Worlds Apart: World Championship Disruption Leaves Many PWHL Players Behind

The PWHL is the world's top league. Some from the league are competing in the World Championships, while others spend a month away from the game watching rust form on their play and the league.

While the PWHL took a back seat to the women’s World Hockey Championships in Utica, New York from April 3 to April 14, the majority of PWHL players were back with their teams in their respective markets. Meanwhile, while Canada and the USA alongside other national teams battle it out for World supremacy, the remaining PWHL players are continuing to practice to maintain their level of play before the PWHL season resumes on April 18.

For anyone it can be a challenge to take a break from your craft to then regain your level of prowess. It's especially challenging in a game like hockey where your coordination from skating, hand-skills, shot and Hockey IQ can vanish after a break combined with no games being played.

“We just took five days off, I feel like my hands go on vacation,” said Natalie Snodgrass of PWHL Ottawa.

Most PWHL teams took a short break before resuming practices, skills training and workouts. However, because all the teams are missing a significant portion of their team due to the World Championships, they are unable to practice as a full team.

Assistant coach of PWHL Ottawa Hailey Irwin has called the break a “mini training camp”.

“We want to try and create the environment for them to still want to improve and get better,” said Irwin.

PWHL Ottawa prepared ahead of the season for the break in play.

“We broke the season down into three parts,” said defender Jincy Roese. “We had a training camp, and then we had part one, and then we had a break, then we had part two of the season, then another break. We knew this was coming.”

As part of the preparations, PWHL Ottawa brought in Shelley Kettles, a skating coach to work with players. The team also brought Marc Methot, a former NHLer, to run a body-checking clinic.

“It's making sure we don't take a step back,” said Irwin. “We got to make sure we keep pushing our bar and making sure that this group here is in a good spot for when we do play our next game.”

PWHL Ottawa will have 28 days between games with the extended break; not all of the players are happy with the World Championships being in the middle of the PWHL season.

“It kind of sucks to be honest,” said Daryl Watts of PWHL Ottawa. “I think we'll have an entire month off game to game and that's awful. It's just so bad, you can't sugarcoat it.”

It’s a conundrum for the PWHL and IIHF moving forward as it is not ideal for players like Watts who was arguably the hottest player in the PWHL before the season stopped, now being forced to take a one month break between games. In many ways, Ottawa who was the hottest team in the league until the break will have lost their momentum when the season resumes.

“It’s definitely not ideal taking a month off in the middle of the season," said Watts. “I hope we never do this again. Like not only for our performance for the girls who stay back, but it kills the momentum of the league and the commercial value.”

This might be the last time the PWHL stops its entire season for the World Championships, moving forward the World Championships could take place after the conclusion of the PWHL season like it's done in the NHL after the conclusion of the regular season.

“The World Championships should be after the season concludes,” said Watts. “It shouldn't even be a conversation. Having the World Championships right before the playoffs, I do understand the league started in January. So, this year should be an exception. But moving forward we shouldn't take breaks; this league is the priority. And this is what's going to really generate revenue for girls and this league is the future, like the NHL doesn't stop for a World Championship."

The PWHL has exceeded expectations in terms of attendance, audience and fandom. However, the league is not even a year old and the World Championships in the middle of the season might be one of the kinks the league needs to iron out.

Another concern for teams like Ottawa, could become the impact of injuries, as Ottawa's leading scorer Katerina Mrazova sat out much of the World Championships following an injury she suffered during a pre-tournament game .

For now, PWHL Ottawa and the other PWHL teams will face the challenge of regaining momentum and finding their footing after a month-long hiatus. At the end of the day players want to play and the PWHL players at home are antsy to resume their season.

“I itch to play,” said Watts.