NHL expresses potential support for women’s pro hockey league

The NHL has informed both the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association and the National Women’s Hockey League that if they were to come together to create a league, the NHL “would be inclined to participate,” Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reported.

According to Marek, sources have indicated discussions have occurred between PWHPA Operations Consultant Jayna Hefford and NWHL Commissioner Tyler Tumminia.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly has expressed in the past the league’s support over the women’s game.

“We’re very supportive of the women’s game, we’re supportive of it being played at an elite level, the highest level,” Daly said in a March 22 episode of Hockey Central. “But we also understand that to some extent that women’s hockey at its elite level is somewhat fractured, continues to be somewhat fractured and that’s a situation that I’m sure will remedy itself with time. But our position is let it remedy itself and then we can evaluate what that means and how we move forward.”

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.