Yesterday the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation announced that they had come to an agreement with the Swedish Women’s National Team on a contract that would be in force for all games played by the Damkronorna from October 14, 2019 onward.

The agreement came three weeks in advance of the now-cancelled Four Nations Cup tournament that Sweden had been scheduled to host starting November 4. We are told the agreement includes reimbursement for wages lost while playing for the national team, health insurance to cover injuries incurred playing for the national team, medal bonuses for the Olympics and the Top level of the World Championships, and a bonus if the Damkronorna successfully move back into the Top group after competing at the Div IA World Championships in France in 2020. There was also some mention of improved travel arrangements but no details were provided on that point.

It seems like such a basic arrangement, all of it making logical sense. The Swedish federation even managed to offload many of the costs involved (such as health insurance and the wage reimbursement) to the SDHL for national team players in the SDHL, and the cost to the SDHL of the wage reimbursement will be offset by a contribution by the SHL (the top Swedish men’s league). And yet to obtain this the Damkronorna had to take drastic steps. Worse, the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation went to the further step of cancelling a major annual tournament, a move that now seems as though it might have been unnecessary.

Three weeks notice is a lot less than the USWNT had when they got on the ice at the 2017 World Championships in Plymouth, Michigan, and they managed to win the tournament. However in fairness to the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation they had already messed things up so badly for the Damkronorna over the last several years that there was no way the team would have come close to winning. Further, with their tendency to book team travel at the last minute and skimp on pre-tournament practices and friendlies, it’s possible there had been no plan for the team to have more than a day or two of practice prior to the Four Nations Cup. With the Damkronorna strike starting prior to the pre-season camp, the roster had not yet been finalized... all in all it’s quite plausible that the federation’s handling of their women’s national team was so incompetent that three weeks would not have been enough for the team to have looked anything less than embarrassing.

Hopefully with the instatement of this new contract, the Swedish Women’s National Team will have a framework within which to demand, if not respect, at least reasonable treatment, and they can begin the long journey of returning to their 2006 Olympic silver-medal winning form.

The next step? The SDHL players are negotiating a contract with the league, something the PWHPA will probably be taking notes on. It’s an important year for women’s hockey in Sweden, let’s hope they continue to make gains.

Also announced yesterday, USA Hockey will host the Canadian Women’s National Team for training and a pair of exhibition games in Pittsburgh to fill the hole in the schedule left by the Four Nations Cup cancellation. Practices will be open to the public and tickets for the two games (Friday November 8 at 7 pm and Sunday November 10 at 1 pm) are already onsale. No broadcast or streaming details as of yet.

Moving from international hockey to the NCAA, the one thing all women’s hockey fans are dying for is game streams, and so The Ice Garden has put together a list of streaming sites for NCAA Division I women’s games, complete with links. Some of the streaming sites require subscription (either season-long or a day pass), but some don’t. Go forth and watch great hockey—I’ll be tuning in to watch Alina Mueller and Chloé Aurard of Northeastern line up against Maine this weekend.

International hockey

Damkronorna players’ boycott is over, a deal has been reached with the Swedish Ice Hockey Association - The Ice Garden
The boycott is over

Damkronorna klara för spel - Svenska Ishockeyförbundet
Press release from the Swedish federation

The conflict between the Crowns and the League is resolved | Aftonbladet
Instead of the four-nation tournament in November, the Swedish women’s team goes to training camp in Falun at the same time.

New national team agreement for the women’s crown | The Union
Now we can focus on getting a collective agreement for the players in the SDHL, says Lukas Ringqvist, contractor in sports at the Union.

U.S. Women to Host Canada for Joint Training Camp in Pittsburgh Nov. 4-10
Both games will be played at the FedEx Rink of UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and can be purchased online by clicking here or by calling 1.800.642.7367.

The Lamoureux Twins are writing a book together - The Ice Garden
The 2018 gold medalists’ book is expected to be published in February 2021

Q&A with Seth Berkman, author of ‘A Team of Their Own’ - The Ice Garden
Plus an excerpt of his book on Korea’s first Olympic hockey team

Para hockey

Hockey Canada Foundation helps grow female para hockey
Grant awarded to Women’s Sledge Hockey of Canada as part of the TrailblazeHERs Project

PWHPA

Kassidy Sauvé Backstops Team Stecklein to PWHPA Showcase Title
“I think for young players it’s a really good experience, because we do get to play with the best of the best.”

