The National Women’s Hockey League is cancelling plans to add a pair of Canadian teams for the 2019-20 season for now and making it clear it is open to doing what’s best for women’s hockey.
Even if that means a new league.
The NWHL made clear in a post on its website Thursday that the league would be happy to talk about partnering or “passing the torch” to people or groups wanting to start or invest in a new league paying women both a full-time salary and medical insurance.
More than 200 of the world’s top female players announced May 2 that they will not play professional hockey in North America at all this year in a bold attempt to establish a single, economically viable professional league. They also formed a new Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association earlier this month.
The NWHL says the next season will start in October with five returning teams in the Boston Pride, Connecticut Whale, Buffalo Beauts, Metropolitan Riveters and Minnesota Whitecaps. The league says whether more teams are added for this season will remain an option for a few more weeks.