inside him in the worst ways possible. “No, it’s a little…taboo in my line of work.” 

You turned to actually look at him instead of gazing at him in the mirror. “Are you a sex worker?”

Luke spluttered, shaking his head. “What? No! No, I…I’m a hockey player.” 

You frowned a little. “Hockey players can’t be virgins?” 

“Well, it’s not like a set rule but like,” he paused, waving his hands around like that explained everything. But you still looked confused and Luke knew he had to keep talking. “Everyone just kinda expects hockey players to be some kind of…sex god. Or something. I don’t know. All I know is that it’s not really common to be a virgin in the league.” 

“Okay,” you said, crossing your arms over your chest—where you still stood in only a bra covering yourself. “So, like, are you a virgin…by choice?”

“Oh my god,” Luke groaned, bringing his hands to cover his face before it got even more red.

“I don’t mean it in a bad way!” You assured him. “I was just curious.”

“Nobody was supposed to know,” Luke grumbled into his hands, but you seemed to understand him well enough.

“I won’t tell a soul,” you promised.

But the damage was done and Luke wanted nothing more than for the floor to open up and drag him into the depths of the Earth.

He needed to get out of this bathroom. He needed to get out and go downstairs, rush through a flurry of goodbyes to the team before he quickly escaped and headed home where he could hide his embarrassment in a large tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream that certainly wasn’t in his meal plan. 

He just needed to turn around, unlock the door and slip out before you had the chance to—

“What if I helped you?”

Yeah, that was not what he expected.

His hands dropped from his face as he stared at you, his expression almost blank except for the confusion shining in his eyes. “Huh?”

“What if I helped you?” You repeated.

“Helped me with what?” 

“Being a virgin,” you said with a shrug. “It seems like it’s really important to you, or something. And I think you are bigging it up in your head a little more than necessary. Maybe you just need someone to give you a helping hand, you know? Guide you through it, help you learn. No pressure, yeah?”

He blinked. “And…you would do that?”

“Yeah, why not,” you answered honestly with a shrug of your shoulders. “You intrigue me, Luke.”

“I intrigue you,” he repeated slowly, and he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“It’s not a bad thing to be intriguing.”

“It is when you make it sound like I’m some kind of experiment.”

You flashed him a softer smile and something in his chest eased a little. “You don’t have to say yes, it was just a suggestion. Just…a new friend helping her new friend out.”

New friend. 

Luke swallowed. “And…what would you gain from this?”

You sighed, shrugging your shoulders again. “Honestly? I’ve had my fair share of disappointing experiences in bed by guys who think they are sex gods. Call it a gift to womankind if I help at least one guy be competent and capable in bed.” 

He blinked. “Right. Gift to womankind. That’s me.’

You snorted. “Just think about it, yeah? Obviously, you can go about with whatever you are doing. Just a suggestion to make a casual thing out of it, to help take the stress away. It’s your choice, Luke.” 

It was his choice. 

He knew it was his choice and, despite knowing little about you, some stupid part of him trusted that you were being genuine. You were odd but you were sincere, and he knew your offer was sincere too. If he took you up on it, you would help him out. If he declined, you wouldn’t push the matter any further and just move on in your life. 

No more words were exchanged after that, the offer lingering and the tap still running as the red stain showed no signs of budging under the soap and cold water. He knew he didn’t have to give you an answer there and then. 

But the worst part was that Luke was pretty fucking sure he knew what his answer was the first time the offer left your lips.

And he pretty sure the remaining stain on your shirt was some sort of bad omen from the universe that already liked to tease him, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

He was fucking done being a twenty year old virgin and you were his solution to the problem.

.

[grantmentis]

Women’s Hockey News Round Up 6/16-7/1

Everything here is official only, and try to list the most relevant transactions globally but may miss something, so always feel free to add! Since a lot of people who follow this blog are North American/most familiar with the PWHL, i put less context there than I may for other leagues

Extended indicates they did not change teams. buckle in this one is long as hell

PWHL (North America)

RETIRMENTS: Becca Gilmore (OTT) and Erica Howe (TOR) announce their retirements

PWHL Ottawa signings: - Alexa Vasko (PWHL Toronto) for one year -Logan Agners (Quinnipiac, undrafted) for one year -Rebecca Leslie (PWHL Toronto) for one year -Anna Meixner (Brynäs) for one year -Shiann Darkangelo (extended) for one year,

PWHL Toronto signings: -Daryll Watts (PWHL Ottawa) for two years -Emma Woods (PWHL New York) for two years -Raygan Kirk ( Ohio state) for two years -Izzy Daniel (Cornell) for two years -Megan Carter (Northeastern) for two years -Julia Gosling (st Lawrence) for two years -Hannah Miller (extension) for one year -Allie Munroe (extension) for two years

PWHL Boston signings: -Lexie Adzija (extended) for one year -Hannah Brandt (extended) for two years -Emily brown (extended) for two years -Sidney Morin (extended) for one year -Sophie Shirley (extended) for two years

PWHL Montreal: -Mikyla Grant Mentis (extended) for one year -Cayla Barnes (Ohio State) for three years -Elaine Chuli (extended) for one year -Mariah Keopple (extended) for one year -Amanda Boulier (extended) for one year

PWHL New York Signings: -Abbey levy (extended) two years

PWHL Minnesota signings: -Liz schepers (extended) for one year -Denisa Křižová (extended) for two years -Michela Cava (extended) for one year -Klára Hymlárová (st cloud) for two years -britta Curl (Wisconsin) for one year,

Josh Sciba joins PWHL New York as assistant coach. He has experience as Union College's head coach of their women's program as well as with the USWNT as an assistant coach

SDHL (Sweden)

The league has announced they will have goal cameras in place next season!

Finnish national team defender Sini Karjalainen joins Skellefteå AIK after playing with Brynäs last season

18 year old Swedish defender Thea Liodden signs with Linköping HC from AIK

Clarkson University forward Darcie Lappan signs with MoDo hockey

Providence College captain Rachel Weiss signs with HV71

16 year old Ebba Westerlind, who has shown very strong success in Sweden's youth programs, signs with Frölunda HC

Ann-Frédérique Guay, who played 4 years at Norwich University on the D3 level before transferring to UMaine and having a successful final year, has joined Linköping HC

American forward Naomi Rogge, who was successful last season with SDE, has joined Linköping HC

SDHL veteran Emmy Alasalmi joins Linköping HC

Lily George of University of New Brunswick joins Leksands

Dominique Kremer, most recently with PWHL Minnesota, has signed with SDE

Jakob Löf joins Brynäs as an assistnt coach. He previously coached the programs u16 team

Swedish National Team forward Michelle Löwenhielm extends with SDE for another year

Naisten Liiga (Finland)

Rising Finnish national team star Emma Ekoluoma changes teams from Kärpät to Ilves

Norweigan national team defender Iben Tillman will join the league and HPK specifically after a strong performance at the D1A World Championship

24 year old finnish forward Anni Montonen returns to Kiekko-Espoo after spending a season in the SDHL. She previously played for Kiekko-Espoo from 2019-2023 and was one of their top producers

Susanna Viitala, who played for TPS last year and was just under a point per game, joins Kiekko-Espoo

Julia Kuusisto get a one year extension in Ilves after a season where she took a big step forward and played with the u18 national team

defender Nelly Andersson will be back with HIFK after playing 23 games with them last year for the first time and getting experience with both the u18 and senior team

Defender Ilona Palin who spent time with the team last year as well a the u18 Finnish team, will return to HIFK for another year as well

SWHL / Postfinance Women League (Switzerland)

HC Davos ladies make four big signings -Swiss national team defender Alessia Baechler who played with ZSC Lions Frauen last year -Renee lendi who also played with ZSC and their B league affiliate -American/Canadian defender Lucie Tenenbaum. This is particularly interesting because Tenenbaum played prep school with Bishop Kearney last year and is committed to Minnesota State for the year following next season, so cool to see her develop in Switzerland for the year in between -Italian national team forward Aurora Abatangelo who was with Ladies Team Lugano last year

EWHL (Central/Eastern Europe + others)

The rebranded KSV Neuberg Highlanders also add five new players -Bishop University graduate and defender Marie-Camille Théorêt -Slovenian national team forward and EWHL Veteran/consistent top forward Sara Confidenti -Slovakian forward and EWHL top scorer Nikola Rumanova -American forward and SUNY-Oswego graduate Kensie Malone -American forward and Franklin Pierce University graduate Claire Casey

[wosowrites]

Goalkeeper (Jessie Fleming x Reader)

a/n: based off this request here

warnings: none

prompt: in which the canwnt goes to watch a hockey game in which jessie’s girlfriend is the keeper.

Growing up in London Ontario meant that you played boys hockey. And for the longest time, you played boys hockey with Jessie Fleming. But once you both turned 13, she started to feel uncomfortable playing with boys, and being in the changing room, so she quit hockey and focused on soccer. And man did it pay off. But you never stopped talking, every second you weren’t at soccer or hockey training, you were at each others houses, together at school, or running track together. It was always Jessie and y/n.

