PWHL Rosters & Season

[StPaulSam]

The Minnesota story is a sad one. The Minnesota connection has always appeared to be part of the story of your teams. To lose Darwitz and then have a draft with no Minnesota players is to disconnect from the brand you just spent the year building, in a way.

I think alienation is the way I'd describe how the people I've talked to are feeling about PWHL Minnesota today. Every choice Darwitz made was about making the team as Minnesotan as possible...Klee and KC-S didn't seem to understand that at all.

To say nothing of the fact that they were the only team that played every home game at an NHL arena (Xcel), got to use an NHL practice facility, etc. etc. No offense to the other teams here but NY played (mostly?) in a different state (Bridgeport, CT). Lowell/Tsongas Center is nice but it's not exactly the Boston Garden and also an hour's drive from Boston or two hours with transit. Friend in Montreal loved going to PWHL Montreal games, but it took her an hour and a bit to get to Laval to see them play (no car) so she didn't go very often.

 

[SHockey98]

After reading Ian Kennedy's article in The Hockey News entitled Power and Influence, I hope everyone joins me in boycotting any organization employing Ken Klee (and his henchwomen).

lol. There’s been lots of good reporting on this saga, including The Athletic and the Star, but you can’t seriously be reading Ian Kennedy as a legitimate journalist who isn’t bought each piece he churns out.

 

[BowWowWow]

To say nothing of the fact that they were the only team that played every home game at an NHL arena (Xcel), got to use an NHL practice facility, etc. etc. No offense to the other teams here but NY played (mostly?) in a different state (Bridgeport, CT). Lowell/Tsongas Center is nice but it's not exactly the Boston Garden and also an hour's drive from Boston or two hours with transit. Friend in Montreal loved going to PWHL Montreal games, but it took her an hour and a bit to get to Laval to see them play (no car) so she didn't go very often.

Yes, basically, NY played 4 games in Bridgeport, CT, 6 at UBS (NY Islanders' rink on Long Island), and 2 at Prudential in NJ (Devils'). They were thinking of playing some more of the games that hadn't had a location at the start of the season in Bridgeport, but they announced in April that Bridgeport was no longer going to be a venue for games in the season. New York practiced in Stamford, CT. Definitely agree with you that it was great that Minnesota had the full NHL-level facilities including their practice rink.

 

[Fathead]

lol. There’s been lots of good reporting on this saga, including The Athletic and the Star, but you can’t seriously be reading Ian Kennedy as a legitimate journalist who isn’t bought each piece he churns out.

Got no dog in all this Minnesota drama but you are absolutely correct on Kennedy. He is an embarrassment to whatever integrity journalism still has. As far as the Darwitz/Klee battle, it's not a new story that there are power struggles in sports (and business). Darwitz lost. It doesn't mean Klee is a bad person. I can get that Minn people love Darwitz but if the PWHL is going to be a big girl league, it's time for people to put their big girl pants on.

I've done some research on the Curl outrage and it looks like certain people are losing their minds over some "likes" that were fairly innocuous and what most of America agreed with anyway, at least from what I can tell. (probably a good idea that Elon just made "likes" private). It's always the same 4 screenshots and none are from anything she directly said. She appears to be well liked by teammates and others, and those would include LGBT players, so why people who claim to be fans are firing up their faux outrage at a nothing burger makes me wonder. Certainly drives the twitter engagement. Maybe it's just the old adage that any publicity is good publicity.

 

[StPaulSam]

it is interesting to me that Jake Bobrowski is still listed as an assistant coach, since he and Darwitz seem to be tied at the hip.

 

[pucko]

Got no dog in all this Minnesota drama but you are absolutely correct on Kennedy. He is an embarrassment to whatever integrity journalism still has. As far as the Darwitz/Klee battle, it's not a new story that there are power struggles in sports (and business). Darwitz lost. It doesn't mean Klee is a bad person. I can get that Minn people love Darwitz but if the PWHL is going to be a big girl league, it's time for people to put their big girl pants on.

I've done some research on the Curl outrage and it looks like certain people are losing their minds over some "likes" that were fairly innocuous and what most of America agreed with anyway, at least from what I can tell. (probably a good idea that Elon just made "likes" private). It's always the same 4 screenshots and none are from anything she directly said. She appears to be well liked by teammates and others, and those would include LGBT players, so why people who claim to be fans are firing up their faux outrage at a nothing burger makes me wonder. Certainly drives the twitter engagement. Maybe it's just the old adage that any publicity is good publicity.

