The Fearless, Frozen Females of Hockey

Following the Halifax Chronicle regional issue, Canadian-based trading card company In the Game featured women’s players as part of their Going for the Gold set in 2007. As a side note, there was also a Going for the Gold set for the Canadian junior men’s hockey team. Founded by Dr. Brian Price in 1998 (who once had the publishing rights to Parkhurst Hockey Cards), ITG helped to fuel the interest in women’s hockey cards again. Only featuring Team Canada players, Going for the Gold was a 25-card factory set (meaning it came as a complete set directly from the manufacturer) which featured Charline Labonte as card number one. Retired players France St. Louis and Stacey Wilson were also featured in the set (numbers 23 and 24).   Inside each set, there was one randomly inserted autograph card or game jersey card. Of note, the set was unique in one regard; it marked the first time that the Canadian national women’s team’s jerseys were on game-used jersey cards. The concept was in

While the 1997-98 Collector’s Choice series marked the first time that women’s hockey cards were produced by Upper Deck (in line with the Nagano Winter Games), many fans had assumed that the company would repeat the feat for the Salt Lake Winter Games in 2002. Unfortunately, other companies such as Fleer and Topps failed to issue any women’s hockey cards either. Despite the absence of product, there were some regional issues that appeased fans. In anticipation of the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, a set of cards featuring the women of the US National Team was issued. Produced by HSJ Incorporated, Gerry Thomas was the photographer for all the images in the set. For many of the women on the US team, it would mark their first appearance on cardboard. Some of the notable players included Julie Chu (the first woman to win three consecutive Clarkson Cups) and Natalie Darwitz (the NCAA record holder for most points in one season). The one notable omission was head coach Ben S

In the middle of the gap between 1998 and 2007 (when no significant hockey card company was producing cards with the likenesses of several women’s hockey players), there was one female player that happened to be the exception; Charline Labonte. Having played with the now defunct Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, she became the second woman since Manon Rheaume to play in the league. Her first season with the Titan was during the 1999-2000 campaign. Joining the team at 17 years old, she would appear in 26 contests, while logging a mark of four wins, nine losses and two ties. Despite a goals against average of 5.22, she logged a respectable .841 save percentage. The following season, she only appeared in two games while logging 28 saves, respectively. Upper Deck featured a card of her in their 1999-2000 UD Prospects Set . Her card number was 54, the same number she donned on her jersey. That set also included the likes of future NHL starts such as Jay

As the third woman inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Geraldine Heaney’s road to greatness was one filled with glory, accomplishment and sacrifice. With a career that spanned 27 years, this long-time fan favorite and hockey hero has transcended generations. Called the Bobby Orr of women’s hockey, the connection emanates courtesy of the event that put Heaney on the global hockey map. Although the 1990 IIHF Women’s Worlds had introduced an entire nation of hockey fans to Heaney, she had already been playing for 11 years. Her gold-medal winning goal against the US resulted in Heaney tumbling to the ice after she scored, similar to Bobby Orr after he scored the Stanley Cup winning goal against the St. Louis Blues in 1970. While Heaney will forever be remembered for that glorious goal, she also participated in a long lost hockey event; the 1987 Women’s World Hockey Tournament. Held in North York, Ontario and organized by Fran Rider of the OWHA, the event was not sanctioned by the I

After Classic folded in the late 1990s, the thought of women appearing on cardboard in the near future seemed dismal. It would take the Nagano Winter Games to serve as the catalyst to reintroduce the fearless, frozen females of hockey back on cardboard. As Nagano 1998 represented the first time that women’s hockey was contested at the Winter Games, the sport earned its long overdue recognition as a world class sport. Part of the effort in stimulating interest came via food company General Mills. A proud sponsor of the Canadian Olympic Team for several years, they made their presence felt in women’s hockey. In the autumn of 2007, cereal boxes were now adorned with the images of Canada’s female hockey heroes. The images of athletes like Cassie Campbell (along with Brendan Shanahan on Maple Frosted Wheaties), Nancy Drolet (Reese Puffs) and Geraldine Heaney (Apple Cinnamon Cheerios) were now on store shelves throughout Canada. It would also create a demand from hockey collectors in

Although the number of women’s hockey cards issued over the years is considerably low, the potential for growth is encouraging. In recent years, female players have appeared in various sets released by Upper Deck such as World of Sports and Goodwin Champions. Credit for the initial appearance of women’s hockey players on cardboard goes to the likes of the now defunct Classic Games. In later years, other companies such as Canadian-based In the Game and Upper Deck followed suit. Classic broke ground by featuring the likes of Manon Rheaume, Cammi Granato and Erin Whitten on numerous card issues. While Rheaume opened doors for the awareness of women’s hockey, she would also help pave the way for women to appear on hockey cards. After signing a contract with the expansion Tampa Bay Lightning, Classic Games would feature a card of her in their 1992-93 draft picks set. It would mark the first time a woman appeared on a hockey card. Despite its low value (a common factor among many card

Life after NCAA women’s hockey can lead into various directions; competing with one’s national team, pro hockey in Europe or North America, coaching or simply walking away from the game. Regina native Kylie Rossler adapted an entirely different approach. After graduating from Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania during spring 2011, Rossler was facing her own athletic crossroads. There was no spot for her on the Canadian national team, nor did Regina have its own women’s hockey club team. With a love of sport, Rossler enjoyed the camaraderie and the dynamic of helping a team win. In four NCAA women’s hockey seasons, she accumualted a lifetime mark of 18 goals and 21 assists for 39 points . She would also claim two College Hockey America regular season and postseason titles. The final point of her career came in a January 8, 2011 contest against Syracuse where she logged an assist. Her last goal actually came in a March 19, 2010, postseason tilt with the Cornell Big Red as