"There go Jessie and y/n"

"Jessie and y/n, breaking school records"

And eventually it became

"Jessie and y/n, repping Canada"

Jessie made her start for the CANWNT at 15 and you were in the stands cheering her on. And when you turned 16, you made your debut for the Canada Women’s Hockey Team as their keeper. You only started dating at 17, which happened to be horrid timing as she was leaving for UCLA in a year, and due to your impeccable grades and your talent in Hockey, you got accepted into Yale. The long distance broke your heart everyday, and multiple nights were spent either crying from missing her, or falling asleep on facetime with her. But it all payed off… for a bit. You still played hockey for the Canadian team and you played in the the Premier Hockey Federation for the Toronto Six. And man, that distance between London, England and Toronto was even worse. But you were older, and more mature, and your league season ended while Jessie’s was only in the middle. So the second your season ended, you packed your bags and moved to London for a couple of months, working a well paying job at a cafe and playing hockey at the local rink whenever you could. It was a strange life, and definitely not a lifestyle that would work for everyone, but you didn’t care as long as you were with Jessie.

However, the start of your season was approaching and it was time to say goodbye to the blues and hello to the reds. That being the Canadian Women’s National Soccer Team. They were all meeting up in Toronto, partly to go back to their Canadian roots, and partly to go see you play in your home opener of the season.

The night before the game, you did your day before game routine and then went to bed. Nothing beat the familiar feeling of your girlfriend by your side.

That morning, you got up at 9:00 like you did on all game days, kissed Jessie’s head and then pulled out a pre game outfit for you too wear as well as take out one of your jerseys for Jessie to wear. It was not the first time that the CANWNT came to watch you play. They tried to watch your games in person at least twice a year as they all cared about you a lot, considering you were the only person that made Jessie come out of her bubble fully. They called themselves "y/n’s army" and wore t-shirts with your face on them. You thought it was hilarious.

Jessie knew that you liked to leave for your games early and do your pre game routine all alone. So even though you only needed to be at the arena at 1:00, you left at 10:00 while Jessie took advantage of her off season to sleep.

You went to a coffee shop, walked around toronto, had lunch and then headed to the arena.

You met your teammates there, talking with them, laughing with them and answering their questions about if your "army" would be here today.

And they were, the second you hopped onto the ice in your heavy keeper equipment, you could hear their cheers and see the signs. It made you feel warm inside. You skated up to the barrier where Jessie was standing and out your glove on the glass and smiled at her. "Meet you after?" she asked you, loudly because of the music and the noise. "You bet," you answered.

"Good lucky my love," she told you, blowing you a kiss.

The game was heated, both teams wanted points from their first game right away, but you didn’t let a single goal in. It took a lot of screaming, orders and a few shoves and fights with the opposition, which Jessie hated, but you managed to get the 2-0 win.

After the game, you changed into jeans and a yellow graphic tee that was Jessie’s, as well as airforces and a black jean jacket. You lugged your equipment behind you and met Jessie outside the arena. She quickly pecked your lips, not big on the PDA but she did whisper a word of congratulations in your ear. You were quick to be bombarded by your girlfriends team though, hugs from Alyssa, Jordyn, Julia, Nichelle and Quinn, taps on the back from Sincy, Sophie and Sabrina and a loud scream from Kailen who then picked you up off the ground and swung you around in circles.

"Put her down Kailen!" Jessie squealed. You were taller than Jessie and pretty strong but Kailen was something else. "She’s fine Fleming," the keeper said, putting you down and smiling at you as you gained your bearings again. "Yeah, all good," you laughed. Kailen took your bag and walked towards your car, giving you the opportunity to swing an arm around Jessie’s shoulder as she put hers around your waist. You kissed the top of her head lovingly and told her you loved her as you walked towards the car.

Nothing felt better than being with your second family. Just being around the Canadian Women’s Soccer Team felt natural and easy.

[ottawacharge]

hello pals! here is transcript ft photoshoot shots ‼️ @ohe-ohe @verb925

If Marie-Philip Poulin is the legend, Laura Stacey is the superstar. Where one is soft-spoken, reflective and intensely magnetic, the other is intuitive, forthcoming and absolutely electric. As they shatter records in their sport and lead change far beyond, these world-class athletes are writing a page of history, together.

At first, they fought it. Centralized in Calgary with the national team for months before being thrown into the pressure cooker in PyeongChang, Poulin was the seasoned captain and Stacey was vying for a spot on the roster for what would be her first Games. They shared teammates and friends and were apprehensive about upending the intricate and delicate alchemy it takes to win. They did everything they could to push their feelings out of their minds, all the while finding every way possible to spend time together. "There were so many emotions, and we just got very close during that time. It was a kind of snowball effect," Laura explains.

At the Olympics, Team Canada ultimately fell to the US to take home silver medals. Devastated, the pair parted ways. Laura went home to Toronto and Marie-Philip to Montréal. They didn't see each other and tried not to text. But hockey is a cyclical sport in which every ending yields a new beginning, so when the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) started up again in the fall, Poulin returned to Les Canadiennes de Montréal and Stacey to the Markham Thunder. "The first real moment was when we played against each other in Montréal," Stacey says. "We were still talking, and we knew there was something between us. After the game, she followed our team bus back from the rink, picked me up at the hotel and took me back to her apartment. Her parents were there, and I met them for the first time. It all felt really serious. When I asked her, she said she was done fighting it."

As it turns out, what came as somewhat of a surprise to Laura was anything but unexpected to Marie-Philip's mom, who'd understood the moment she saw her daughter look over at Laura at Canada House back in South Korea. A mother knows: Marie-Philip and Laura had found home.

At their next Olympics in Beijing in 2022, Team Canada triumphed, and Poulin cemented her legend by becoming the only player -- female or male -- to score in four straight Olympic gold medal games.

Marie-Philip Poulin is the greatest of all time, although she flashes a reluctant wince when she hears herself referred to as such. In her home province of Québec especially, she is a beloved, virtually untouchable figure. She is the quintessential sports hero -- wholly exceptional and genuinely approachable. Despite her countless appearances and endless interviews, she's always remained very discreet about her personal life, the furthest thing from a celesbian one would ever imagine. Only her most intimate circle (and perhaps her most avid fans) would have noticed two-time Olympic medallist and three-time world champion Laura Stacey flow seamlessly into her public life and crack open the window ever so slightly. But when they each posted sets of their idyllic engagement photos on Instagram in May 2023, their low-key romance made national headlines. "We just wanted to be ourselves, and we didn't realize how much of an impact the photos were going to have. They really blew up!" says Marie-Philip. Laura adds: " When we first posted we were engaged, people didn't even know we were together, so it hit us a little harder. But the way everyone has welcomed us is amazing. So many athletes feel uncomfortable coming out. For us, it happened organically. And there's so much positivity in the way everyone supports us."

That summer, Mark Walter Group and sports trailblazer Billie Jean King announced the establishment of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and six charter franchises. For women's hockey players, it was the culmination of a dream after years of struggle. A month later, PWHL Montréal confirmed it had signed three-year deals with goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens and forwards Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey. "I didn't want to sign and play in Montréal as a package deal because the team wanted to get her for sure," Stacey admits. And she made that very clear to the team's management. "The conversation went so well, but it was still scary for me because I knew I had something to prove." Since then, her intensity, heart, skill and dazzling plays have put any doubts to rest. "Looking back on these past few months, I can say it's been amazing."

When the puck dropped on the team's first-ever game on January 2, 2024, Laura scored her very first goal in the league and unintentionally went viral. It all happened in a split second: drive to the net, snipe, celly. The subsequent shot of her marking the moment with Marie-Philip, which became one of the most viewed photos from the PWHL, was swiftly reposted on X with the caption "score a goal and celly with your fiancé," prompting user MarcusA9393 to pointedly (read: homophobically) ask where the said fiancé was in the crowd since he "didn't see him behind the glass." Then came an impeccable reply that turned Marcus' mudslinging into an incandescent ray of sheer queer joy: "Her fiancée is #29 poulin. She's gay, Marcus."

The floodgates opened, and in no time there was a tidal wave of "She's gay, Marcus" bracelets, apparal of all sorts, stickers and fan art. Sellers started offering Stacey and Poulin's hockey cards as a pair. Did she realize her love would be the first person to throw herself in her arms? "No, we had no idea! It all went so fast. But what are the chances?" It was an instance that opened their eyes to the fact that there was a place for them as a couple and as professional hockey players. "We realized it was welcome. That respect for us together and as individuals has helped us open up a lot more. Our teammates, our coaching staff, our fans all support us. And Montréal has embraced us as a couple in a beautiful, crazy way," Stacey reflects. Her fiancée concurs: "At first, it felt like a lot after the engagement photos, but we took a step back and we saw we could connect with people. We quickly learned that it helps people be themselves. Fans are so happy to show us their bracelets and t-shirts and ask us to sign the photo. That connection happens because they feel they can be themselves around us. They cheer for us together, and that's very emotional for us."