Agreed that there is always a power struggle in sports. Disagree with it just being about Klee and Darwitz. I think Kendall Coyne has more influence than is talked about here. She's a prominent player and wants what she wants. I think Coyne wants Klee because he lets her do what she wants and essentially call the shots. Is she really doing her own workout and not something with the team? If so, that's a terrible example set by a captain. If you don't like the workouts presented, you can still participate with the team and then do extra on your own. Or, if the workouts are that bad, that's a different discussion. Is she really saying who should play with who and how the lines should be rolled? To be determined. Prior behavior of Coyne and some other players before this league was put together should tell you that a leopard doesn't change its spots. So again, I'm sure Darwitz and Klee clashed, but more so that Coyne (and a few other players) wanted someone they could roll over and that person would NOT be Natalie Darwitz. All those players have to say to Hefford is "If she's not out, I am" and Hefford has to comply. It happens all the time in college athletics when players complain to an AD to get a coach removed, so of course it's going to roll over into an actual paid profession. It's just disappointing that it happened this early and to someone like Darwitz who has done so much for the sport of women's hockey - which, by the way, I thought that was what the PWHL was all about.

 

[Cornholio]

It is this sort of petty ego-trips and drama that could really hurt the league. I just read that the WNBA lost about $50M this year and would not be afloat without the NBA. I am assuming the PWHL loses money as well, hopefully not too much, and that the current benefactor is willing to absorb the losses to support women's sports. But the risk of having a single benefactor is how much drama is he willing to up with?

 

[Cornholio]

pucko - I am afraid this league is about keeping the top 30 or so players happy and everyone else is along for the ride, regrettably. You can see it in the salary structures where there is 3 'guaranteed' spots for a player to make a living wage and everyone else is lucky to be there. I hate to be so pessimistic, but this is not a league created to be a sustainable business (which would be, at this stage, semi-pro at best for all) but, to the top players credit, found a benefactor willing to bankroll the league with their demands. So kudos to them but it has nothing to do about doing what is best for women's hockey but how to allow a few to make a living only playing hockey for a few months a year.

 

[StPaulSam]

Agreed that there is always a power struggle in sports. Disagree with it just being about Klee and Darwitz. I think Kendall Coyne has more influence than is talked about here. She's a prominent player and wants what she wants. I think Coyne wants Klee because he lets her do what she wants and essentially call the shots. Is she really doing her own workout and not something with the team? If so, that's a terrible example set by a captain. If you don't like the workouts presented, you can still participate with the team and then do extra on your own. Or, if the workouts are that bad, that's a different discussion. Is she really saying who should play with who and how the lines should be rolled? To be determined. Prior behavior of Coyne and some other players before this league was put together should tell you that a leopard doesn't change its spots. So again, I'm sure Darwitz and Klee clashed, but more so that Coyne (and a few other players) wanted someone they could roll over and that person would NOT be Natalie Darwitz. All those players have to say to Hefford is "If she's not out, I am" and Hefford has to comply. It happens all the time in college athletics when players complain to an AD to get a coach removed, so of course it's going to roll over into an actual paid profession. It's just disappointing that it happened this early and to someone like Darwitz who has done so much for the sport of women's hockey - which, by the way, I thought that was what the PWHL was all about.

Kendall C-S's influence is really under-counted, I think. Between the shenanigans with team workouts, apparently calling line changes instead of Klee, and her closeness with the league owners (the Walters) I'm getting the sense she was the one who wanted Darwitz out and lead the charge with Klee along for the ride. I wonder if Darwitz regrets drafting KC-S to only have her stab her in the back.

 

[pucko]

It sets a terrible example moving forward if players are calling the shots. Good luck to the GM's and coaches of the other professional teams. Just know your star players are really the ones in charge.

 

[shelfit]

I love Charlie, but I thought hiring him at his age was a complete mistake. He's sort of considered to be a very nice part of MN hockey history, but not current with today's game. Darwitz has her "admirers" in the MIAC that are glad she's gone. Her very strong personality makes her tough to deal with, but that nut doesn't fall too far from the tree as she is her father's daughter at the end of the day. Klee is KCS's puppet and everyone knows that. She has a small body but a ginormous ego, but that's what happens when you're dumb enough to start believing your own press. Drama in women's hockey with the players being in charge of the crazy train?! Gee, that's new! There's a reason women's "pro" hockey has been so dysfunctional and divided over the years. Was there this much drama this quickly in the former NWHL? (The PHF was the stupidest name ever, so I don't acknowledge it). It seems the current drama comes from the former PWHPA. Always looks for the common denominator. In this case, the common denominator skated in the 2019 NHL Fastest Skater competition, and her ego ballooned after that. I have no respect for any individual player that puts herself above the game, her teammates, her coaching staff, her GM, etc, etc, etc.

