Many of the PWHL's contracted players from season one of the league will not be back, with a third of the league's player pool leaving the sport.
Many of the PWHL's contracted players from season one of the league will not be back, with a third of the league's player pool leaving the sport.
Under almost every metric possible, the PWHL's first season was a success. For a group of players however, the first season also marked the last. The hockey world said goodbye to veterans like Gigi Marvin, Melodie Daoust, Sophia Kunin, Kaleigh Fratkin, and Brittany Howard.
For some, it was there decision, for others it was not.
Last season, 147 players stepped foot on the ice during a PWHL game. From that number, nearly 28% are no longer playing in the PWHL. That includes more than 18% of the league retiring, a number that will likely grow in the coming days as players released from camps look at the future.
A position that doesn't factor into that number are third goalies. From last year's roster of eight netminders who served as third goalies during the year, only CJ Jackson returns to the same role in Toronto. If that number is factored in, the percentage of players from season one no longer in the league jumps to 35%.
Another small group of players - Sam Cogan, Catherine Daoust, Gabrielle David, Jillian Dempsey, Kayla Vespa, and Sam Isbell - who were full time players at the end of last season found themselves relegated to reserve roles this season.
Four recent cuts, who were full time players - Maude Poulin-Labelle, Madison Bizal, Sydney Brodt, Savannah Norcross - were also full time players last season. These players, for the most part, were offered reserve roster spots but turned them down.
What's to blame for the high turnover rate?
There are two clear factors at play in analyzing why more than a third of the PWHL's player pool from season one will not be returning for season two. The first is a positive for the league: increased talent levels. The league added 39 players via the PWHL Draft this year, with only three of the 42 players selected not cracking rosters. The league overall, will be faster, stronger, and more skilled this season across the board. There are, however, a number of players who left the league or retired this season who would be better than a small portion of the depth entering the league. That's where the second reason for the PWHL's turnover comes in. That reason is clear: wages as laid out in the CBA were not designed to be liveable for more than half the league.
As Melodie Daoust told The Hockey News following her retirement, low salaries was a deciding factor in her retirement from playing.
“The salaries in the PWHL are ok, but it wasn’t enough, so I had to have another job,” Daoust said. “Since work-life balance is very important to me, I had a choice to make.”
This season the league minimum salary is $36,050 USD this season, plus a $1,545 per month housing stipend, while reserve players will make $15,450. Reserve players do not receive a housing stipend or health benefits.