Even so, there's a paradox, since they both make very conscious efforts to keep their hockey lives separate despite their matching collections of Olympic gold and silver medals and world championship titles. They don't have adjoining spaces in the dressing room; they don't room together on the road; they don't sit together when travelling with the team. Does that benefit them? The team? "That's actually something we take a lot of pride in," says Poulin. "When we get to the rink, we're there to work: to play hockey and win. There's a time and place for everything." Laura echoes the sentiment: "It's about respect for our teammates. When they're taping their stick and getting ready, they're not there for us as a couple. They want teammates who are ready to go to war with them. We're there to do the best job we can. If people want to spend time with us as a couple, they can come over for dinner."

Meanwhile at the rink, without getting deep into the the analytics, the sometimes linesmates ended the regular season tied as PWHL Montréal's highest scorers with 10 goals apiece (23 points for Poulin, 18 for Stacey) and proved to be a game-changing duo. But what happens when the puck isn't bouncing their way? "We didn't start on the same line, but we ended up playing together as time went on. That was a challenge," says Marie-Philip. "We're leaders on the team and we're very competitive so we want to be perfect. When one of us misses a play, we definitely take it out on the other." Laura nods emphatically and laughs: "Sometimes I tell her ' I can't make that play! You know who I am!', and she'll go 'No! You have to if you're playing with me!'" When asked if they're harder on each other than their other teammates, they reply "110%" in perfect synch.

On top of the ebbs and flows in their respective games, having to execute perfectly at critical junctures can take a toll. "There's a lot of pressure, and I feel it. It's on me, on her and on us," says Poulin. Her demeanour is unfailingly even keeled and, in many ways, true to the player she's shown herself to be in competition, naturally offsetting the challenges and perpetually rising above. "The fact that the pressure makes me stay on the ice and practice with my partner -- that we're always pushing each other -- just makes us better and more balanced players and people."

And what about the physicality of the women's game? While there's nothing that makes the game unsafe, there's a lot of jostling, body checking and contact along the boards. "When one of my teammates gets caught, I get fired up. But when it's Laura, my heart drops. I want to react and it's hard not to, but I can't," says Marie-Philip. Do they get chirped? "Oh yeah, for sure," Laura confirms, just as Marie Philip points out: "Less now."

In season, they're never apart. "We do everything together, but we like it," says Marie-Philip, who then turns her entire body towards Laura, reaches out to her and quietly asks with a smile: "You like it, right?" Laura beams at her and replies: "I love it." All captivating affinity aside, the fact remains that they constantly put their bodies on the line, and the grind can wear them down. Camps started in October and the hockey didn't stop until June. The many highs and upward trend of prepare, prepare, prepare was so physically demanding that there were times when all they could do was crash.

Having all eyes on them means they've learned when to ease up and when to zoom out. "We get on the bus together when everyone else is leaving their significant other. We travel the world together. We get to hear fans in Montréal cheer for us both together. We fight and push each other in the hard moments but when we get home, we close the door and realize how lucky and how happy we are," says Laura.

The talk eventually turns to April 20 at the Bell Centre in Montréal, when PWHL Montréal and PWHL Toronto set the world record for a women's hockey game in front of 21,105 fans. For the players and for so many in the crowd, the pregame introductions unfolded into a moving "I see you" moment. Under the lights and amidst tens of thousands of twirling white rally towels, the players stood at the blue line to finally take in the resounding ovation they'd earned and deserved. It was a powerful acknowledgement of their excellence, their hard work, their sacrifices and their fight. Their win was everyone's win, in hockey and far beyond. On the ice, Marie-Philip and Laura were standing side by side. "The sentiment that we all win together and the feeling of success cemented the fact that we're here to stay. It's so much more than a hockey league. It's a movement," Laura says. When Marie-Philip Poulin's name resonated in the arena, a deafening roar rose all the way up to the rafters: "It was all surreal. It was so loud, and I thought 'Wow, we did it.'"

But like all things, hockey careers -- even the most brilliant ones -- come to an end. With respect to their sport, they're both adamant about leaving it in a better place than they found it. At the same time, with their wedding only weeks away, Laura Stacey and Marie-Philip Poulin are just beginning to shape their family legacy, one whose reach is much broader than hockey and touches on representation, visibility, equality, diversity, women's rights, 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and human rights. It's something we tend to take stock of in retrospect, but they're writing their own page of history today. "We want people to have the same opportunities we've been given to be themselves and chase the dream of whatever it is they love," says Laura. That authenticity has become their hallmark. "W're always ourselves," says Marie-Philip. "People remember how you made them feel, not what you did. And that only happens when you're truly yourself."

[msmargaretmurry]

it was about your actual eldest daughter quinn cisswap fic :D

hahahaha thank you for clarifying <3 even though it would have been a delightful message either way

i'm so pleased to hear it though! i love her so much, i am slowly but doggedly plugging away at that fic in the precious free time i have and i am looking forward to hopefully one day share her with you and the five other people who are excited to read her story. also it's been a while since i wrote a female protagonist and it's been such a fun and interesting writing process digging into how the gender of it all does or doesn't change things.

anyway! have a little snippet of exposition!! <3

Technically, Quinn met Brady before they were fifteen. The elite hockey world is small, and they played with and against each other at various youth tournaments, but fifteen is when everything really started. Women in the NHL were no longer brand new, although still treated like a novelty — as if that’s ever going to change — but having girls in the national team development program was still in the experimental stages. After all, international competition was still strictly gendered. Someone had convinced the powers that be that if the best girls in the game were legitimately shooting for the NHL now, then it was good for the Americans to at least present the illusion of equal institutional support, the same way Sweden and Finland were doing. Can’t be falling behind the Europeans.

So the program wanted Quinn. Her parents, despite her years on boys’ teams and her tenuous commitment to Michigan, whose D-I hockey team did not historically include girls, had expressed some reservations about sending her off to live in an environment that was 90% teen boys before her sixteenth birthday. They were supportive, yeah, but they kept asking about special accommodations — a phrase that Quinn at fifteen loathed, feeling that it highlighted a difference between her and the boys that she would prefer for everyone to just forget about. But Brady, obviously, was also program-bound, and at a spring tournament in Wisconsin, Quinn’s coach connected Quinn’s parents with Keith and Chantal. Their dads already knew each other from years in the league: Jim behind the bench and in front offices, Keith on the ice. Both families familiar with the other from years of running in the same circles. The Tkachuks, it turned out, had a place in Ann Arbor while their boys were in the program, and they would be happy to let Quinn have the basement apartment, if some guaranteed parental supervision from a take-no-shit NHL veteran would put everyone’s minds at ease.

Brady, tall and gangly with his sweaty curls matted to his head, had watched the adults deliberating for half a minute, then turned to Quinn, stuck his hand out, and said, “Hey, how ya doing? That was a sick goal from the point your last game. Seriously, hell of a shot. I pointed it out to my dad and he was like, well, yeah, Brady, you could do that too if you didn’t have legs like spaghetti noodles. So I guess it’s gonna be leg day every day this summer.”

Quinn, once she had processed all of this, her hand still being shaken, had said, “Uh, yeah, looks like you could really use some work in that department.” Then she winced internally, because, yeah, great first impression on the kid whose parents were brokering her path to the NHL right at that moment. But Brady just laughed.

“So you think you’re gonna come to the program?” he asked.

Quinn nodded at the council of grown-ups. “If they let me, yeah.”

“They’ll let you. You’re too good not to go,” Brady said, so breezily assured that for a moment Quinn forgot why she had doubts. “It’s great. You’ll love it. My brother is there and he loves it. He says it’s not weird at all having girls around. I mean, like, obviously, we’ve got Nicky and Rach on our team right now and they’re great so I didn’t think it would be weird anyway. But Matthew says—” he laughed again, shaking his head “—he says, ‘just remember, you can hit them, but don’t hit on them, and it’ll all be fine.’” 

Despite herself, by this point, Quinn was grinning. “Sounds like a pretty good rule.”

“Yeah, he’s a knucklehead, but sometimes he pops out a gem like that,” Brady said.

“Brothers are usually knuckleheads.”

“True. Wait, hey.”

Quinn gave him a sidelong look, one eyebrow raised. He slugged her in the shoulder.

“Quinny, come here a sec,” her mom said, and that’s how Quinn wound up living in Brady Tkachuk’s basement for two years.