 

[decktoomuch]

I love Charlie, but I thought hiring him at his age was a complete mistake. He's sort of considered to be a very nice part of MN hockey history, but not current with today's game. Darwitz has her "admirers" in the MIAC that are glad she's gone. Her very strong personality makes her tough to deal with, but that nut doesn't fall too far from the tree as she is her father's daughter at the end of the day. Klee is KCS's puppet and everyone knows that. She has a small body but a ginormous ego, but that's what happens when you're dumb enough to start believing your own press. Drama in women's hockey with the players being in charge of the crazy train?! Gee, that's new! There's a reason women's "pro" hockey has been so dysfunctional and divided over the years. Was there this much drama this quickly in the former NWHL? (The PHF was the stupidest name ever, so I don't acknowledge it). It seems the current drama comes from the former PWHPA. Always looks for the common denominator. In this case, the common denominator skated in the 2019 NHL Fastest Skater competition, and her ego ballooned after that. I have no respect for any individual player that puts herself above the game, her teammates, her coaching staff, her GM, etc, etc, etc.

Charlie was hired to be Darwitz's bobo. She was calling all the shots and he wanted nothing to do with it. So he "resigns", truth Darwitz gassed him. Not quite sure about the MIAC quote, but this is so true that nut doesn't fall too far from the tree as she is her father's daughter at the end of the day. Not sure we will know exactly what happened, but when the name Darwitz name is involved in any situation, typically there is controversy. Is it time to move forward?

 

[Sierra]

Charlie was hired to be Darwitz's bobo. She was calling all the shots and he wanted nothing to do with it. So he "resigns", truth Darwitz gassed him. Not quite sure about the MIAC quote, but this is so true that nut doesn't fall too far from the tree as she is her father's daughter at the end of the day. Not sure we will know exactly what happened, but when the name Darwitz name is involved in any situation, typically there is controversy. Is it time to move forward?

"Truth Darwitz gassed him". Could the man not keep up? I don't understand why being a strong women and taking the lead is seen so negatively. I personally look at what one accomplished. Ms. Darwitz has accomplished more than any of those clowns. At the end of the day it was Darwitz that put together the team that WON the first ever PWHL. Accomplished.

 

[shelfit]

"Truth Darwitz gassed him". Could the man not keep up? I don't understand why being a strong women and taking the lead is seen so negatively. I personally look at what one accomplished. Ms. Darwitz has accomplished more than any of those clowns. At the end of the day it was Darwitz that put together the team that WON the first ever PWHL. Accomplished.

Being a strong woman and taking the lead is not seen so negatively. Some of us are very proud of being strong and decisive leaders. At the end of the day, it was a strong pipsqueek of a woman that manipulated a man (obviously not a very hard thing for any of us to do...men are such simple-minded creatures after all) to help her get rid of Darwitz because some women in power can't handle the threat of another strong woman being in the same environment possibly stepping on her toes. Two women in a power-struggle invariably end up in a cat fight of some sort. In this case, it seems the cat fight was waged very quietly behind the scenes and using Klee as her pawn.

 

[PuckLover]

This discussion is focused on gender and describing Darwitz and KCS behavior in gendered terms, but I don't think that was central to this. Was gender a key factor when Suter poisoned the Wild locker room by manipulating the owner? Was gender a key factor when Paul Fenton created a toxic work environment as a GM? I think the apparent parallels between those situations and what happened here are pretty striking. But just like the Wild, this is drama. Not girl drama.

As to the drama, I'm sad for Darwitz. From what I know about her, she is a very good coach, but one with sharp elbows. Not sure GM was the right job. And maybe even women's hockey isn't the right job. Imagine an alternate universe where she accepted that her employer (the PWHL) didn't want her services anymore, accepted their offer to exit gracefully (accomplished what I set out to, on to a new challenge), and went after an NHL assistant coaching job. That seems very probable, and would have been amazing for her and the game. I pine for that alternate storyline.

 

[Sierra]

"Not sure GM was the right job". ??? Darwitz put together a team that WON the PWHl... not the coach and not the corporate office. Darwitz did her job.

 

[decktoomuch]

"Truth Darwitz gassed him". Could the man not keep up? I don't understand why being a strong women and taking the lead is seen so negatively. I personally look at what one accomplished. Ms. Darwitz has accomplished more than any of those clowns. At the end of the day it was Darwitz that put together the team that WON the first ever PWHL. Accomplished.

Keep up? Why else would you hire him but so you could control him? 6 Professional teams and he was the best person to be the head coach? Not a jab at Charlie, good guy, but probs told he would have complete say when hired and things changed. GM gets too much credit for success and too much blame for limited success. Did it occur anyone that the league checked and rechecked with lawyers if the firing was justified?

 

[Timothy A]

It's very embarrassing and bush league for this to have happened. Sad.

 

[KTDC]

"Not sure GM was the right job". ??? Darwitz put together a team that WON the PWHl... not the coach and not the corporate office. Darwitz did her job.

She got fired after one year. What a success!!

 

[Sierra]

She got fired after one year. What a success!!

KTDC who put that team together?