What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

S

SeymoreHockey

New member
Anyone heard anything further about this?

Apparently at a meeting held last week, the NHL approved an "affiliaton" with the CWHL that would provide $$$ to each team. I heard the number $5,000 per team...but would think they were meaning $5,000 per player, but that needs to be confirmed.

There would also be a draft of sorts for players next season.

Anybody else heard any details?
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

Haven't heard too many specifics other than meetings were taking place.

Rumors coming out center around the NHL recommended that the player run style of the CWHL needs to go to the wayside for the betterment of the league. That individual sponsorship of players was being favored over the pay to play that is currently the norm.

And the big kicker here is it seems the NHL leadership wants to see more American based markets get into the league before they commit to anything.

Not sure how much salt to take in any of this as of now. I guess I will wait to see something official before forming a strong opinion on all this.
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

WHKY blogger said:
Haven't heard too many specifics other than meetings were taking place.

Rumors coming out center around the NHL recommended that the player run style of the CWHL needs to go to the wayside for the betterment of the league.
Click to expand...

Hallelujah! This is a no-brainer for anyone doing due diligence. This league has unfortunately gone progressively downhill with the current player-run regime, and this needs to change quickly for the league to have any chance at all of longer term success. Clearly, playing skills do not remotely translate into the ability to manage a league or understand what is needed to make it successful. In its current form, the league merely became a platform for personal self-promotion and self-interest to the detriment of the league as a whole or its development--the product sadly has deteriorated greatly in recent years as a result. The CWHL has few fans left, and these teams would have trouble competing against the top PWHL teams. It should not be this way. Heck, there were far more fans at the PWHL final this year, than you would ever hope to see for the CWHL--in the very same venue!

WHKY blogger said:
That individual sponsorship of players was being favored over the pay to play that is currently the norm.
Click to expand...

Again, I think that is the only way that any funds can be realistically generated. Women's hockey does not have the fan support to be a money-generator anytime in the foreseeable future. Salaries for these players is just a pipe dream. At least make it possible to potentially eliminate the cost of playing.

WHKY blogger said:
And the big kicker here is it seems the NHL leadership wants to see more American based markets get into the league before they commit to anything.
Click to expand...

Again, this makes perfect sense. There has to be something in it for the NHL, and their mandate is to increase the fan base and promotion of the game as a whole in the US. Also, this makes absolute sense for the CWHL. Their future player base needs to come from the NCAA, 55% of which are American...and some of the remainder will also be wishing to remain in the US for their job prospects. Teams in the Boston and New York areas would be good starting points.
 
Last edited:
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

Sorry...guess I wasn't clear on this one...I was looking for concrete up to date, factual INFORMATION...not personal opinions and editorial theory.

Anybody got any??
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

SeymoreHockey said:
...I was looking for concrete up to date, factual INFORMATION...not personal opinions and editorial theory.
Click to expand...

Don't have any info...but this site seems to be all about "personal opinions and editorial theory" and much less about "concrete up to date, factual INFORMATION". :D

Agree with Trillium. The current setup needs to change radically and the right folks need to be put in charge to make the Senior Elite product more stable and viable.
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

Seems to me one way to raise the profile of this league would be to get the CBC involved. Support from HNIC would go a long piece in helping get the thing off the ground.

If it wasn't for hockey the CBC would be bleeding even more profusely than they are now and they owe it to the women that play this game to throw thier collective support behind it.

TSN does thier fair share of promoting the game on Cable TV by televising the Clarkson Cup annualy however until our National Broadcaster supports women's hockey... the games exposure will be minimal.

One segment by Maclean and Cherry on Coaches Corner during the playoff's may be enough to get this ball rolling.

Feel free to send your comments to:

ombudsman@cbc.ca

Attn: Mr. Vince Carlin, Ombudsman CBC
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

SeymoreHockey said:
Sorry...guess I wasn't clear on this one...I was looking for concrete up to date, factual INFORMATION...not personal opinions and editorial theory.

Anybody got any??
Click to expand...
Trillium, you okay there, buddy???

Ouch, that must have left a mark! ;)
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

5 4 Fighting said:
Seems to me one way to raise the profile of this league would be to get the CBC involved. Support from HNIC would go a long piece in helping get the thing off the ground.

If it wasn't for hockey the CBC would be bleeding even more profusely than they are now and they owe it to the women that play this game to throw thier collective support behind it.

TSN does thier fair share of promoting the game on Cable TV by televising the Clarkson Cup annualy however until our National Broadcaster supports women's hockey... the games exposure will be minimal.

