Q & A With PWHPA Lead Jayna Hefford

Much has happened in recent weeks in the world of professional women's hockey. Jayna Hefford, the lead consultant for the PWHPA, who will also take on a hockey operations role with the new professional women's hockey league, discussed the recent events, and the future with The Hockey News' Ian Kennedy. Here is their conversation:

Ian Kennedy: What's your reaction been to everything that's gone on in terms of the CBA and PHF acquisition?

Jayna Hefford: Obviously there's a lot of excitement on the PWHPA side for what we've been doing. There's sort of two separate parts of this, we've been working for quite some time on the league launch being the first thing, and then secondly on the CBA. To see the league get announced is something we've been working toward for four years so there's a lot of excitement there, and to see the CBA be finalized and ratified is something that we're incredibly proud of that work and how hard it was, but also how much we believe it means to the sport. To have an ownership group and player group that both believe it's crucial and critical upon launch really goes to show that we're prepared to do this the right way and build a really strong foundation.

Obviously with the acquisition of the PHF that was completely separate from anything the PWHPA was working on. Understanding it's a difficult time for a number of people and players, we're empathetic to that and we understand that, but it got mixed in with all the excitement we have as well, so it's a bit of mixed emotions, but certainly we're excited to look forward and move forward and build the future of our sport.

Kennedy: The CBA has been a long time coming, was there a player reaction after? Was there a feeling of relief? What were you feeling when that finally got crossed off the list?

Hefford: That was really the last piece to be able to announce the league, we all knew that and our players knew that for a long time. For the players who were on the outside of that and weren't in the negotiations, obviously we've been preaching trust patience and trust and all those things they needed to have in us and thankfully they did. For the players who were in the middle of it, I can't say enough about the work they did and the intensity of what they've been through the last number of months. It's just really special to get to a place where we got through that hard part and now we can move forward. It's an exciting thing for the players to really put into perspective what this is and what we've been building because it has been behind the scenes in many cases and many of our players didn't have an inside glimpse to the work that needed to be done, but I think once they read the CBA, I know I had a number of messages from players saying how excited they were, how grateful they were, and really recognizing where we're taking this and the professionalism that's going to exist moving forward.

Kennedy: From your perspective, I know there's a million next steps but what do you think comes next? From a PWHPA perspective, what's next?

Hefford: The union now has been formalized, they've ratified the CBA, and now we continue to work through that with players, make sure players have what they need, make sure the support is there, and work with the league for everything that needs to be build as it relates to the draft, player distribution, markets, venues, there's a lot to do. For me, who will be working on Hockey Operations with the league, all those same things exist. We really are working collaboratively through this and it's exciting to see where all this is going, but there's lots of work to do, the work really is just beginning here.

Kennedy: One other thing I want to ask you is about the PHF and PWHPA. What message can you send to the PHF players about moving forward together. Obviously it has to happen now, it's going to happen, and I think for the vast majority of people they're excited about that point, I don't think there's a lot that aren't. From your standpoint, welcoming all those players to the union, you'll be working with them from a hockey operations standpoint, what message can you send them?

Hefford: It's not a new message. The vision of the PHWPA has always been about creating one league with the best players in the world that works, that is sustainable, that is funded properly, that has the resources, and we've always said it is about the best players in the world. That's what this is. My personal belief is that there will be a little bit of short term pain here because there are people that will lose out on opportunities, all around the world, PW players, PHF players, players graduating who won't have a place to play, international players, and that was a reality of this all along, it was a reality we spoke very publicly about all along, but the market spoke very clearly that they wanted one league, stakeholders wanted one league, so we're here. Now there is a bit of short term pain, but I'm very optimistic that there will be longterm gain in this and that there will be more opportunities down the road, it will create a bigger ecosystem for women's professional hockey overtime. I think that's the main thing, we understand, but we're excited about where this is going to go, how we're going to grow our sport. I personally believe this is going to help the game globally, I think that's how we're going to close the gap at the international level. There's so much excitement ahead, we are going to have to weather some of that short term pain to get where the majority of us all want to be, which is growing the sport, growing the game, and having a league that's going to be around 100 years down the road.

Kennedy: Speaking to ownership, I liked that message they sent, that it's not about short term, it's not about long term, it's about permanent. Thanks for joining me, Jayna.