2021–22 PWHPA season

2021–22 PWHPA season
LeagueProfessional Women's Hockey Players Association
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 2021 – March 2022
Teams5 regional hubs
Post-Olympics Rivalry Rematch

The 2021–22 PWHPA season was the third season of exhibition games organized by the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) as part of the Dream Gap Tour. The season took place from October 2021 to March 2022, during a period when many top players were unavailable due to centralization with their national teams ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Background

Following two successful seasons of Dream Gap Tour events in 2019–20 and 2020–21, the PWHPA continued its mission to create momentum for a sustainable professional women's hockey league.[1] The association maintained its boycott of the existing National Women's Hockey League (later renamed Premier Hockey Federation) while organizing showcase events and building partnerships with NHL teams and corporate sponsors.

The 2021–22 season coincided with Olympic preparations, creating unique scheduling challenges as Canada and the United States centralized their national team players for training ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.[2] This meant that many of the PWHPA's biggest stars, including Marie-Philip Poulin, Hilary Knight, Kendall Coyne Schofield, and others, were unavailable for much of the season.

Season format

Unlike previous seasons that featured regional hub teams competing in showcase tournaments, the 2021–22 season adapted its format to accommodate Olympic preparations.[2] The season featured:

  • PWHPA All-Star Team: A select group of PWHPA members who competed in exhibition matches
  • National team exhibitions: Games against centralized national teams including Team Canada, Team USA, and Team Japan
  • Post-Olympics event: The "Rivalry Rematch" between Canadian and American players

Training hubs

The PWHPA maintained training hubs across North America where players could practice and prepare:[3]

  • Montreal – Quebec
  • Toronto/Southern Ontario – Ontario
  • Calgary – Alberta
  • Boston – Massachusetts
  • Minnesota – Minnesota
  • Other U.S. locations

Season events

Pre-Olympics exhibitions

In October 2021, the PWHPA announced plans for a Secret-sponsored All-Star Team to compete against national teams during the pre-Olympic period.[2] This innovative format allowed PWHPA players not selected for national teams to showcase their talents while national team players prepared for Beijing.

The PWHPA All-Stars played exhibition games against:

  • Team Canada – Multiple games as part of Canada's Olympic preparation
  • Team USA – Games to help the American team prepare
  • Team Japan – Supporting Japan's Olympic preparations[4]

These games served dual purposes: providing high-level competition for national teams while keeping PWHPA members active and visible during the Olympic season.

2022 Winter Olympics

Many PWHPA members represented their countries at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in February 2022. The tournament saw Canada defeat the United States 3-2 in the gold medal game, with Marie-Philip Poulin scoring the game-winning goal—her third Olympic gold medal-winning goal. Notable PWHPA members who competed in the Olympics included:

Team Canada
Team USA

Post-Olympics: Rivalry Rematch

Following the conclusion of the Winter Olympics, the PWHPA organized a special "Rivalry Rematch" event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on March 12, 2022.[5] The game featured Canadian and American players in a rematch of the Olympic final.

Rivalry Rematch details

Date: March 12, 2022 Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Teams: Canada vs. United States Result: Canada 4, United States 3 (OT) Winning goal: Marie-Philip Poulin (overtime)

The event drew significant attendance and media coverage, demonstrating continued interest in women's hockey following the Olympic tournament. Poulin's overtime winner echoed her Olympic heroics and reinforced her status as one of the game's premier players.[5]

Partnerships and sponsorships

The 2021–22 season saw continued growth in PWHPA partnerships:

NHL team partnerships

Several NHL teams deepened their relationships with the PWHPA during this season:

Corporate sponsors

  • Secret (deodorant brand) – Major sponsor of the Dream Gap Tour, having committed $1 million in the previous season[10]
  • Billie Jean King Enterprises – Advisory partnership continued[11]
  • Various other corporate partners supporting individual events[12]

Media coverage

Games were made available through various streaming platforms and broadcast partners, helping to expand the reach of women's hockey and the PWHPA's mission.[1]

Impact and significance

The 2021–22 season was significant for several reasons:

Maintaining momentum during Olympics

Despite losing access to most of its star players during Olympic centralization, the PWHPA maintained its presence and continued to advocate for professional women's hockey. The All-Star Team format demonstrated depth of talent beyond national team rosters.