[thequeencity]

How do you watch hockey games? I want to get into it but I have no clue how to start.

i pay for espn+ (as part of the hulu/disney+/espn+ bundle) which is the "official" online streaming service for the nhl. if you currently have hulu and disney+, i think it's a really great deal. this works for me personally because i'm currently located outside of my main teams blackout regions (eg. i am not in the tri-state area). unfortunately, if you are located within the limits of where a local broadcast would reach, espn+ is pretty much a non-option because they'll simply black out all the local team's games. so for example, when i go home, i get blacked out and can't watch games via espn+. so if you want to go this route, you also have to be outside of the blackout region for the nhl team you want to follow.

for free options, i think the easiest and most comprehensive i'm aware of (and use occasionally) is onhockey.tv. you will need an adblocker prior to loading this site (i use adblockerplus), but they are extremely comprehensive. they will have every broadcast regardless of where you are located geographically. sometimes the quality on here can get a little crunchy, and i always recommend clicking through the available stream links because some will come in better than others (if you hover over the link without clicking, you'll see a popup with which broadcast the link goes to). and when i say extremely comprehensive, i mean it. if a hockey game is broadcasted somewhere, they will have it. this includes the AHL, ECHL, international leagues (SHL, Liiga, etc), junior hockey games (WHL, OHL, U18s), college teams (basically any NCAA, mens or womens), and womens hockey leagues.

nhl66.ir is another free option which has a better interface and better quality, imo. this is my preferred free option, however, they've gotten a little harder to use this season as they have also started executing regional and national blackouts. these can be overwritten with use of a VPN, though i've had some trouble with this personally (it seems pretty finicky and often drops in the middle of games, can get frustrating). also keep in mind that you can only watch ESPN streams here if you are within the US and that national streams are only available outside of the US. so if you are located in the blackout region of the nhl team you want to follow, you'll have to have a vpn that can change specific location in the US, not just to a different country. they are going through a bit of an overhaul, so the issues with vpn dropping will likely be resolved, though i don't see them dropping the requirement of a vpn altogether.

lastly, i'd be remiss not to mention that the PHF streams all their games on twitch for free: https://www.twitch.tv/thephf. if you're just getting into the sport and just want to watch games to see if you like it, highly recommend. plus support professional women's hockey 👏

tldr; espn+ is the official paid service from the nhl. onhockey.tv is a good free option if you are inside a blackout region and want an easy option or want to watch outside the nhl. nhl66.ir is a good free option if you are outside the nhl team blackout region or you're willing to go through the hoops of using a vpn. twitch to watch womens hockey games.

as far as advice for "getting into hockey", you're definitely on the right track !! watching games is by far the best way to absorb things (and you'll be surprised how much you can pick up just from watching). i also recommend following the main beat reporters for the team(s) you want to follow on twitter! don't worry too much about knowing every rule and call or even every player on the team right away. hockey is pretty simple and quick to absorb especially when you watch a lot of games. don't feel like you have to memorize things or treat it like a college course. if you want to, have fun with it !! but like many things, you can decide if you want / how deeply you want to go into it as you find what aspects interest you (eg. analytics, knowing the ins and outs of the rulebook, team dynamics, prospect/player development, trades/contracts/signings, etc). none of those are requirements to being a hockey fan and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

i hope this helps and and if any of my followers use something else, feel free to comment below !!

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] Harmanpreet Singh (Image: Hockey India) The much-anticipated revival of the Hockey India League has generated excitement among hockey fans across the country. The player auction, taking place between 13th and 15th October in New Delhi, will see over 1,000 players going under the hammer, including more than 550 men. The men’s auction is set for the 13th and 14th, while the women’s auction will take place on the 15th. Spanning over two days, the men’s auction promises intense bidding for some of the top hockey talents. With over 400 domestic and 150 overseas players available, franchises will have plenty of options to build competitive teams. The players have been categorized under three base prices: ₹2 lakh, ₹5 lakh, and ₹10 lakh. Let’s take a closer look at the top Indian players expected to fetch big sums in the auction. Harmanpreet Singh (Base price ₹10 Lakh): It’s no surprise that India’s captain fantastic, Harmanpreet Singh, will be the most iconic player going under the hammer. A penalty corner specialist and one of the best defenders in world hockey today, Harmanpreet has over 200 caps and goals for India. At 28, he is at the peak of his career, and franchises will be eager to secure his services, knowing he brings both leadership and game-changing ability. Kishan Bahadur Pathak (Base price ₹10 Lakh): With the legendary PR Sreejesh no longer in the fray, Kishan Pathak has emerged as India’s first-choice goalkeeper. The 27-year-old has 125 caps and was crucial in India’s title defense at the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy. His rise as India’s main custodian has made him one of the hottest picks in the auction, and he is expected to attract significant attention from franchises. Lalit Kumar Upadhyay (Base price ₹10 Lakh): The 30-year-old forward is a proven goal-scorer, having netted over 45 goals for India in more than 175 appearances. His ability to find field goals, particularly in high-stakes matches like the Paris Olympics quarter-final against Great Britain, makes him a valuable addition to any team. Franchises looking for a reliable forward will likely target Lalit. Amit Rohidas (Base price ₹10 Lakh): With over 190 appearances for the national team, Amit Rohidas is a solid defender known for his ability to chase down counterattacks and contribute to the offense. The 31-year-old has also scored around 30 goals for India. His defensive prowess and versatility on the field make him an asset for any franchise, and his base price reflects his experience and impact. Manpreet Singh (Base price ₹10 Lakh): One of India’s most experienced players, Manpreet Singh has earned over 375 caps and has captained India to some of their greatest successes, including the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The 32-year-old midfielder is not only a leader on the field but also instrumental in controlling the pace of the game and launching attacks. Any team looking for a seasoned playmaker will likely bid heavily for Manpreet. Other players who are likely to draw interest include midfielders Vivek Sagar Prasad (24) and Shamsher Singh (27), defender Jarmanpreet Singh (28), and forward Sukhjeet Singh (27). In addition, former Indian hockey stars like Rupinder Pal Singh, Birendra Lakra, and Dharamvir Singh have also registered for the tournament, adding to the excitement. The international roster is equally star-studded, with players like Arthur van Doren, Alexander Hendrickx, Gonzalo Peillat, Jip Janssen, Thierry Brinkman, Dayaan Cassiem, Tom Wickham, Jean Paul Danneberg, Pirmin Blaak, Jorrit Croon, and Mats Grambusch all set to be part of the auction. The auction will kick off at 2:30 pm and will be live-streamed on the newly launched Hockey India YouTube channel and DD Sports TV. The post Hockey India League Men’s Auction: Top 5 Players to Watch out For appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] Harmanpreet Singh (Image: Hockey India) The much-anticipated revival of the Hockey India League has generated excitement among hockey fans across the country. The player auction, taking place between 13th and 15th October in New Delhi, will see over 1,000 players going under the hammer, including more than 550 men. The men’s auction is set for the 13th and 14th, while the women’s auction will take place on the 15th. Spanning over two days, the men’s auction promises intense bidding for some of the top hockey talents. With over 400 domestic and 150 overseas players available, franchises will have plenty of options to build competitive teams. The players have been categorized under three base prices: ₹2 lakh, ₹5 lakh, and ₹10 lakh. Let’s take a closer look at the top Indian players expected to fetch big sums in the auction. Harmanpreet Singh (Base price ₹10 Lakh): It’s no surprise that India’s captain fantastic, Harmanpreet Singh, will be the most iconic player going under the hammer. A penalty corner specialist and one of the best defenders in world hockey today, Harmanpreet has over 200 caps and goals for India. At 28, he is at the peak of his career, and franchises will be eager to secure his services, knowing he brings both leadership and game-changing ability. Kishan Bahadur Pathak (Base price ₹10 Lakh): With the legendary PR Sreejesh no longer in the fray, Kishan Pathak has emerged as India’s first-choice goalkeeper. The 27-year-old has 125 caps and was crucial in India’s title defense at the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy. His rise as India’s main custodian has made him one of the hottest picks in the auction, and he is expected to attract significant attention from franchises. Lalit Kumar Upadhyay (Base price ₹10 Lakh): The 30-year-old forward is a proven goal-scorer, having netted over 45 goals for India in more than 175 appearances. His ability to find field goals, particularly in high-stakes matches like the Paris Olympics quarter-final against Great Britain, makes him a valuable addition to any team. Franchises looking for a reliable forward will likely target Lalit. Amit Rohidas (Base price ₹10 Lakh): With over 190 appearances for the national team, Amit Rohidas is a solid defender known for his ability to chase down counterattacks and contribute to the offense. The 31-year-old has also scored around 30 goals for India. His defensive prowess and versatility on the field make him an asset for any franchise, and his base price reflects his experience and impact. Manpreet Singh (Base price ₹10 Lakh): One of India’s most experienced players, Manpreet Singh has earned over 375 caps and has captained India to some of their greatest successes, including the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The 32-year-old midfielder is not only a leader on the field but also instrumental in controlling the pace of the game and launching attacks. Any team looking for a seasoned playmaker will likely bid heavily for Manpreet. Other players who are likely to draw interest include midfielders Vivek Sagar Prasad (24) and Shamsher Singh (27), defender Jarmanpreet Singh (28), and forward Sukhjeet Singh (27). In addition, former Indian hockey stars like Rupinder Pal Singh, Birendra Lakra, and Dharamvir Singh have also registered for the tournament, adding to the excitement. The international roster is equally star-studded, with players like Arthur van Doren, Alexander Hendrickx, Gonzalo Peillat, Jip Janssen, Thierry Brinkman, Dayaan Cassiem, Tom Wickham, Jean Paul Danneberg, Pirmin Blaak, Jorrit Croon, and Mats Grambusch all set to be part of the auction. The auction will kick off at 2:30 pm and will be live-streamed on the newly launched Hockey India YouTube channel and DD Sports TV. The post Hockey India League Men’s Auction: Top 5 Players to Watch out For appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[nbmsports]

