The Fearless, Frozen Females of Hockey

Although it would be easy to criticize the structure of the 2012 Meco Cup because the Canadian Under 22 women’s team failed to capture a gold medal, the reality is that the concept of the tournament was somewhat compromised. Traditionally, the Meco Cup (formerly known as the Women’s Air Canada Cup, followed by MLP Nations Cup) was a tournament for teams representing their respective countries with female players under 22 years of age. The 2012 edition was radically different because Canada was the only country to ice a team in which every player was under 22 years of age. Other countries had summoned their senior national teams, while others had a blend of players, both under and over 22 years of age. If the concept was to provide parity, it hardly mattered as the most dominant countries of women’s ice hockey (Finland, Sweden and Canada) topped the medal podium. The key difference was that Canada finished with a bronze medal. Although Canada bravely battled on against some difficul

With the absence of the Minnesota Whitecaps from the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, USA Hockey should look at this as a potential building block towards developing the sport even further. With the level of talent in Minnesota and Wisconsin, USA Hockey could sponsor a four team league, with the Whitecaps as its signature franchise. Each state could easily stock two teams, allowing players an opportunity to continue playing after their NCAA careers come to an end. In addition, it could be a great opportunity to bring prospective members of the US National Team to play and develop. With the level of support for ice hockey in Minnesota and Wisconsin, there would be a strong enough fan base to bring the league a strong level of stability. In addition, having the teams in those two states would help keep travel costs low, while ensuring that strong rivalries can grow between the teams. A professional league for women based out of the United States would be reminiscent of the early years of

In a league that needs to grow and develop, the exclusion of the Minnesota Whitecaps, the most successful women’s club team in modern United States hockey history, augments much discussion. The use of reasons such as budgetary restraints (including travel costs) or scheduling conflicts are not substantial enough. Competition creates a better product, and Minnesota would help to improve the overall quality and marketability of the CWHL. The Whitecaps feature Winter Games gold medallist Jenny Potter and Minnesota high school legend Winny Brodt. The state has so much talent, that it could easily stock a second team. Decades ago, there were rival leagues in professional basketball, football and hockey, and not all teams were absorbed into more lucrative, high profile leagues. Many of these exclusions were deemed as personal or part of a hidden agenda. If there is any possible resentment attributed to the Whitecaps 2010 Clarkson Cup victory, such animosity needs to be left in the past. T