On Friday, just hours before the start of the SDHL season, the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation announced that they were cancelling the Four Nations Cup tournament scheduled for November 5-9 in Luleå, Sweden.
The federation had met with the players’ union only days before in an effort to negotiate a new contract for the Swedish women’s national team. The union had presented a proposal, the federation had presented a counter proposal, and both sides seemed to think the differences were not insurmountable. Although the federation’s press release implied they had consulted with the Damkronorna players prior to the announcement, the players reacted with shock and anger, insisting they had not been asked and that they had wanted a few days to consider their response to the federation’s counter proposal.
The press release indicates that the reasoning for cancelling the tournament almost two months in advance was out of consideration for the travel planning of the other three national teams that would be participating: Canada, USA and Finland. This is particularly ironic, as one of the Swedish players’ issues was around not being given adequate travel time, including arriving at international tournaments the same day as their first game and not scheduling any pre-tournament warm-up games local to tournaments as many other national teams do.
Finnish national team head coach Pasi Mustonen may have hit on more pertinent issues for Sweden: cancelling the tournament saves the Swedish federation money. The host is responsible for expenses for the other three teams, and the Damkronorna has not been playing at the same level as Finland, USA and Canada for several years. The Swedish team has come in fourth several years in a row and there’s no reason to think they would have been able to do any better in front of their home fans.
Money is certainly a concern for the federation: Erika Grahm revealed that one of the issues in the most recent proposal was around bonuses. The Swedish federation had no objection to including bonuses for winning the top level World Championships or the Olympics, neither of which the Damkronorna are playing in this year (and if they don’t pull up their ranking in 2020 they will need to play in the qualifying tournament for a chance at a berth in the 2022 Olympics), but did not want to agree to what Grahm called a “small, symbolic sum” as a bonus should the Swedish team win the Division I World Championships this year.
It’s an extremely disappointing move by the federation, one that affects the World Championships preparations for Canada, USA and Finland. While Hockey Canada and USA Hockey are apparently working on arranging more Rivalry Series games this season, this was the only opportunity for either team to face off against 2019 silver medalist Finland prior to Worlds. By taking such drastic action, the federation may well have lost some goodwill not only from their own players but from the other hockey federations, something that may take time to earn back.
Sweden
Four Nations Cup
Four Nations Cup canceled by Sweden amid equal pay battle
The Four Nations Cup is the top annual women’s hockey tournament that includes the U.S. and Canada.
Swedish federation’s press release
Damkronorna furious after decision – Erika Grahm: ”Everyone is in shock” | Aftonbladet
The Damkronorna received the message - hours before the SDHL premiere (Erika Grahm does not mince words in this one, folks)
Naisleijonat head coach wonders Swedish decision to cancel national team tournament nearly two months before - also affects Finnish team | Yle Sports | yle.fi
Pasi Mustonen believes that the parties will soon reach an agreement.
Michelle Karvinen👀 pic.twitter.com/nwqFrD9bGY
— Anton Johansson (@antonj85) September 13, 2019
SDHL
SDHL ready for landmark season - The Ice Garden
New sponsorships, TV details make league history
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Last week we presented which channels will broadcast SDHL, it will be C More and SVT. Today we will present how you can watch the games if you live outside of Sweden.
Historic million investment in SDHL - gets main sponsor | Aftonbladet
Money is about to be pumped into Swedish women's hockey. SDHL made clear with a historical main sponsor, something DN was the first to tell. The agreement should be worth over SEK 1 million. "It means a lot," says SDHL's commercial manager Angelica Lindeberg.
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An in-depth Q&A with the Canadian forward.
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The premiere week is over and it’s time to select the week’s best goals in SDHL.
SDHL standings week 1
| Rank | Team | GP | GD | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HV71 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| 2 | SDE | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 3 | Brynäs | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| 4 | Luleå / MSSK | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 5 | Linkoping | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 | AIK | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 7 | Gothenburg | 2 | -5 | 1 |
| 8 | MODO | 1 | -3 | 0 |
| 9 | Djurgarden | 2 | -4 | 0 |
| 10 | Leksand | 2 | -6 | 0 |
PWHPA
Alex Rigsby - What We’re Fighting For
The goal here is simple, as we’ve stated: Create a single, viable women’s professional league in North America.
