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Greetings from Canada!

I have landed in Toronto ahead of the Fourth Annual (is it though?) CWHL All-Star Game, to be held at Scotiabank Arena Sunday afternoon. On Sunday, 34 players will represent the six CWHL teams in a full 60 minutes of hockey. Liz Knox (Markham Thunder) and Brigette Lacquette (Calgary Inferno) were voted by the fans as captains for the event and will draft their starters and the remaining players.

I’ll be covering the draft for The IX Newsletter and other outlets, so be sure to smash that follow button (@elindsay08) for all my coverage. Additionally, I have scheduled a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame Reserves while visiting Canada for the next 10 days!

I am very excited to poke around the women’s hockey archives and learn more about how artifacts are collected, stored, and displayed. I was mildly surprised to hear that the 18,000 square foot archives is a non-profit that does not receive government funds, nor any monetary support from any of the hockey leagues.

I was struck that the home of hockey would allow the home of its beloved game to be dependent on donations and grants alone. Moreover, that there is no formal structure of support for the resource center – or centre since I’m in Canada – is equally disappointing. As someone who makes a living working in the non-profit sector and a hobby of writing and elevating women’s hockey, I know what an uphill climb it can be to raise enough funds to keep something like a comprehensive archive going.

The displays at the Hockey Hall of Fame, the collected history of the best to play the game, are reliant on the public. On their interest and their donations. On Tuesday, I will get a tour of the DK “Doc” Seaman Centre for the first time and only two days removed from staff members collecting artifacts at the 2019 CWHL All-Star Game.

If you believe women’s hockey history deserves a place in the Hockey Hall and elsewhere, make sure you are supporting places that serve as the keepers of the game. Find out how to support the resource centre by clicking here.

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This Week in Women’s Hockey 

Natalie Spooner visits Breakfast Television to promote the CWHL All-Star Weekend festivities.  

Riveters head coach Randy Velischek joins the Blueshirt Breakaway podcast as the first of four guests for the Rosie’s House of Hockey series.

Lyndsey D’Archangelo gives a glimpse into the travel schedule of Canadian Olympian and Beauts goaltender Shannon Szabados in her first NWHL season (paywall).

In a raw interview, Madison Packer shares her thoughts about being suspended one game after an exchange with Sarah Casorso last weekend (paywall).

The Princeton Tigers are on a tear this season thanks to two freshman, writes Nicole Haase.

Mike Murphy believe the Buffalo Beauts are the “team to beat” in the NWHL. Good argument, but do you buy it? Let me know!

Kelly Pannek has unfinished business, writes Megan Ryan.

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Five at The IX: Brigette Lacquette

Hear from 2018 Olympian and 2019 CWHL All-Star Captain ahead of the festivities in Toronto this weekend! Photo courtesy of the Calgary Inferno

Erica L. Ayala: You and several other players returned to the CWHL after the 2018 Winter Olympics. How do you feel Calgary is doing as the league closes in on the All-Star break?
Brigette Lacquette: You know it’s definitely a great group of girls. We had a couple of players come in and you know they’re pretty big names so I mean you know have our entire team gel and you know I can’t say enough good things about all the players on the team.

ELA: For a time there you also had Shannon Miller I know she stepped away but I am curious just to get your thoughts on being able to work for a time with Shannon Miller as a pro.
BL:  Yeah definitely. She actually she coached me in college so you know, I enjoyed having her as a coach. She knew her stuff so she definitely pushed her players and honestly she was she was a great coach to have … it was definitely tough to have her step away. But you know, I think we’re getting back into a rhythm here and every player has stepped up.

ELA: There was a public fan vote for CWHL All-Star captain and you were selected as one of the two captains [along with Liz Knox]. What was your reaction to that news?
BL: Yeah it was honestly pretty cool. I didn’t realize it was gonna take off the way it did. It’s a complete honor to be able to be captain and honestly thanks to the fans and the people across Canada and the U.S. and everything like that. I’m very excited to represent the inferno in the CWHL All-Star Game.

ELA: Both you and Sarah have some artifacts that went to the Hockey Hall of Fame. I realized that, at least in Sarah’s case, she did not realize that her Jersey had been sent to the Hockey Hall and there was a swap. So I guess my question is, did you know that the stick was going to the Hockey Hall? Did you notice it was missing? What was the process there?

BL: Yeah that’s actually that’s hilarious. But you know a couple days after the final game our equipment manager kinda tracked me down in the Olympic village. And he was kinda like, “Hey! Just so you know. Your stick went to the Hockey Hall of Fame.” I thought that was pretty cool. Definitely told the family about that one. Honestly that’s pretty cool and it’s a great honor. You know after the Olympics, I’ve been going from community to community speaking to the youth across Canada. I just try my best to be you know to be a better role model for the Indigenous kids across Canada. And that’s kind of something special. And you know just to kind of share those stories with those kids.

ELA: Knowing that a lot of the players have multiple things that they’re doing whether it’s trying to make a national team … or running a business etc., what is the tradeoff between being able to inspire communities and children, but then also having to kind of live that life of a pioneer?
BL: You know it’s a good question. To be honest with you, I love hockey and … I have the most fun playing it. Obviously, [in] the dressing room, having those laughs in the dressing room that’s actually something that you’re always going to remember. So honestly, I play hockey because I love it and I know right now [in] women’s hockey you’re not making millions of dollars playing it. But you know, I do it because I love it and it’s fun.

Your Curated Guide to Women’s Sports

Mondays: Soccer

By: Annie Peterson, AP Women’s Soccer

Twitter: @AnnieMPeterson 

Tuesdays: Tennis

By Lindsay Gibbs, ThinkProgress

Twitter: @Linzsports

Wednesdays: Basketball

By: Howard Megdal, High Post Hoops

Twitter: @HowardMegdal  

Thursdays: Golf

By Carly Grenfell, PGA.com

Twitter: @Carlygren

Fridays: Hockey

By: Erica Ayala, NWHL Broadcaster

Twitter: @ELindsay08