Montreal Gazette Thursday 19 August 1999 She
shoots . . . she scores! It might never rival the National Hockey League in size or popularity - or fistfights, for that matter - but women's hockey finally has a league of its own. The fledgling National Women's Hockey League, featuring Canadian Olympians such as Nancy Drolet and Cassie Campbell, will make its debut next month in nine cities and towns across Quebec and Ontario. Although its players won't be paid a dime for lacing 'em up, which therefore excludes a cameo appearance by millionaire cross-dresser Jaromir Jagr, the NWHL is carrying on like a professional outfit, lining up corporate sponsors and courting the media for much-needed exposure. Yesterday, officials of the Sainte-Julie Panthers, one of three Quebec-based teams, stepped up to the microphone to unveil their team colours and logo at a press conference that drew a large contingent of electronic and print media from Montreal. The South Shore-based club announced it is holding tryouts this weekend for players age 18 and over. The team's 40-game schedule begins Sept. 11 at home against the Durham Lightning from Ontario. The two other Quebec entries are the Montreal Wingstar and Laval Mistral. The Panthers' marquee player is Drolet, a 23-year-old forward from Drummondville who established herself as one of the top scorers in women's hockey while representing Canada at the Nagano Olympics and world championships. Drolet said the NWHL is another positive step in the evolution of women's hockey, which gained a large measure of acceptance at Nagano. "After the Olympics were over, a lot of people asked me where they could see us play," Drolet said. "Now they can see us live. "About half the national team members are playing in this league," added Drolet, who envisions the launch of a pro women's league following the 2002 winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Panthers president and general manager Andre Savard, the brother of former NHL star Denis Savard, said the NWHL's long-term objective is the establishment of a professional league with franchises in major North American cities. "This is just the beginning," Savard said. "Our five-year plan is to form a pro league with teams in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver and the United States." Although the league is not affiliated with the NHL, Savard said the NWHL hopes to establish close ties with Gary Bettman and the boys. "We want to work with the NHL, not against it," Savard said. To that end, Savard said the NWHL is hoping to showcase its best players this season during the NHL all-star festivities in Toronto, "We'd like to get that kind of exposure for our league, because once people see women's hockey, they're usually impressed," Savard said. "The skill level is very high and there is very little hooking. It's an exciting game." For Sainte-Julie players like Marie-Claude Roy, a former Concordia varsity and national team goalie, the NWHL offers a chance to continue playing competitive hockey in a structured environment. "There's not much out there for women once their university careers are over," the 29-year-old Brossard resident said. "Some senior leagues do exist, but games are usually played late at night and it costs around $750 to play." Roy, who will be asked to pay $250 for the pleasure of stopping pucks, should she make the squad, said her hockey career shouldn't interfere with her day-time job as a computer operator at CN. "I'm lucky because my boss is a big hockey fan," she said with a laugh. The Ontario entries are the Brampton Thunder, Beatrice Aeros, Durham Lightning, Mississauga Chiefs, Scarborough Sting and Ottawa Raiders. |