The Fearless, Frozen Females of Hockey

With Canada Post having released a series of NHL stamps for 2013, women’s hockey fans are left to wonder when will the hockey heroines be subject to the stamp treatment? As the sport has grown by a quantum leap since the 1998 Nagano Winter Games, there are many women from the game who are more than worthy of their own opportunity to be immortalized. From the outset, Canada Post could certainly recognize the women that are part of the Hockey Hall of Fame and IIHF Hall of Fame. Angela James, Geraldine Heaney and Danielle Goyette (only in the IIHF Hall) were part of the sport's rebirth and established themselves as world class superstars. In addition, Cassie Campbell, the first female recipient of the Order of Hockey in Canada would be a suitable choice as well. The first modern day superstar in the sport, Campbell captured the hearts and minds of young female fans a generation ago.  After the successful 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, a great opportunity to feature various meda...

With the upcoming CWHL season facing a shortage of stars due to the impact of the Sochi Winter Games, a new player will have to assume the mantle of being the face of the CWHL for the 2013-14 CWHL season. If any player is able to rise to the occasion and make her mark on the game, it is the amazing Ann-Sophie Bettez. Selected tenth overall in the historic 2012 CWHL Draft, she was part of a Stars draft class that included All-World goalie Charlie Labonte, Frozen Four champion Carolyne Prevost and CIS all-time leading scorer Marieve Provost. Last season, Bettez led all CWHL rookies in scoring with 33 points, while ranking second overall among all players (13 points behind scoring leader Meghan Agosta). In addition, her 17 goals tied Hilary Knight as the league leader among CWHL skaters. Selected as the 2013 CWHL Rookie of the Year, she would help the Montreal Stars qualify for the championship game of the Clarkson Cup. During the previous season, Tessa Bonhomme had emerged as ...

Photo credit by Jim Rosvold The winningest goaltender in Cornell Big Red history, Amanda Mazzotta is returning to hockey. Sharing her expertise as a coach, she shall embark a new chapter in her storied career. She first rose to prominence in 2007 when she was named Top Goaltender at the Canadian Under-18 Nationals. With the famed Team Ontario Red program, she led the club to a golden finish. The following year, she found herself as a member of the Canadian contingent that participated in the first-ever IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Hockey Championships. Despite winning a silver medal, the event would mark the beginning of a remarkable run that saw her eventually graduate from Ivy League Cornell as the program’s all-time wins leader. A member of the Red Key Athlete Honor Society at Cornell, Mazzotta would have her best season in 2009-10. Having compiled a remarkable 21-8-6 record, she led the Big Red to the championship game of the Frozen Four. In one of the most classic ...

While the aftermath of the damage will results in years of healing and adjustment, two members of the courageous crew had links to the CWHL. Mandi Duhamel, a former member of the now-defunct Ottawa Lady Senators franchise is currently the Manager of Female Hockey Development for Hockey Canada. Although Duhamel has been a resident of Calgary for less than a year, the outpouring of support and friendship in the community has made an impression, “Those also who have volunteered countless hours since the event have had an incredible effect. Though I am new to the city, I have quickly gained an appreciation for it and the people within. I had not been to High River prior to our volunteer day but you could easily see the affects the flooding had on this community. ” In addition, Kristen Lipscombe, a former player with the Laurier Golden Hawks is a member of Hockey Canada’s Communications department. She is also pulling double duty with the CWHL as a member of the editorial staff. Having ...

In the aftermath of the fourth annual CWHL Draft, the legend of the event continues to grow. While said draft lacked the significant star power of the 2012 edition, a historic first-round shaped its legacy. While the Alberta Hockey Club became the first franchise in draft history to have the first pick overall in successive years, their selection would help create history not just one, but twice. Image by WCHA.com Hailing from Baddeck , Nova Scotia , Jessica Wong spent the last four seasons as an integral component of the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. From helping Canada’s Under-22/Development Team grab the gold medal at the Meco Cup to scoring one of the most famous goals in women’s hockey (a triple overtime winner against Cornell in the 2010 NCAA Frozen Four title game), her presence helps make Alberta a postseason contender. Alberta ’s selection of Wong makes her the first visible minority chosen with the first-pick overall in draft history. Having played on both offe...

In action against Jenelle Rogers of St. Mary's Photo credit: Ingrid Bulmer Of all the players that have declared for the 2013 CWHL Draft, none may boast a resume as impressive as Kristy Garrow. Having competed with the St. Francis Xavier X-Women, she helped transform the program into a national power. As the first goaltender from Canadian Interuniversity Sport to declare for the draft, she might easily be the finest one. Her solid presence between the pipes helped transform the X-Women into a national power. At the 2010 CIS Nationals, she would help the X-Women become the first team from Atlantic University Sport conference to win a silver medal. On multiple occasions during her CIS career, she would post winning percentages of 1.000 during the regular season. Her final season (2012-13) with the X-Women may have been her finest. She posted a remarkable won-loss record of 11-0. This was complemented by four shutouts, only nine goals against (for a miniscule 0.80 GAA) and ...

With CWHL roster stripped of star players due to commitments for the upcoming 2014 Sochi Winter Games, Northeastern Huskies stars Casey Pickett and Rachel Llanes may help fill that gap. Having each helped the Boston-based university club to consecutive Beanpot championships, their on-ice leadership and offensive skills place them among the top prospects in the 2013 CWHL Draft. Playing together on a line with All-America selection Kendall Coyne, the trio accounted for 51 percent of the Huskies goals during the 2012-13 season. Perhaps more impressive was the fact that all three reached the 100-point plateau. Of note, Pickett and Llanes would each finish their senior seasons with career highs in points. Casey Pickett , who describes herself as a playmaker, hard-working and committed, dons number 14 to signify her birthday (December 14). The 5’4” spitfire ranks among the Top15 scorers in Huskies history. Hailing from Wilmington, Massachusetts, her senior year was one to remember...