but there was an attempt with the NWHL from 1999 to 2007 when the league folded. I can see the NHL trying to promote women’s hockey as much as possible and this could help other teams from outside Canada and the US if such a league has wide exposure.

Hockey is a different animal in terms of how many players are on a team where an NHL roster has 22-27 or so players, and you have three or four set lines of forwards (3 players, a left winger, center, and right winger) and another three or even four lines of defensemen (2 people each), in addition to another two or three goalies, as opposed to basketball where in the WNBA, 11 (without an injury exception) is good enough to field a team.

Another issue with the viability of a women’s hockey league is where franchises will be located and when a season can take place. Like the issue of the WNBA season going on in the NBA offseason, the same may have to be for the WNHL where they play in the summer. Which kind of cities could handle a team and should they do the same thing they did with the WNBA where they were placed in NBA cities. It’s imperative that each team have a decent home to play and a fanbase willing to accept them.

I think that if there is a WNHL in the future, some people in the WNBA will cry foul saying that there is competition that could. I disagree because there are a lot of fans who like basketball but could care less about hockey, and vice versa. Do I mind seeing a women’s hockey league? No. But if the league is to have success, the initial franchises of the team must be placed in the right markets, and unfortunately, I can’t say what type of a market will be the best for it.

I also think that we should consider a WNBA team in Canada in the next wave of expansion. Toronto and Montreal are my picks.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=363587

There are some interesting quotes there, but I think they’re best in context…