WomenB次元官网网址檚 hockey in 2022 was a firehose filled with change and advancement after the virtual desert of the COVID-19 pandemic.

From a womenB次元官网网址檚 league closer to paying a living wage to all of its players, to two major international tournaments in one year, to NHL teams hiring and promoting current and former players at an unprecedented rate, it was a turnaround from the dark days of 2020 and early 2021.

Despite the pandemic hampering its preparation, Canada regained the upper hand in its storied womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey rivalry with the United States by winning an Olympic gold medal in Beijing in February with a 3-2 victory over the Americans. It would be the first of two wins for Canada over the U.S. in a major tournament final in 2022.

The International Ice Hockey Federation introduced a womenB次元官网网址檚 world championship into an Olympic year for the first time. Canada beat the U.S. 2-1 in SeptemberB次元官网网址檚 final in Herning, Denmark, to defend its world title.

While those two countries continue to front-run internationally, CzechiaB次元官网网址檚 bronze at the world championship for its first medal was a breakthrough for that country.

Brampton, Ont., will host the 2023 world championship in April when Canada attempts a three-peat.

Without the corporate and business machinery that kept male pros playing hockey during the COVID-19 pandemic, North AmericaB次元官网网址檚 top female hockey talent played just a handful of games in the 2020-21 season.

International games and domestic leagues severely curtailed because of restrictions and outbreaks, the women often trained alone or in small groups waiting for normalcy and the chance to grow their game again.

B次元官网网址�2020 and 2021 were very hard years,B次元官网网址� Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin said.

B次元官网网址�2022 was a big year for womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey. We kept going. We have the momentum going and I think that thatB次元官网网址檚 huge.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 big news evolving about womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey. ThatB次元官网网址檚 something that we take a lot of pride in, and weB次元官网网址檝e got to keep going.B次元官网网址�

While Poulin and other womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey stars such as Sarah Nurse, Hilary Knight and Kendall Coyne Schofield havenB次元官网网址檛 joined the Premier Hockey Federation, that league continues to up the recruitment ante and attracted some Canadian and American players with national-team experience.

The seven-team circuit, with clubs in Toronto and Montreal, doubled its salary cap this season to US$750,000 per team.

The PHF intends to double it again in 2023-24 to US$1.5 million per team, which on a maximum 25-player roster averages out to $60,000 salaries.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e not comparable to the NHL, but they are comparable to other sports franchises,B次元官网网址� said Toronto Six president Sami Jo Small.

The Professional WomenB次元官网网址檚 Hockey PlayersB次元官网网址� Association (PWHPA), which boasts the aforementioned star players, continues to go its own way in pursuit of league by playing showcase games and tournaments.

A league is said to be in the works, with Billie Jean King Enterprises and Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Mark Walter as potential backers.

While womenB次元官网网址檚 leagues have historically come and gone B次元官网网址� the Canadian WomenB次元官网网址檚 Hockey League folding in 2019 gave birth to the PWHPA B次元官网网址� 2022 was a year in which the playersB次元官网网址� dreams of an enduring, sustainable womenB次元官网网址檚 pro league offering a similar competitive environment to the men was closer to reality.

B次元官网网址淚 think thereB次元官网网址檚 no better time to be a player in womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey because the choices you have, the opportunities you have, are simply endless,B次元官网网址� Small said.

B次元官网网址淲e all together collectively within the game have this incredible power. ItB次元官网网址檚 so visible when we start to work in the same direction.B次元官网网址�

Job opportunity in hockey increased for women in 2022.

NHL teams fell over each other announcing promotions and additions of women in hockey operations. Several former and current players were hired.

By yearB次元官网网址檚 end, six women were assistant general managers: Hayley Wickenheiser (Toronto Maple Leafs), Cammi Granato and 脡milie Castonguay (Vancouver Canucks), Meghan Hunter (Chicago Blackhawks), Kate Madigan (New Jersey Devils) and Alexandra Mandrycky (Seattle Kraken).

Poulin and Canadian team forward Rebecca Johnston were hired by the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames respectively in player development roles.

The Los Angeles Kings brought former Canadian goalie Manon Rheaume on board in player development.

Four women became pro scouts in 2022 to join others hired by NHL clubs the previous year.

Also, Jessica Campbell of Rocanville, Sask., became the first woman to stand behind an American Hockey League teamB次元官网网址檚 bench full-time when the Coachella Valley Firebirds made her an assistant coach.

Former Canadian team defender Laura Fortino became the first female assistant coach in the Ontario Hockey League with the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Nurse, who set a record for the most points in a single Olympic womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey tournament with five goals and 13 assists, became the first woman to grace the cover of EA SportsB次元官网网址� NHL video game.

The forward from Hamilton shared the cover of NHL 23 with Anaheim Ducks centre Trevor Zegras.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

Like us on and follow us on .