By Mary Whelen
Have you ever wondered why there has not been any woman playing in the NHL (National Hockey League) lately? There have been many debates happening today questioning whether women should be allowed to play in the NHL. Some believe that it would be a great idea because women have just as much power playing hockey as men. While other think that women playing professional men’s hockey would be unsafe and unnecessary. People have many different opinions about women playing for the NHL.
There are many reasons why it would be a great idea for women to play in the NHL. First of all, there was once a woman who played in the NHL. Her name is Manon Rheaume. She was born on February 24, 1972 in Beauport, Quebec, Canada. In 1992 she signed a contact with the Tampa Bay Lighting (an NHL hockey team) appearing in two preseason exhibition games in 1992 and 1993 playing as a goaltender. Rheaume was the very first woman to played in the NHL. There has not been one since. Though no other women played for the NHL after that she created attention around women who wanted to play hockey. Another reason people believe it would be a good idea for women to play in the NHL is because women’s ice hockey is starting to become a more popular sport. Now that women are starting to play more and more hockey, they will begin to become good and start to think about playing in the NHL. Ever since the first IIHF Women's World Championship tournament in 1990, the number of girls hockey players in Canada has increased from 11,341 to over 85,500 while in the U.S. the number has grown from 10,000 to over 65,500. As Cassie Campbell, a 5-time gold medalist says, "We didn't always get the exposure early on and there was always a sort of attitude that women's hockey wasn't any good, so for us, we were always trying to prove ourselves. We were trying to take the women's
game to the next level so we would be taken seriously." Women’s hockey is now defiantly played more which is good for girls who want to play hockey later in life. And the last reason is because simply, women have just as much endurance and hockey sense as men. Many people believe that women are not built to play men’s hockey. Take Hayley Wickenheiser for example. She is a five-time Olympic medalist for the Canadian Women’s hockey team. She is considered to be one of the best female hockey players ever. There is no reason to discriminate against women playing hockey simply because they are not “good enough.” Women may be smaller, but that does not affect speed, agility, ability or strength. Many people believe that women should defiantly play in the NHL.
Some other people believe that it would be a bad idea for women to play hockey for the NHL. One reason is because women cannot handle heavy hits. Many say that hits thrown from NHL men are extremely dangerous. Also, in any women’s hockey, hitting is not allowed. So, unless women who want to play in the NHL have experience hard hits before, it would be very unsafe to go into the NHL and be hit. Another reason is because the men who play in the NHL are huge. Women scientifically tend to be smaller than men. As proven by scientist, “Men, on average, are about 15 percent to 20 percent larger than women” (ABC News). Women can just not handle the hits that NHL players take. As Hayley Wickenheiser says, “You take a female body getting hit like that, by somebody 60 to 70 pounds heavier, it's a pretty dangerous situation. From the skill and speed perspective, you can compete at a certain level, but to realistically play at that level would be difficult." Even one of the best women hockey players in the world believes that it would be dangerous for women to play for the NHL. Also. The men in the NHL have so much experience hitting before they started playing for the NHL. Most players started checking at the age of 13 and going into their 20’s or 30’s still hitting in the NHL. Their checking skills are much stronger than of women’s. The last reason why women should not be allowed to play in the NHL is because the rules change drastically. In men’s hockey, players can check, fight, and more. The difference in game play however, does not change. Switching from women’s to men’s hockey could be a
big change for some. The rules make it so in men’s hockey, players can be more rough. Playing in men’s hockey can be much more dangerous because of the rules. In women’s hockey, checking is not allowed in any age group. However, in men’s hockey, players can start checking as early as age 13. Play is defiantly more rough as players grow older and become more aggressive. Many people believe that women playing in the NHL would be a dangerous and terrible idea.
People have many different opinions about women being allowed to play in the NHL. Some think that it would be a great idea because women can do anything men can do while other believe that women playing in the NHL would be unsafe and a bad idea. The debates will continue to roll in stating whether women playing hockey in the NHL would be for the good for bad.
