Western Women's Hockey League
Encyclopedia
The Western Women's Hockey League (WWHL) is one of two major women's hockey leagues in Canada
. The league was established in 2004
, and consisted of teams in Canada
(some former National Women's Hockey League
teams) and one from the United States
. The league office was in Vancouver, British Columbia and managed by Recreation Sports Management.
On July 13, 2006
, the National Women's Hockey League
announced it would absorb the WWHL's teams into its new West division. However, scheduling conflicts between the 2007 Women's World Championships and the WWHL championship game saw the merger collapse.
In 2007, Hockey Canada
announced it would revamp the Esso Women's Nationals, with the WWHL champion and finalist meeting the Canadian Women's Hockey League
champion and finalist. Since 2009, teams from the two leagues instead compete for the Clarkson Cup
at the end of the season.
The Canadian Women's Hockey League
announced on April 19, 2011, that it would merge with the Western Women's Hockey League for the 2011-12 season. The merger will feature one team based in Edmonton and Calgary and is a combination of the former WWHL franchises the Edmonton Chimos
and Strathmore Rockies
. The team will play their games in various locations around Alberta.
A list of WWHL winners (winner is in bold):
The Chinese national women's team also played an exhibition schedule against WWHL teams in the 2007-08 season with points counting in league standings.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The league was established in 2004
2004 in sports
2004 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* College football Bowl Championship Series :**January 1 – Rose Bowl – USC 28, Michigan 14...
, and consisted of teams in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(some former National Women's Hockey League
National Women's Hockey League
The National Women's Hockey League was a women's ice hockey league. This League was in service between 1999 and 2007.-History:The NWHL superseded the old Central Ontario Women's Hockey League in 1998-99. After the old COWHL dropped down to three teams in 1997-98, the new league expanded to...
teams) and one from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The league office was in Vancouver, British Columbia and managed by Recreation Sports Management.
On July 13, 2006
2006 in sports
2006 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* January 2, Fiesta Bowl – Ohio State 34-20 Notre Dame* January 2, Sugar Bowl – West Virginia 38-35 Georgia...
, the National Women's Hockey League
National Women's Hockey League
The National Women's Hockey League was a women's ice hockey league. This League was in service between 1999 and 2007.-History:The NWHL superseded the old Central Ontario Women's Hockey League in 1998-99. After the old COWHL dropped down to three teams in 1997-98, the new league expanded to...
announced it would absorb the WWHL's teams into its new West division. However, scheduling conflicts between the 2007 Women's World Championships and the WWHL championship game saw the merger collapse.
In 2007, Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, is the national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Hockey Canada controls a vast majority of ice hockey in Canada, with a few exceptions...
announced it would revamp the Esso Women's Nationals, with the WWHL champion and finalist meeting the Canadian Women's Hockey League
Canadian Women's Hockey League
The Canadian Women's Hockey League is one of two major women's ice hockey leagues in Canada. The league was founded in 2007. The league currently has six ice hockey teams: three in Ontario, one in Quebec, one in Alberta and one in Boston, Massachusetts....
champion and finalist. Since 2009, teams from the two leagues instead compete for the Clarkson Cup
Clarkson Cup
The Clarkson Cup is an ice hockey trophy, which since 2009 has been awarded to the winner of the Canadian Women's Hockey Championship. Like the Stanley Cup, it was created by and named after a former Governor General of Canada: Adrienne Clarkson....
at the end of the season.
The Canadian Women's Hockey League
Canadian Women's Hockey League
The Canadian Women's Hockey League is one of two major women's ice hockey leagues in Canada. The league was founded in 2007. The league currently has six ice hockey teams: three in Ontario, one in Quebec, one in Alberta and one in Boston, Massachusetts....
announced on April 19, 2011, that it would merge with the Western Women's Hockey League for the 2011-12 season. The merger will feature one team based in Edmonton and Calgary and is a combination of the former WWHL franchises the Edmonton Chimos
Edmonton Chimos
The Edmonton Chimos are a professional women's ice hockey team in the Western Women's Hockey League . The team played its home games at River Cree Twin Arenas in Edmonton, Canada. The Owner is Arlan Maschmayer.- History :...
and Strathmore Rockies
Strathmore Rockies
The Strathmore Rockies are a professional women's ice hockey team in the Western Women's Hockey League . The team played its home games in Strathmore Family Center Arena, in Strathmore, Alberta, Canada.-History:...
. The team will play their games in various locations around Alberta.
WWHL Franchises
| Team | City | Home Arena |
|---|---|---|
| Manitoba Maple Leafs Manitoba Maple Leafs The Manitoba Maple Leafs are a professional women's ice hockey team in the Western Women's Hockey League . The team played its home games at MTS Iceplex in Winnipeg, Canada.-History:... |
Winnipeg, Manitoba | MTS Iceplex MTS Iceplex The MTS Iceplex and Hockey Canada Centre of Excellence is an ice hockey facility located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The building, which opened in August 2010, is owned and operated by True North Sports and Entertainment, which also owns the MTS Centre in downtown Winnipeg and the Winnipeg... |
| Minnesota Whitecaps Minnesota Whitecaps The Minnesota Whitecaps are a professional women's ice hockey team in the Western Women's Hockey League . The team play its home games in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota area... |
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota area | No regular arena, home games played throughout Minnesota |
Championship
The champion of the WWHL is given the WWHL Champions cup.A list of WWHL winners (winner is in bold):
- 2010-11 - Minnesota Whitecaps
- 2009-10 - Minnesota Whitecaps vs. Strathmore Rockies
- 2008-09 - Minnesota Whitecaps vs. Calgary Oval X-Treme
- 2007-08 - Calgary Oval X-Treme vs. Minnesota Whitecaps
- 2006-07 - Calgary Oval X-Treme vs. Minnesota Whitecaps
- 2005-06 - Calgary Oval X-Treme vs. Minnesota Whitecaps in Lumsden, SaskatchewanLumsden, Saskatchewan-History:Settlers first arrived in 1881 and the area came to be commonly known as Happy Hollow. When the Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railway came through the community in 1889, the name was changed to Lumsden after Hugh Lumsden, a senior engineer with the railroad.The town has been...
- 2004-05 - Calgary Oval X-Treme vs. Edmonton Chimos in Calgary, Alberta
Former teams
| Team | City | Home Arena | