Just a few weeks shy of my first full year as Commissioner of the PHF, I am eager to share some reflections on our 2022-23 season. It has been amazing to watch what this incredibly dedicated PHF community has been able to accomplish in its eighth season – which I like to think of as the first season of our “New Era”.
First, the privilege of presenting the Isobel Cup to Toronto Six captain, Shiann Darkangelo, encapsulates everything I have come to love and appreciate about the PHF. It was an honor to watch this PHF veteran and World Champion – a tried-and-true captain who leads her team on and off the ice – earn the opportunity to raise the Isobel Cup with her teammates following an incredible hard-fought playoff win and make history bringing Isobel to Canada for the first time.
Among the special moments was seeing an entire assembly of women’s hockey pioneers (who never benefited from the opportunity to play in a professional league and whose own careers paved the way for us all) celebrating in triumph. This included coaches and staff (Olympians and Hall of Famers among them) high-fiving and applauding these professional women’s ice hockey champions and team ownership (I will not forget seeing Bernice Carnegie victoriously raising both fists in the air and Johanna Boynton, a hockey pioneer as a collegiate player in the 1980s, jumping out of her seat when Tereza Vanišová scored the overtime winning goal). And Vanišová’s impact on the game amplifies the important global influence during this new era of the PHF. As we watched many people fill the seats before the game started, we achieved our goal of leaving Arizona with more fans than ever!
These are special moments. Moments that reflect the community and culture that we value in the PHF. Moments that matter in the pursuit of building the best home for women’s professional ice hockey on the planet.
The PHF’s “New Era” is not just one moment or destination, it is a commitment to improve and grow daily and dutifully serve the game we love. My optimism has transformed into an unwavering belief in the PHF community and a clear sense of the opportunities that await our league of “doers”. Together, we are building a vibrant and global community that will continue driving women’s professional hockey forward with care, determination, transparency, professionalism, and a commitment to togetherness each step of the way.
We have built a highly professional, diverse, trailblazing, world-class organization with more than 150 people working at the league and team level; our ownership group is one of the most diverse in all of sports; and, of course, the entire PHF community is fueled by the incredible talents of the 175 athletes who compete with heart, passion, and skill. Together, we have built the best women’s hockey league more efficiently and effectively than anyone would have imagined!
The PHF is headed in the right direction and the 2022-23 season was a winning season for our entire community in so many ways including:
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Infusion of $25 million from the PHF ownership group.
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Activation of a new $1.5 million salary cap, which is the largest in all of women’s sports.
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Full medical, dental, and vision benefits for every PHF player and the addition of a new Medical Coordinator to further support our commitment to player health and wellness.
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New leadership within the league office brings decades of management experience and proven leadership.
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Full paid leave and support for all National Team players.
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Prioritizing and valuing transparency (as reflected by publishing our league’s bylaws and the creation of a new salary disclosure process).
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Commitment to consistent and open communication with the PHF player pool (including town halls, consistent email communication, and Player Association Rep Meetings).
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Successful expansion of our league with the launch of the Montreal Force.
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Upgraded locker rooms and facilities, including American Dream, ISCC, and the Richfield Ice Arena.
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Media partnerships with ESPN and TSN, along with TVA Sports and NESN, continue to drive new exposure for the PHF.
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A growing roster of national and local partners including Discover, Air Canada, Sailun Tire, Cleveland Clinic, Upper Deck, Bladetech Hockey, MeiGray, and Blue Blazer Events Group.
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A record 84-game regular season schedule and re-introduction of best-of-three semifinals.
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New All-Star Game format that reflects the growing international player pool.
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New annual awards for Rookie of the Year and Most Outstanding Player (voted on by the players), and now the Professional Hockey Writers Association is voting on the PHF MVP award – just as they do for the NHL player awards.
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Enhanced playoff facilities that had Boston and Toronto hosting terrific semifinal playoff series in neutral site venues.
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Augmenting player engagement (player-generated ideas have enhanced the league consistently this season and we will continue to seek feedback during the offseason to ensure the new era reflects the vision of the players it serves).
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First-ever Isobel Cup Championship played on official NHL ice at Arizona’s Mullett Arena.
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First-ever Canadian PHF Championship was won by the Toronto Six.
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Expanded partnerships with NHL teams.
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Advancements in officiating with all on-ice PHF Officials assigned directly by USA Hockey and Hockey Canada, providing our league with the highest caliber of officials in North America.
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Historic partnership with the IIHF by having two international officials participate in PHF regular season games and the All-Star Showcase.
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Enhanced Player Safety Committee: allowing the standard and style of play in the PHF to develop to a higher level of consistency and safety.
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Building a foundation and commitment to professionalism and respect in the workplace through our activation of training and education with industry-leading partners: Respect Group, RealReponse, NCSI, and Athlete Ally.
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Established and delivered on our commitment to “Honoring Pioneers, Making this Moment Matter, and Inspiring Future Generations” (Title IX letters to pioneers, motivation from Julie Chu, honoring the Pittsburgh Pennies, welcoming All-Star Guest Legend Coaches, just to name a few).
With each action, and each new trailblazing stake the PHF puts in the ground, we earn our place as a leader in women’s sports and the home of women’s professional ice hockey in North America. For example, our recent t-shirt launch of “I am PRO Women’s Professional Hockey” (supported by the Arizona Coyotes) is more than a slogan – it reflects who we are at the PHF.
At the team and league level, we are led and supported by people who have significantly and positively impacted the game. Among us, we have Hall of Famers, Patty Kaz winners, Olympians, eight-season PHF veterans, gold medalists, global leaders, seasoned sports executives, and architects of the women’s game. We played the game, we contributed to the game, and we continue to trailblaze on behalf of the game.
For eight seasons, the PHF has been doing the work that’s required for success and we support professional women’s hockey players better than any other organization in the world. The PHF is the world’s leading professional women’s hockey league; we have a clear vision for growing our game; we operate daily by our values of respect, diversity, equity, and inclusion; and our door remains open to all who love our game and want to help it grow our community.
We have a lot to be excited about, and we are just getting started!
Thank you to our fans and partners for your support. Players, I cannot wait to see all of you in the fall, and staff, if these last few weeks are any indication, I know these summer months will be anything but the “offseason”.
Onward and upward!
Reagan Carey
PHF Commissioner