Billie Jean King on Victories Past, and the Battles to Come

The more Billie Jean King talked about the past, the more animated she became about the future.King, the 79-year-old grand champion of tennis and gender equity, said she wanted to see more investment in women’s sports. More teams. More leagues. More women owners. More racial diversity, more data, more access and more opportunities.She charged crosscourt from one topic to the next, not content to celebrate the history she had made; she was too busy creating the template for tomorrow.“Equal investment is the most important thing,” she said during a telephone interview from London, while attending this year’s Wimbledon. “If I talk to a C.E.O., I ask him, or her, or whoever, ‘Do you spend as much on women’s sports as men’s sports?’ That’s the magic question.”It always has been.This summer marks 50 years since the United States Open awarded equal prize money for men and women, becoming the first of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments to offer it. King, who won 39 major titles, made that milestone possible with her relentless activism and by securing corporate sponsors behind the scenes.On the eve of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup — set to showcase the rise of women’s soccer and the movement for equal pay, led by the U.S. Women’s National Team — King’s influence still ripples through the sports ecosystem.“She is working as hard today as she was 50 years ago,” said Stacey Allaster, the United States Tennis Association’s chief executive of professional tennis, and the first female director of the U.S. Open, said. “And she’s so focused, I would say possessed. She’s continuing to live by what she believes: that sport is for social change, and it’s not what you get, but what you give.”King and her wife, Ilana Kloss, who is also her longtime business partner, have invested in six sports. In June, it was announced that Billie Jean King Enterprises would help run a new six-team women’s ice hockey league starting in January along with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ majority owner, Mark Walter, and his wife, Kimbra Walter.“We believe this is transformational, and it’s a sport that hasn’t had the platform that we believe it needs,” said Kloss, 67, a former doubles champion from South Africa and the chief executive of BJK Enterprises.Although she admitted that the path to establishing a successful women’s hockey league has been a “long road” (one that’s littered with past failures), she applauded the Walters’ commitment to women’s sports. “That belief sends an incredible message to the rest of the investment community,” Kloss said.Flashback to 1970 when King and eight other players, outraged the men were earning more than eight times the prize money that the women were at one tournament, signed $1 contracts to form a offshoot professional women’s tennis tour. The women, known as the “original nine,” risked being banned by tennis officials, but the gambit worked. In 1973 at Wimbledon, King led players in a vote that created what is now called the Women’s Tennis Association.It was a heady time for women’s sports. In 1972, Congress enacted Title IX, which prohibited sex discrimination in schools and thus led to the creation of sports programs that spawned a generation of female athletes. Against that backdrop, King, No. 1 in the world, won the 1972 singles titles at the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.In New York, she was incensed to earn $10,000 — $15,000 less than the U.S. Open men’s champion, Ilie Nastase, did. King recalled how she met then with the tournament director Bill Talbert in a referees hut.Turning her chair to face him in the tiny space, she argued that a fan poll showed massive interest in women’s tennis. Then she revealed her ace: She had secured a sponsor — Bristol Myers’s “Ban” deodorant — to make up the difference in total prize money. Equal prize money became official in 1973.A few weeks after the 1973 U.S. Open, King crushed former No. 1 Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes spectacle that catapulted gender equality onto a world stage.“It’s hard to believe that 50 years have gone by — boink!” King said.This year’s U.S. Open, starting Aug. 28, will mark the equal prize money anniversary in multiple ways, including posters of King, an opening night tribute and an “equity lounge” on the site of the United States Open in Flushing, which in 2006 was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.When she’s on the way to her office there, Allaster touches a sign bearing King’s motto: “Pressure is a Privilege.”Allaster, the previous chief of the WTA, said King was an “accessible leader,” not just for her, but for rookies and superstars alike. Allaster called Venus Williams a “modern-day Billie Jean King” for how, during her prime, Williams lobbied Wimbledon officials — and by extension the French Open — to award equal prize money to women.King’s advocacy has always transcended tennis. She started the Women’s Sports Foundation in 1974 to develop sports opportunities for girls and women post-Title IX. After she was publicly outed for being gay in 1981 and lost many of her endorsements, she later became an activist for gay rights.Phaidra Knight, a World Rugby Hall of Fame player and past president of the Women’s Sports Foundation, said King created an inclusive culture at the group. “Through that LGBTQ+ lens and her courage, she has inspired courage in many other lanes, for people to work together,” Knight said in an interview.Beyond King’s encouragement of her as a Black and gay woman, Knight said she valued how King taught her to approach rugby officials to improve business opportunities for the women’s game.Angela Ruggiero, another past president and a former women’s ice hockey Olympian, has also followed King’s lessons. She co-founded the Sports Innovation Lab, a market research company that uses analytics to understand digitally savvy sports fans. Her research shows that fans of every gender are responding to women’s sports. She has frequent brainstorming sessions with King, who never stops asking questions.“We’re going back and forth on how do we bring more capital into women’s sports,” Ruggiero said. “She’ll be at the edge of her seat, fired up. It’s just her nature to be an agent of change.”King said she secretly advised the soccer player Julie Foudy and eight of her teammates in 1995 to hold out for fair contracts and get the younger players behind them. The team won the 1996 Olympics and ignited the frenzy for women’s soccer by winning the 1999 Women’s World Cup before 90,185 fans in the Rose Bowl.Twenty years later, Megan Rapinoe led the U.S. women to another World Cup victory, this time with the fans chanting “Equal Pay.” In 2022, the women’s national team settled its gender discrimination lawsuit against the national federation for $24 million, and a pledge to equalize salaries and prize money.Last month, Rapinoe talked at a news conference about how the 2023 World Cup would be a game-changer for women’s sports, showing that “equality is actually good for business.”King chuckled.“Every generation thinks they are the first to say this — it’s fun to listen to them,” she said. “I’m glad we’re on the same page trying to get things done.”As always, capital is key. She and Kloss — who joined the celebrity ownership group of Angel City Football Club of the National Women’s Soccer League in 2020 — were encouraged by Y. Michele Kang’s recent $35 million purchase of the league’s Washington Spirit.“We need more people to continue to step up,” King said. “If you look at everything now, it’s the billionaires. And then you look at the Middle East, that’s going to be another thing.”In a news conference, King supported the WTA’s exploration of funding from Saudi Arabia, which has already bought in to professional golf with its LIV Golf merger with the PGA Tour. Although she acknowledged the country’s discriminatory policies around women and homosexuality, she told reporters, “I don’t think you really change unless you engage.” She added that this was her opinion. “I’d still probably go and try to talk with them,” she said.Engagement has always been King’s life philosophy, along with knowing your history. She’s not ready to finish writing hers.In November, King will turn 80.“She really has a sense of running out of time,” Kloss said, “and she can’t get enough.” Source link Read the full article

[grantmentis]

Women's Worlds 2023 Primer

The PHF season may be over, but many of the players we love will be playing in women's worlds this upcoming week alongside their peers from the PWHPA, SDHL, Naisten Liiga, NCAA, Usports, EWHL, and countless other fantatic women's hockey leagues or organizations from around the world!

When: April 5th - April 16th

Click here for full schedule

Where: Brampton, Ontario at CAA Center. Games will be in Eastern time

Click here for tickets

What Teams are playing:

Group A: Canada, USA, Switzerland, Czechia, Japan

Group B: Germany, Hungary, France, Finland, Sweden

How to Watch:

Canada: TSN will be broadcasting all games in the tournament for Canadians

USA: NHL Network will be broadcasting all of Team USA's and Team Canada's games, but not the rest of the tournament

Finland: Broadcast scheduling here

Germany: German games should be available at MagentaSport (and apparently free!)

France: Sport En France should have at least the French teams games

Sweden: SVT should carry Sweden's games

Switzerland: available to stream at srf.ch

Unfortunately I could not find broadcast information for Czechia, Hungary, or Japan, but that may be a language barrier issue on my end. If this is something you are familiar with please let me know!

Lastly, if you want to watch a game that's not available to you, feel free to message and I can see what I can do to help

Tournament format:

All of Group A makes it to the quarterfinals, so the preliminary games are just seeding for them. The top three seeds in Group B will move on as well. Then, the knock out stage looks like this:

Below the cut is rosters, notable storylines, and expectations for each team. These are in alphabetical order.

Canada

Roster

Notable changes: Natalie Spooner comes back after missing time with pregnancy. Danielle Serdachny makes her international senior team debut after having 71 points in 40 games as Colgates captain this year. Claire Thompson returns to the world stage after missing last world championships, comes off a spectacular olympic showing. Potomak is out, despite strong performance last world championship.