One segment by Maclean and Cherry on Coaches Corner during the playoff's may be enough to get this ball rolling.

Feel free to send your comments to:

ombudsman@cbc.ca

Attn: Mr. Vince Carlin, Ombudsman CBC
Click to expand...

Actually, I have to disagree. The last thing this league needs right now is TV exposure to the casual hockey fan before they get their house in order. The product is too poor right now and there is no core following fan base to build on yet.

I was shocked that the Clarkson Cup was televised, when many far better hockey games (eg. World U18s for starters) are not. It makes no sense. I tried(!) ...really hard... to watch the Clarkson Cup on TV and I couldn't stick it out. And I am far more avid a women's hockey fan than most. It is bad hockey. If people think this is the best it gets in the women's game (and it is nowhere close), you will be closing more people's minds to its potential.
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

IceIsNice said:
Trillium, you okay there, buddy???

Ouch, that must have left a mark! ;)
Click to expand...

LOL. Naw....I have a pretty thick skin. Since I've actually known who Seymore was for years, it doesn't phase me a bit...considering the source. ;)

But thanks for asking. Your concern is touching. :)
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

Trillium said:
Actually, I have to disagree. The last thing this league needs right now is TV exposure to the casual hockey fan before they get their house in order. The product is too poor right now and there is no core following fan base to build on yet.

I was shocked that the Clarkson Cup was televised, when many far better hockey games (eg. World U18s for starters) are not. It makes no sense. I tried(!) ...really hard... to watch the Clarkson Cup on TV and I couldn't stick it out. And I am far more avid a women's hockey fan than most. It is bad hockey. If people think this is the best it gets in the women's game (and it is nowhere close), you will be closing more people's minds to its potential.
Click to expand...

Well....I have to disagree. It was an Olympic year. :rolleyes:
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

5 4 Fighting said:
Well....I have to disagree. It was an Olympic year. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Granted that does make some difference. But still, the product is not good enough....too many weak links besides the Olympians, including some the game has since passed by. I have watched the odd CWHL/NWHL game annually for many years.
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

I watched a bit of that game, and let's just say I was surprised when I realized what I was actually watching. We'll leave it at that. TSN has covered quite a bit of women's hockey over the year and in the past. ;)
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

Trillium said:
Granted that does make some difference. But still, the product is not good enough....too many weak links besides the Olympians, including some the game has since passed by. I have watched the odd CWHL/NWHL game annually for many years.
Click to expand...

I'll admit the only games I've seen were between the Minnesota Whitecaps and the Oval Extreme in pre Olympic years and it was great hockey. Both teams carried Olympians from either side of the border and well...let's just say there was an edge to all of thier games.
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

5 4 Fighting said:
I'll admit the only games I've seen were between the Minnesota Whitecaps and the Oval Extreme in pre Olympic years and it was great hockey. Both teams carried Olympians from either side of the border and well...let's just say there was an edge to all of thier games.
Click to expand...

Yes, the Oval Extreme were always the cream of the crop, with depth not found in any of the other Canadian teams. A big part of the reason I'm sure was access to the Olympic training facilities that many/most of the top players wanted access to. The Whitecaps had/have the advantage of being the only team stateside. If you watched the other teams, you would realize the calibre from there drops off DRAMATICALLY.

This is part of the problem with the league as currently constituted. The national team players only want to play with their friends, so these get concentrated on a couple of teams, creating much imbalance and too many uncompetitive games. Further, there are too many teams for the amount of talent that exists.

Although many of the teams have loads of former NCAA players, many of these played 5-6 or more years ago when the calibre of D1 was nowhere near what it is today. Over the next few years, this issue should resolve itself.

Further, it is often quite visible that many of these players and some of the former National team players never practice and/or are now in poor physical condition. When you add to the fact that many of the teams carry only ~12-14 or so players many of whom don't show up regularly, the lack of conditioning and speed becomes even more evident. Quite a few of the players who fill out the team rosters would never make the roster of a top PWHL club, even if they were still age eligible.

Because of the roster shortages, on many occasions a significant number of PWHLers have been "called up" to play with local CWHL teams. They quite often make a far bigger impact at this level than they ever would with their regular clubs.
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

I may have missed this, but when will all the rosters be set for this league? Will there be a draft?
 
Re: NHL-CWHL affiliation on the horizon

5 4 Fighting said:
I'd fire everybody in the Calgary flames organization and hire the entire Suisse National Team...
Click to expand...

After this past week's performance, I'm thinking the Bruins ought to fit in better in the other half of this affiiliation. :eek:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top