Building toward a professional league

Throughout the season, behind-the-scenes work continued on establishing a new professional league.[12] The PWHPA leadership, including operations consultant Jayna Hefford and the board of directors, continued negotiations with potential investors and partners.

Growing partnerships

The season saw continued expansion of NHL team partnerships and corporate sponsorships, indicating growing support for the PWHPA's vision. These relationships would prove crucial in the eventual establishment of a professional league.

Post-Olympic visibility

The Rivalry Rematch and other post-Olympics events capitalized on heightened interest in women's hockey following the Beijing Games, keeping the sport in the public eye during a typically quiet period.

Looking ahead

The 2021–22 season set the stage for significant developments in professional women's hockey:

In May 2022, the PWHPA would announce a formal partnership with Mark Walter (owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers) and Billie Jean King with the intent to launch a new professional league[13] This partnership would eventually lead to the formation of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), which began play in January 2024

The season demonstrated the PWHPA's resilience and adaptability, maintaining momentum during a challenging period when many top players were unavailable. The successful navigation of the Olympic season and the continued growth of partnerships proved that the association's approach was sustainable and building toward its ultimate goal.

Notable players

The season featured hundreds of professional women's hockey players from across North America and internationally, including:

  • Former Olympians seeking to continue their careers
  • Younger players developing their skills
  • International players from various countries
  • NCAA standouts who had completed their college careers

Season statistics and results

Comprehensive statistics for the 2021–22 season are not centrally compiled due to the exhibition nature of the games and the variety of event formats. Individual game results and highlights were reported through PWHPA communications and media coverage.

References

  1. ^ a b Dichter, Myles (October 13, 2022). "Return of PWHPA's Dream Gap Tour shifts women's hockey focus back on sport's future". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "PWHPA Unveils Plans for Secret Sponsored All-Star Team". Women's Hockey Life. October 8, 2021. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  3. ^ Brady, Rachel (September 20, 2019). "PWHPA: the Dream Gap Tour leading the way for women's hockey in North America". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  4. ^ "PWHPA All-Stars to play against Canada, Japan ahead of Beijing Olympics". Sportsnet. October 22, 2021. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Wawrow, John (March 12, 2022). "Poulin's OT winner lifts Canada over United States in Rivalry Rematch". Sportsnet. Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 14, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  6. ^ "PWHPA announces partnership with Maple Leafs". Sportsnet. February 6, 2021. Archived from the original on February 6, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  7. ^ "Rangers become 1st NHL team to host women's pro hockey game". CBC Sports. February 3, 2021. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  8. ^ "Coyotes Announce PWHPA Dream Gap Tour Coming to Tempe March 6–8". PWHPA. January 30, 2020. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  9. ^ Dichter, Myles (February 10, 2021). "NHL partnerships bring unified women's league closer to reality, PWHPA's Hefford says". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  10. ^ Kaplan, Emily (October 28, 2020). "Inside the $1 million commitment that will elevate the Professional Women's Hockey Player Association Dream Gap Tour". ESPN. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  11. ^ Brady, Rachel (September 20, 2019). "PWHPA: the Dream Gap Tour leading the way for women's hockey in North America". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  12. ^ a b Wawrow, John (March 2, 2022). "PWHPA inching closer to forming women's pro hockey league". CBC Sports. Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 14, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  13. ^ Salvian, Hailey (May 24, 2022). "PWHPA, Billie Jean King considering new league: Source". The Athletic. Archived from the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2025.

See also

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