Player to watch/other fun things; Sarah Fillier. She has been one of the world's best goal scorers for over two year and, at only 22, will likely only get better

Goals: Win gold again! They've been dominate on the world stage again since the break from the pandemic, working extremely well with their new coach. They are the team to beat with a mix of vets and newcomers

Czechia

Roster

Notable changes: Klara Peslarova, star goalie for Czechia, is not here due to season ending knee injury. Michaela Hesova (who is only 17 years old!) makes her senior team debut in her place and Kateřina Zechovská comes back to the mix. Tereza Radová is out, Sára Čajanová returns. Klára Jandušíková makes her senior national team debut, one of the few ncaa dIII players to do so!

Players to watch: Tereza Vanišová is coming off a PHF championship where she scored the cup winning goal, and has been one of the Czech republics more creative offensive players that plays with an edge. Natálie Mlýnková just had a breakout year for University of Vermont that saw her have 42 points in 36 games.

Goals: Get a medal. Czechia has risen FAST on the national stage, going from not qualifying to medaling in their first wwc in just a few years. Thanks to a mix of a good core who's been playing together a long time like like Mills/Mrázová/Križová and talented youth like Čajanová, they have cemented themselves at one of the worlds threats.

Finland

Roster; http://leijonat.fi/index.php/maajoukkueet/naisleijonat/2022-23/mm2023/item/45144-naisleijonien-mm-joukkue-julkistettiin-taessae-kokoonpano ( no graphic :-( )

Notable changes: Elisa Holopainen will not play for Finland after a great showing last worlds due to injury. Susanna Tapani, who had five points in 6 worlds games last year, is also not on this roster. Sanni Ahola will make her senior national team debut as a goaltender for Finland. She had a .920 as the starter in St. Cloud state this year and could be interesting as they try to find their next starter. Emilia Kyrkkö is another new goalie, who played in Finland this year but will play at St. Cloud next year. I’d expect Ahola to get more time though. Michelle Karvinen not on roster. Lots of roster shakeup overall.

Players to watch: Noora Tulus has been a national team mainstay for some time, but the last two years she has found another gear. Coming off a club season in Sweden with 56 points in 32 games. Sini Karjalainen had a breakout season in Vermont, will be interested to see if she can translate in the world stage.

Goals:After a rough few tournaments and roster turmoil, and some coaching questions, Finland is trying to get back in Group A and compete for a medal. Competition will be fiercer than ever but they look to prove why they dominated so long.

France

Roster:

Notable changes: Marion Allemoz, who was the team captain, has retired. Morgane Rihet, who was also an assistant captain and mainstay, is not on the roster. Margot Desvignes makes her senior team debut after some strong showings in Sweden.

Players to watch: Chloe Aurard is /the/ player for this team, being a star over at Northeastern the past few years. Justine Crousy Theode, who plays in the mens division in France, will be interesting to see if she gets any starts. With no clear starting goaltender, the 22 is making her senior team debut after strong performances at the u18 level

Goals: Get their first top division win. After being promoted to Division IA in 2013, they've slowly risen to finally qualify for the primary WWC tournament for the first time since 2019! Despite tournament cancellations from the pandemic, they've kept their momentum as they look to establish themselves as a mainstay in the top division. In 2019, they did not get a win, so they hope to do so this time.

Germany

Roster: https://www.deb-online.de/2023/03/24/frauen-nationalmannschaft-finaler-kader-fuer-weltmeisterschaft-in-brampton-kanada-nominiert/ ( once again no graphic :( )

Notable changes: Going even younger in goal, swapping out lilly Uhrmann for Chiara Schultes, no Tanja Eisenschmid though her sister Nicola is there. We do have university of Maine twins Lilli and Louisa Welke still though!

Player to watch: Nina Jobst-Smith (listed as Katerina) had a breakout year in university of minnesota duluth, with 25 points in 39 games. Sandra Abstreiter is a goaltender who has proven she can steal a game.

Expectations: Similar to hungary below, finish top three in their division, hopefully with two decisive victories, to move on to the semifinals.

Hungary

Roster: https://www.jegkorongszovetseg.hu/noi-valogatott-megvan-a-vb-re-utazo-25-fos-keret

Notable Changes: Very much a run it back roster with little changes. Like its basically identical to their one from last year

Players to watch: Mira Seregély was already a steady contributor for Hungary, but after a breakout year in University of Maine, we may see her take another step. Same with Taylor Baker, a shutdown defender who had a solid season in montreal this year.

Goals: Finishing top three in Divison B to clinch a semifinal berth. They've done so their past two outings, but last time was on a tiebreaker. The past two tournaments they've only had one win in each preliminary round, so trying to secure two would be big. Keeping the group together to try t build on exisiting chemistry will be key.

Japan:

Roster: https://www.jihf.or.jp/common/img/info/info_20230324_153025.pdf

Notable changes: Similar to Hungary, they are running it back. Most of their changes come from adding some younger players to their forward group, including twin sisters Rio and Riri Noro making their national team debut after strong performances at the u18 level

players to watch: Haruka Toko is forever my answer here as I think she's one of my favorite players to watch in terms of her speed and shot, and she's coming off a season that saw her return to the SDHL and have 27 points in 29 games. Ayaka Hitosato also is coming off a successful first season in the SDHL, and it will be interesting to see how that affects her game.

Goals: make the semifinals! last year was a heartbreaking 2-1 shootout lost in the finals they hope to avenge, and have proven they are capable of it

Sweden:

Notable changes: Most notably, long time captain Michelle Löwenhielm is not on the roster. Sara Grahn returns after missing some time on the national team, will be interesting to see how they divide time between her and Söderberg. Ebba Berglund, Jessica Adolfsson, and several other no longer on the teams defense after being in the last few tournaments, so going for a new look there.

Player to watch: Maja Nylén Persson has become the #1 defender for the national team at 22 years old and is coming off a stellar SDHL season. Sara Hjalmarsson was over a point per game at providence college this year.

Goals: Win division B and try to make it to the semifinals. After a few rough years due to labor rights issues, the national team is trying to find some stability again and figure out their identity as they develop a young core.

Switzerland

Roster:

Notable changes: Not many, mostly concentrated in the forward group. Evelina Raselli has retired since last wwc, which is the big one.Sarah Forster makes her return after a strong season in the PHF.

Players to watch: For years, it has been the Lara Stalder and Alina Müller show, rightfully so as they are two of the best hockey players in the world and it is a gift to watch them together. We have also seen young defender Lara Christen have strong defensive performances in the past few tournaments, getting it done on both ends

Goals: Medal for Bronze again, hopefully by improved depth scoring and defense. In the past it has been their top line and Brändli who has carried them, so they hope to supplement their high end talent with a good supporting cast.

USA

Notable changes: A lot of babies! Players having babies, including Alex Cavallini and Kendall Coyne Schoffield. Then a lot of players who are very young, with 6 players being under 20, including new faces Abbey Levy, Gabbie Hughes, and Tessa Janecke to name a few. Brianna Decker has retired. No Hannah Brandt, grace zumwinkle, jincy dunne, maddie Rooney, or Jesse compher. HUGE shakeups here.

player to watch: Taylor Heise won player of the tournament last year, and has continued to dominate at the NCAA level, she may only be just beginning. Gabbie Hughes makes her senior team debut after several great years at Minnesota Duluth, and will be interesting to see how she fits into the roster.

Goals: Win gold again, especially with a new look with John Wroblewski at coach. He was the coach last tournament, but only had a few months to work with there. They looked improved under him already, so we will see how they look with a full cycle

[ear-worthy]

Pod-Alization: Violence On Ice & Disgrace And Courage on The Soccer Pitch

New podcast about the most violent hockey team in history

I hope these hockey players had a good dental plan, because iHeartPodcasts and Novel have announced The Fighty Pucks, a new podcast, about The Danbury Trashers – The Most Violent Hockey Team in History. 

Geez, imagine that. Violence in hockey. It's ancient Rome's gladiator games, only on ice and with sticks and skates instead of swords and chariots. And don't forget the mullets. Hosted by Claire Crofton, an award-winning audio producer who has worked internationally for the BBC, Radio New Zealand, and ABC Radio National, The Fighty Pucks is the story of one of the most violent minor league hockey teams in history – The Danbury Trashers. The team of bad boys, misfits and bruisers, led by 17-year-old AJ Galante, became widely known for its brawls at Danbury Ice Arena in Danbury, Connecticut. AJ and his father, a powerful businessman with mob ties, ran the team as they went rampaging on a violent path to glory. But all the while, the team was being secretly watched by their toughest opponent of all - the FBI. In episode one, “Game One: The Galantes of Danbury,” Claire Crofton will introduce listeners to the Galante family, and the city of Danbury, Connecticut, where the story unfolds. Listen to episode one HERE. 