Have you ever wondered why there has not been any woman playing in the NHL (National Hockey League) lately? There have been many debates happening today questioning whether women should be allowed to play in the NHL. Some believe that it would be a great idea because women have just as much power playing hockey as men. While other think that women playing professional men’s hockey would be unsafe and unnecessary. People have many different opinions about women playing for the NHL.
There are many reasons why it would be a great idea for women to play in the NHL. First of all, there was once a woman who played in the NHL. Her name is Manon Rheaume. She was born on February 24, 1972 in Beauport, Quebec, Canada. In 1992 she signed a contact with the Tampa Bay Lighting (an NHL hockey team) appearing in two preseason exhibition games in 1992 and 1993 playing as a goaltender. Rheaume was the very first woman to played in the NHL. There has not been one since. Though no other women played for the NHL after that she created attention around women who wanted to play hockey. Another reason people believe it would be a good idea for women to play in the NHL is because women’s ice hockey is starting to become a more popular sport. Now that women are starting to play more and more hockey, they will begin to become good and start to think about playing in the NHL. Ever since the first IIHF Women's World Championship tournament in 1990, the number of girls hockey players in Canada has increased from 11,341 to over 85,500 while in the U.S. the number has grown from 10,000 to over 65,500. As Cassie Campbell, a 5-time gold medalist says, "We didn't always get the exposure early on and there was always a sort of attitude that women's hockey wasn't any good, so for us, we were always trying to prove ourselves. We were trying to take the women's
game to the next level so we would be taken seriously." Women’s hockey is now defiantly played more which is good for girls who want to play hockey later in life. And the last reason is because simply, women have just as much endurance and hockey sense as men. Many people believe that women are not built to play men’s hockey. Take Hayley Wickenheiser for example. She is a five-time Olympic medalist for the Canadian Women’s hockey team. She is considered to be one of the best female hockey players ever. There is no reason to discriminate against women playing hockey simply because they are not “good enough.” Women may be smaller, but that does not affect speed, agility, ability or strength. Many people believe that women should defiantly play in the NHL.
Some other people believe that it would be a bad idea for women to play hockey for the NHL. One reason is because women cannot handle heavy hits. Many say that hits thrown from NHL men are extremely dangerous. Also, in any women’s hockey, hitting is not allowed. So, unless women who want to play in the NHL have experience hard hits before, it would be very unsafe to go into the NHL and be hit. Another reason is because the men who play in the NHL are huge. Women scientifically tend to be smaller than men. As proven by scientist, “Men, on average, are about 15 percent to 20 percent larger than women” (ABC News). Women can just not handle the hits that NHL players take. As Hayley Wickenheiser says, “You take a female body getting hit like that, by somebody 60 to 70 pounds heavier, it's a pretty dangerous situation. From the skill and speed perspective, you can compete at a certain level, but to realistically play at that level would be difficult." Even one of the best women hockey players in the world believes that it would be dangerous for women to play for the NHL. Also. The men in the NHL have so much experience hitting before they started playing for the NHL. Most players started checking at the age of 13 and going into their 20’s or 30’s still hitting in the NHL. Their checking skills are much stronger than of women’s. The last reason why women should not be allowed to play in the NHL is because the rules change drastically. In men’s hockey, players can check, fight, and more. The difference in game play however, does not change. Switching from women’s to men’s hockey could be a
big change for some. The rules make it so in men’s hockey, players can be more rough. Playing in men’s hockey can be much more dangerous because of the rules. In women’s hockey, checking is not allowed in any age group. However, in men’s hockey, players can start checking as early as age 13. Play is defiantly more rough as players grow older and become more aggressive. Many people believe that women playing in the NHL would be a dangerous and terrible idea.
People have many different opinions about women being allowed to play in the NHL. Some think that it would be a great idea because women can do anything men can do while other believe that women playing in the NHL would be unsafe and a bad idea. The debates will continue to roll in stating whether women playing hockey in the NHL would be for the good for bad.