Canadian women hockey players yearn for professional league | CBC News
Allie Munroe wants little girls playing hockey to be able to aim for more than the Olympics. The 22-year-old from Yarmouth is spending the year playing in the Swedish Women’s Hockey League, but was close to home this week for the Canadian women national team’s fall training camp in Liverpool.
Why the future of women’s hockey is at risk | Ottawa Citizen
”We’re trying to build or create something that’s bigger than ourselves.” (ed: the headline on this one is terrible but it’s actually a very good overview article for those that want to catch up)
PWHPA releases sponsors, roster for New Hampshire stop on Dream Gap Tour - The Ice Garden
It doesn’t get more New England than a Dunkin’ sponsorship
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Its USA v the World in the Oct 18-20 stop
We've got the @PWHPA and @SharksAlumni rosters for Sunday's Legends Game presented by @SkylineConstSF. 👀
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) September 16, 2019
Take a look and grab some tickets 👉 https://t.co/YQToP5DwJg pic.twitter.com/St7sif7qdr
International hockey
Ireland’s Current State of Women’s Ice Hockey
The Irish Ice Hockey Association is doing all it can to maintain interest in a Women’s National Team while not having a single ice rink in all of Ireland.
Driven by tenacity
Allie Munroe credits her desire to work hard and improve for her rise in the game
European club hockey
ZhHL (Russia) Defensively-Sound Dynamo St. Petersburg Look to Take the Last Step | CONWAY'S RUSSIAN HOCKEY BLOG
The Dynamo St. Petersburg women's squad, part of the eponymous club that includes teams in the men's VHL and MHL, spent most of 2018-19 establishing themselves as bona fide contenders in the Women's Hockey League.
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The 2019-20 season of Russia’s Women’s Hockey League (Женская хоккейная лига -- Zhenskaya khokkeynaya liga, or ZhHL) is just a couple of days away now, with the first puck to drop this coming Friday, September 13th.
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The 2019-20 season in the Russian Women’s Hockey League (the ZhHL) is now underway, with every team have played its opening two games.
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D’une manière générale, Swiss Ice Hockey entend poursuivre le développement et la commercialisation du hockey sur glace féminin. L’une des mesures prises à cet effet est la retransmission en direct des deux matchs de demi-finale et de la finale de la Swiss Women’s Hockey Cup sur MySports.
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Serial winner HIFK finished second in the women’s hockey league with their third win of the season.
NCAA
Wisconsin’s Pankowski Named To NCAA Woman Of The Year Award Final 30
Spotlight shines on Wethington as Gopher women look to repeat in WCHA | Duluth News Tribune
Merrimack women's hockey to play in Belfast in January; open with BC in two weeks | Sports | eagletribune.com
The Merrimack College women's ice hockey program will compete in the Belfast Friendship Series this January against Quinnipiac University, taking on the Bobcats for two games in Belfast, Northern Ireland
You might see RMU alum Kirsten Welsh on the NHL ice some day | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The 22-year-old officiated games at the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo, a role she calls 'ironic' given her style of play with the Colonials
AWIHL (Australia)
Rush re-sign Malthaner | Ice Hockey News Australia
The Adelaide Rush have announced the re-signing of Kaitlyn Malthaner for the 2019-20 AWIHL season.
NWHL
2019-2020 NWHL Signing Tracker - The Ice Garden
Riveters sign Nichelle Simon, who last played competitive hockey in 2005.
NWHL’s Boston Pride become league’s only independently operated team
The Boston Pride will be the only independently owned and operated National Women’s Hockey League team during the 2019-2020 season.
NWHL sells Boston Pride to Miles Arnone - The Ice Garden
A team president, increase in marketing, and youth hockey initiatives among new owner’s plans
Dunkin’ Donuts returning as NWHL sponsor - The Ice Garden
Five seasons of running on Dunkin’
Connecticut Whale name Colton Orr Head Coach, Laura Brennan Assistant Coach - The Ice Garden
The Whale will be guided by an NHL veteran and an NWHL veteran
Men’s hockey
Gold On The Bench: Olympic Champion Flanagan coaching NCDC Cyclones
There is one particular player on the ice at Northern Cyclones practices for their National Collegiate Development Conference team that immediately commands attention.