Religion of Sports and PRX Announce New Podcast Counterattack with Briana Scurry Counterattack with Briana Scurry is the latest venture to come out of the Religion of Sports and PRX partnership. This new show is a turgid brew of sports, sexual harassment, misogyny, and courage by players worn down by a toxic organization. The six-part weekly podcast debuted on May 11, and can be found HERE. The host of the podcast is Briana Scurry, legendary goalkeeper for the ‘99 US Women’s National Team. While the women of U.S. soccer have dominated on the world stage, their fight for equal pay and decent working conditions on the domestic front has been relentless. Some of the inadequacies of the pro leagues can be chalked up to economics, while others have been the result of a toxic mix of gender inequality and extreme power imbalances. Players have suffered sexual harassment, verbal abuse, and manipulation at the hands of coaches. And complaints against those in power have been kept in the shadows—or ignored—until now. Counterattack discusses professional player’s Sinead Farrelly’s experiences with the dark side of the league that ultimately led to an early retirement after a stellar career. But in 2021, she and her former teammate, Mana Shim, took their power back—by telling their story. Their courageous decision to go public inspired other players to come forward and led to a reckoning within the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Following their revelations, half of the league’s head coaches either resigned in disgrace or were fired. In March 2023, after seven years away, Farrelly returned to the league that she now helped transform and signed with New York’s Gotham FC. This April, she was also called up to and became a starter for the Irish Women’s National Team. Listeners will hear directly from Farrelly––who was inspired to pursue the game following the historic ‘99 US Women’s National Team World Cup victory–– as well as other women whose experience and choices have changed women’s sports forever. This will be the first time audiences have the opportunity to hear Farrelly’s personal, intimate account in her own words. Briana Scurry is widely recognized as one of the world’s most talented and influential goalkeepers. Her 173 international appearances as one of the first African American and openly gay professional athletes championed equality and diversified the sport. Scurry pioneered the first paid professional women’s soccer league as a founding player in 2001. In 2017, she was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Named starting goalkeeper for the United States Women’s National Team in 1994, she led the team on an illustrious run that included two Olympic gold medals and the 1999 FIFA World Cup. Religion of Sports – an Emmy Award-winning production company – was co-founded by Gotham Chopra, Tom Brady, and Michael Strahan. Religion of Sports produces content focused on a single narrative of Why Sports Matter to explore greatness and human potential. One of the world’s leading podcast publishers, PRX is home to Radiotopia, known as one of the most creative and successful podcast networks. In addition, PRX distributes trusted public radio programming to hundreds of stations nationwide, including The World, The Moth Radio Hour, This American Life, Snap Judgment, Reveal, and Latino USA.

[mwplanet]

Turmoil Within Hockey Canada

Major changes occurred at Hockey Canada after the organization’s handling of sexual assault accusations was revealed

By Shauri Taylor

Hockey Canada sexual assault allegations released

Photo via CBC

On October 11, 2022, it was announced that Hockey Canada’s board of directors would be stepping down alongside its CEO, Scott Smith. These resignations occurred in the wake of the organization facing heavy scrutiny over its handling of sexual assault allegations, and happened just days after interim chairwoman Andrea Skinner stepped down.

“The Hockey Canada Board of Directors has announced important changes to Hockey Canada’s leadership team,” the statement announcing the departures read. “Effective immediately, it announced the departure of chief executive officer Scott Smith. The entire Board has also agreed to step down to make room for a new slate of directors.”

This event occurred after a story by TSN revealed a settlement Hockey Canada, which fields the country’s national teams and serves as the governing body for amateur hockey, had made regarding a sexual assault lawsuit. In June, the federal government suspended  the organization’s funding. Several sponsors, such as Canadian Tire, Bauer, Nike, Scotiabank, and Tim Hortons, have pulled, paused, or reduced their sponsorships. Hockey Canada was also criticized by politicians such as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said that “there needs to be wholesale change” regarding the organization, and Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge, who noted that it is time to “clean the house.”

In May 2022, it was revealed that Hockey Canada settled a lawsuit with a woman who alleged that  she was sexually assaulted by eight players, including members of the U20 men’s junior team, in June 2018. The woman claimed she was repeatedly assaulted while intoxicated following a Hockey Canada Foundation gala and golf event in a London, Ontario, hotel room. It was alleged that the woman returned to the hotel room with one player, and the two engaged in sexual acts before he invited seven other players into the room “without the knowledge or consent of the Plaintiff.” It was then stated  that the defendants engaged in more sexual acts with her, despite the victim being too intoxicated to give consent. These allegations have not been proven in court.

Earlier in 2022, it was revealed that Hockey Canadahad paid almost $9 million in 21 settlements for sexual assault-related complaints against its players since 1989. Additionally, these settlements were paid for using player registration fees collected from parents, recreational league players, and youth across the country involved in hockey. Hockey Canada had used a reserve called the National Equity Fund to settle the $3.55 million lawsuit filed by the woman who claimed  she was sexually assaulted by  hockey players in 2018. At federal hearings in July, it was acknowledged that this fund had been used to pay settlements on nine sexual assault claims totalling $7.6 million since 1989. However, this does not include the claim settled this year.

In August, former Supreme Court justice Thomas Cromwell was tasked with completing a full governance review of Hockey Canada after the allegations set out in the sexual assault lawsuit were revealed. Hockey Canada has said it intends to follow the recommendations in this interim report. After Hockey Canada’s leadership stepped down, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the decision was “an important step forward.” However, he also noted that there is “an awful lot of work” that needs to be done  in order to obtain change. 

Polling done by Ipsos, a public opinion research company, exclusively for Global News has shown that 60% of Canadians believe that “the recent revelations reflect a broader problem of sexual harassment, assault, and violence within hockey culture in Canada.” It also showed that women are more likely to see such allegations and issues of sexual assault as pervasive, meaning they apply to other sports too. Lastly, the poll showed that most Canadians believe the blame falls on those holding positions of power such as managers, directors, and coaches. “Whether it’s corporate sponsors or government sponsorship, people don’t feel that Hockey Canada and the amateur hockey industry in this country can continue in the direction that it’s headed without change,” said Darrell Bricker, the CEO of Ipsos public affairs.

While changes are being made to shift the leadership at one of the most influential organizations related to Canada’s national sport, calls for change and transparency must be answered with appropriate action for the sake of regaining the trust of Canadians who enjoy the game.

[wjcicehockey]

IIHF bans Russia and Belarus tournaments 'until further notice'; Russia dropped as 2023 world junior hosts

The International Ice Hockey Federation banned Russia and Belarus from tournaments "until further notice" on Monday in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia will also no longer host the 2023 World Junior Championship, set to begin in December. A new host will be determined in the coming months.

The suspension applies to Russian and Belarusian national teams and clubs in every age category at IIHF competitions, the federation said. The IIHF noted six competitions between March and September in which the moratorium will apply:

Read More >> U20 Ice Hockey stream free

2022 Men's World Championship (May): ROC and Belarus would not participate

2022 Women's World Championship (August-September): ROC would not participate

2022 World Junior Championship (dates TBA): Russia's U20 team would not participate

2022 Men's U18 World Championship (April-May): Russia and Belarus' U18 teams would not participate

2022 Women's U18 World Championship (dates TBA): Russia's U18 team would not participate

2022 Continental Cup (March): Belarus club team HK Gomel would not participate

The IIHF did not announce a cutoff date for the countries to be reinstated. Russia is slated to host the 2023 Men's World Championship, which begins May 5, 2023, in St. Petersburg. The IIHF did not announce a change to that tournament on Monday. SKA St. Petersburg is building a 21,500-capacity arena with a planned opening in time for the tournament.

“The IIHF is not a political entity and cannot influence the decisions being taken over the war in Ukraine,” IIHF president Luc Tardif said in a statement. “We nevertheless have a duty of care to all of our members and participants and must therefore do all we can to ensure that we are able to operate our events in a safe environment for all teams taking part in the IIHF World Championship program.”

“We were incredibly shocked to see the images that have come out of Ukraine. I have been in close contact with members of the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine and we hope for all Ukrainians that this conflict can be resolved in a peaceful way and without the need for further violence.”

The invasion has led to reactions from members of the hockey community, including Wayne Gretzky, who called for Russia to be removed from this summer's rescheduled World Junior Championship tournament in Alberta while on-air with TNT.

"I think international hockey should say we’re not going to let them play in the world junior hockey tournament," Gretzky said. "I think we got to, as Canadians, take that stance since the games are going to be played in Edmonton."

USA Hockey released a statement in support of the IIHF's decision. "The actions of Vladimir Putin and the support from Belarusian government officials, are beyond reprehensible," the federation said.

Hockey Canada released a statement supporting the IIHF's decision. It also is prohibiting Russia's participation in events held in Canada that do not fall under the IIHF's jurisdiction, including the Hlinka Gretzky Cup scheduled for Alberta this upcoming summer. “While this is a humanitarian crisis that goes beyond sports, we also stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian hockey family and all those impacted around the world,” the federation said.

Other sporting federations have already imposed sanctions on Russian teams. FIFA suspended Russia from competing in international games until further notice. UEFA also moved the Champions League final from St. Petersburg to Paris and suspended Russian club Spartak Moscow from European competition. The governing bodies of skiing and Formula One pulled upcoming races from Russia.

The International Olympic Committee requested sports federations not invite Russian or Belarusian athletes and officials to participate in international competition, and to cancel or move all events planned to take place in Russia or Belarus.

