Re: CWHL expands to Alberta
When centralization occurs you'll have the same situation you had in 09-10 in the CWHL and WWHL. Lack of talent because none of the best players are playing in the league, they're playing for the national team. As for them having a stacked team, even the Oval X-Treme had a far better team than the local talent should have warranted because national team players moved here. Going beyond the list of flatlanders who were going to move here anyway (Bechard, Sostorics, Antal, Collins, Wickenheiser), you have Campbell, Goyette, Piper, Kingsbury, Bonhomme, Ferrari and several others with short stints because it's where they were going to end up eventually. With the way Winsport is growing it's operations (The $150M Athletic and Ice Complex) it will probably become even more tempting for any potential Olympian to make the move.
What are the steps to become legitimate? Or I suppose a better question would be, what is your idea of legitimacy? I think that far more popular women's sports will show that without affiliations with people who have deep pockets and influence (see: men's leagues and teams) you're going to have nothing more than a legimately amateur league, both in the financial and operational sense.
Who's going to change the administrative mess if the players stay out of it? It's their league, they should be taking up a more active role if they want things to change.
I'm not sure who this puppet master is but I'm sure they're just raking in the cash and prestige of operating the CWHL in the manner they are.
As you are in the "west" you probably have not been around long enough to understand the issues surrounding this league and if you don't know who the "puppet master" is, well, then you are even more out of the loop than first imagined.
Okay, I will answer some of your questions pertaining to what I think.
Let's tackle the legitimacy question first...
1.) If you are going to have a draft, have a proper draft!! Don't have one for what the league envisions as "historic". There was nothing historic about this draft and it was totally publicity geared. It was a submitted list of players...no recruiting was done by the league whatsoever. Yes, they have a "Director of Scouting" now who hasn't been to a college game in 3+ years!! You want to talk legitimacy??
2.) Don't confirm something to the players that has not been confirmed! Players were told that there would be salaries and even that GM's and Coaches were told that they were going to get paid. They were told that the "money is coming" and yes, that is a direct quote! Guess what, nothing came and as I told one Coach, I hope he got it in writing!
The problem with the CWHL was that a few players took a position of control and undermined the process of "legitimacy"!! There were meetings whereby the financial status of the league was explained and it was dire, and someone player, no names mentioned, decides to ask for 15k for a dressing room. The problem back then was that some egos were hurt because they were told what should be done, and they did not like it!!
And you are right, without the deep pockets that is what you will have. The problem with that is you have SJS and BA chiming out about the "professional" league that the CWHL is..and sadly, it is not!! Being the "puppet master" has nothing to do with monetary gain but rather control!
The time that they could have capitalized on the 2010 Olympics is long gone!! They also were misguided in the fact that they figured 15,000 fans at the Olympics would transcend into record crowds at their games. We get more people watching my kids HL games!! What they should do...and this is an easy business decision..is stop wasting money on those beautiful season's passes...and allow everyone in for free!!!! Sponsors do not care about the 20 people in the stands who paid $5!! They care about how many people are there PERIOD. And if that means having free admission to get people in, then that is what you should do.
No matter what the CWHL leadership says...NO, I repeat NO NHL affiliation is on the way! There are NHL teams in trouble financially and there are no fewer than 4 teams with "For Sale" signs on them. They have their own financial issues to deal with nevermind throw a $1 million at the CWHL. As Brian Burke stated, they would rather throw money at 1000 female players at the amateur level than to financially support one hundred women with a paycheck!!! So, we will continue to hear the CWHL preach about "dialogue" with the NHL...and it is just that..nothing more!
Unfortunately, this league is light years behind where they should be. This is because you have people making the decisions who have no idea on what it takes to run a successful operation. Medals do not equate to good business savvy...and that has become VERY apparent!
One last thing...why do we even have "centralization"?? The National Women's team is the only HC entity that does this. It cannot be because the Women's side is overly competitive because it is not. It's the same thing over and over..Canada vs. US. Take the money that would be saved from axing centralization and put it back into the women's game at the grassroots level.
Just my 2 cents..X a 1000..LOL
But I really can't figure out what it all has do do with Spassky or Fischer.