Dream Gap Tour Hudson: Best Of The Best
The thing about this past weekend’s Dream Gap Tour stop in Hudson was that every player on the ice was supremely talented. These are the best of the best when it comes to women’s hockey, and they lived up to the billing over the weekend at Cyclones Arena.

Photo Gallery: PWHPA’s Dream Gap tour Dunkin’ Women’s Hockey Showcase - The Ice Garden
Photos from the second day of the PWHPA’s Dream Gap tour stop in New Hampshire

NCAA

Polls: USCHO - USA Today - The Ice Garden

Hannah Bilka Next Up In Long Line Of BC Stars

Women’s DI: Daryl Watts finding her stride skating with the Badgers | College Hockey | USCHO.com
No Patty Kazmaier Award winner has ever transferred after having won the award.

How to Watch: NCAA - The Ice Garden
The women’s college hockey season is in full swing — but where can you watch all the action?

Penn State women’s hockey goalie Chantal Burke doesn’t shy away from the spotlight | Penn State Ice Hockey News | Daily Collegian | collegian.psu.edu
Chantal Burke had to learn on the fly.

Hoops or pucks? Taylor Heise's choice works well for Gophers women's hockey team - StarTribune.com
The sophomore center leads Minnesota in scoring and continues to develop her game.

'Gabbie and Maddie Show' has UMD seeking NCAA breakthrough - StarTribune.com
Led by high-scoring forward Gabbie Hughes and Olympic gold medal-winning goalie Maddie Rooney, Minnesota Duluth wants to become a women's hockey power again.

European club hockey

Behind the Glass: Dempsey Takes Over - The Ice Garden
Jillian Dempsey has a big Saturday and Kendall Coyne Schofield has a bigger Sunday

ZhHL (Russia) In Their New Home, Gorny St. Petersburg Look for New Results | CONWAY'S RUSSIAN HOCKEY BLOG
The Grony St. Petersburg bench looks on during an early 2019-20 game. (Image Source) We're up to the penultimate entry in our series of looks at the teams of the Russian Women's Hockey League in 2019-20! SK Gorny began last season in the little northern city of Ukhta, and by the end they were playing…

SDHL (Sweden)

SDHL standings week 5

RankTeamGPGDP
1HV71103128
2Brynäs91820
3Luleå/MSSK9515
4Djurgården9115
5AIK9-215
6SDE9-713
7Linköping9-312
8MODO9-211
9Göteborg10-197
10Leksand9-222

Vote: Goal of the week - SDHL.se
Goals from Alice Östensson, Erica Udén Johansson, and Petra Nieminen are up for votes.

U Sports

2019-2020 Preview: Rams women’s hockey equipped for another playoff run – The Eyeopener
If there was one word to sum up last year’s performance by the Ryerson Rams women’s hockey team, it would simply be historic.

Lethbridge Pronghorns fill Manitoba Bisons net in two-game sweep | The Manitoban
If you are the U of M Bisons women’s hockey team, this is not how you would like your season to start.

AWIHL (Australia)

Adelaide Rush 2019-20 roster | Ice Hockey News Australia
The Adelaide Rush have released their roster for the 2019-20 AWIHL season.

Perth Inferno name team captains | Ice Hockey News Australia
The Perth Inferno have named their team captains for the upcoming 2019-20 AWIHL season.

NWHL

“Am I a scab?”: Kicking off the NWHL’s most controversial season
With about 140 of the world’s best players sitting out the year in a boycott, the National Women’s Hockey League embarks on its most divisive season ever.

NWHL: Minnesota Whitecaps, Metropolitan Riveters Split Weekend
The Boston Pride swept their weekend series over the Buffalo Beauts, while the Minnesota Whitecaps and Metropolitan Riveters split their series in NWHL action.

What Emily Fluke brings to the Pride - The Ice Garden
The former Whale player looks to make a splash in Boston

Pride inks partnership deal with Legal Sea Foods - The Ice Garden
Another fin-tastic partner for women’s hockey

Men’s hockey

Olivia Howe hired by Moose Jaw Warriors as WHL's first female coach - Sportsnet.ca
The Moose Jaw Warriors are believed to have hired the first female coach in Western Hockey League history.

Howe joins Warriors staff as coaching assistant – WHL Network
Moose Jaw Warriors General Manager Alan Millar is excited to announce that Olivia Howe has joined the organization as the Warriors’ new Coaching Assistant.

Women's Hockey