Read More>> Pre-tournament schedule announced for 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship

[whatisthiswritingthing]

Can They do That? - Christen Press x Hockey!Reader

Prompt: For christen press where the reader plays a different sport(hockey if you can) and Chris and some of the team goes to on of her games and does not understand it at all and somehow the reader gets hurt during the game as well (Like for example different play skate hits the reader ankle when they get pushed up against the glass)

Note: I changed the injury a little bit, hope thats cool. Keep sending requests! 

“What time is puck off?” Sonnett asked the group

“You know it’s puck drop Sonny,” Horan rolled her eyes at the blonde.

“Puck off sounds cooler,” the defender replies with a shrug.

It was a day off for the soccer players during a camp, their day off very conveniently lined up with the same day the national hockey team was playing. Christen had made plans to go watch her girlfriend play, this of course turned into a group outing and now most of the soccer team was in a box above the ice waiting for the game to start.

Christen admittedly didn’t understand hockey as much as she should, especially after dating one for several years. The hockey player had tried several times to explain the game without much luck. Now sitting in a room full of soccer players who also didn’t understand the game made her feel much better.

Even though they didn’t know the intricacies of the sport, they all still enjoyed watching the game. All incredibly impressed at the skill and finesse needed for the brute sport.

“I thought women’s hockey was non-contact?” Ali asked next to Christen, both wincing as they watched Y/N and an opposing player push each other into the boards.

“It is,” Christen trailed off, watching Y/N get pinned against the boards by a substantially larger player.

“Do you think they have practices just on how to get over the boards?” Rose pondered. “And why don’t they just use the door? That seems much more efficient.”

Roses question went unanswered as Y/N was once again pushed along the boards, this time by two larger players. All the soccer players wincing as the sound rattled through the arena.

Y/N was small and fast, she could stick handle like Tobin could juggle. This unfortunately led to Y/N being the target of many defenders. She could easily handle herself, while substantially smaller than most defenders, she knew how to handle the contact, giving as good as she got majority of the time.

Watching Y/N play always worried Christen, she had no fear going against the larger players. Stating she “didn’t check them, she guided them to the boards”. Christen of course didn’t know what she meant but assumed it more aggressive than she made it sound. Still always cringing when she saw her girlfriend get hit particularly hard

With the way the game was going, there was lots of cringing happening. It seemed Y/N was getting hit more and more, her teammates doing their best to draw the other teams attention, but they had their focus set on Y/N. Y/N continued to take the contact, the other team struggling to contain the small center.

“Do you think Y/N will teach me to hit like that?” Kelley asked Christen.

“Pretty sure that,” Alex said, motioning to the ice, “is not allowed in our league. I’m not even sure it’s allowed in this league.”

The arena erupted in yells and hollers, high fives given all around as the US scored late in the first period. Y/N with a cheeky move, having spun and backhanded the puck just on the other side of the goalies outstretched leg.

The team on the ice celebrated, high fives down the bench, and then the game was resetting.

As play progressed, more and more hockey players were sent to the penalty box, leaving the soccer players confused at the calls.

“It’s called a sin bin?” Sonnett yelled, excited after her and Lindsey looked up one of the penalties. “We need a sin bin in soccer!”

“You of all people should not want a sin bin Sonnett,” Sam challenged, “you and Kelley would never leave it.”

“HEY! I heard that!” Kelley attempted to defend herself, “besides, it looks kind of nice. Good spot for a little break, maybe a snack or two.”

“You would want there to be snacks in a penalty box,” Alex rolled her eyes.

“Like you wouldn’t want a snack break here and there during soccer,” Sonnett challenged back.

Christen tuned out the group, focusing on the game and how often Y/N seemed to be getting hit. The Russian team realizing early on in the game the only way to keep up, was to keep Y/N down.  

By the start of the third period, the Russians figured out keeping Y/N down wasn’t working either, she had scored another goal in the second and assisted two others. Y/N was aware of the increased interest and did her best to avoid the contact instead of fighting through it, the defense finding her anyway. Cheap shots being thrown while Y/N was pinned in the corner. One in particular dislodging the cage to her helmet, knocking the helmet off entirely. The Russian player throwing a hard elbow to Y/N face, immediately splitting open the skin, which quickly began to bleed profusely.

The refs quickly intervened, separating the rest of the players attempting to join in. The US players quickly pulling their injured player away from the scrum and towards the bench, blood now covering most of the right side of her face, dripping on the ice and jersey as they went.

Christen was on feet at the edge of the box trying to get a better look at her girlfriend. She knew she had to be alright since the hockey player skated off on her own, but there was just so much blood.

“They can’t do that, right?” Sam questioned softly.

“No Sammy, they definitely can’t,” Mal rubbed her back. The soccer players watching as the entire Russian line was sent to the penalty box along a few US players.

Y/N was immediately taken to the training room, there was no way she was going back. They were winning and the team wasn’t risking any more harm to the forward.

The trainers helped her removed her equipment, they cleaned the large cut and determined she would need stitches. The team doctor quickly setting up to do the stitches, putting in a local atheistic to freeze the wound.

While waiting Y/N finished changing and grabbed her phone, texting her worried girlfriend to ensure she was fine.

           Y/N:                 Soooo I did a thing…

Christen rolled her eyes in the booth when she saw the text her girlfriend sent her, of course she would downplay this. The rest of the soccer players all asking how Y/N was, they liked her and were concerned about her as well. They knew how serious it would be to be taken directly to a training room.

           Christen:          Yeah, I saw your thing babe. Are you ok? How bad is it?

           Y/N:                 I’m good, they are just about to stitch it once the freezing sets in.

                                   I’ll see you back at the hotel after babe, I promise I’m alright.

Christen wanted to press more, she wanted to see with her own eyes that Y/N was alright Y/N always downplayed her injuries though, never wanting Christen to worry more than she already did.

           Christen:          Sounds good love. Let me know when you’re on your way back and I’ll meet you in the lobby.

           Y/N:                 Yes dear.

Christen could sense the sarcasm through the text but knew the hockey player was joking and trying to ease her girlfriends worry.

Fortunately, the two teams were staying in the same hotel and were only separated by a few floors. They didn’t see much of each other, but it was definitely beneficial in a situation like this.

Christen was nervously pacing the lobby, Y/N said she was on her way back and would be there soon. As soon as Y/N walked through the doors Christen was immediately in her arms.

“I’m alright Chris, it’s ok,” Y/N whispered soothingly into Christens ear, rubbing her hand up and down her back.

Christen pulled back, running her thumb along Y/N cheek, resisting the urge to touch the angry looking stiches above her eyebrow. Y/N grasped Christens hand, pulling it to her lips and her knuckles and gentle kiss.

“I’m ok Chris,” Y/N repeated, pulling the woman into a gentle kiss.

“Alright Romeo,” Hilary called as her and more of the hockey players arrived, “I’m ditching the room tonight for you, so you can take your girl up there and quit making out in the lobby.”

The hockey players all laughed while Y/N blushed as they all made their way to their rooms.

“You got a feisty one here Press,” Knight commented, clapping Y/N on her back. “Good thing she had a hard head! Take care of our giri, I really am ditching the room, I’m going to crash with Duggans.”

With a wink, the hockey player was gone.

“Come on lets gets you showered and in bed,” Christen guided Y/N towards the elevator, keeping her hand in Y/N’s the whole time. Snuggling into her chest while the road the elevator.

Once in the room Christen started puttering around to get everything ready for the two of them to shower.

“You really don’t need to shower with me Chris, it’s just stiches,” Y/N protested.

“Are you turning down a chance to be naked in a shower with me? You must have been hit harder than we thought, I should go get your trainers,” Christen joked, moving to step away from the hockey player.

Y/N quick wrapped an arm around Christens waist, while the other went to the back of her neck, pulling her in.

“I am definitely not saying no to you in the shower with me,” Y/N closed the distance, kissing Christen.

The two kissed in the bathroom while the shower heated up, slowly helping each other undress.

Christen gasped when she saw the dried blood still along Y/N chest and shoulder.

“I’m alright babe, I knew I was showering right away so I didn’t work too hard to clean up. I’m sorry, I didn’t think about what you would see.”

The two got under the hot water, Christen taking her time to lather body wash along Y/N’s body, feeling the hockey player loosen under the gentle ministrations. She let out a soft moan when Christen began massaging shampoo in her hair, being cautious not to pull too much to avoid stretching the stitches.

By the time Christen finished, Y/N was exhausted, the effort from the game, the steam of the shower, and the gentle hands of her girlfriend draining her last bit of energy.

Christen quickly washed herself, and helped her girlfriend out of the shower, wrapping her up in a towel first before herself.  She dried her off quickly, letting her get dressed while she did the same.

The two women made their way to the bed, Y/N on her back while Christen moved to lay on her chest.

“Thank you for taking care of me love,” Y/N whispered softly, placing a delicate kiss on Christens head.

“Of course Y/N, you don’t need to thank me, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Christen stretched up, the two sharing a gentle kiss before she settled back down so the two could do to sleep.

Y/N asleep in seconds, the fatigue finally catching up her.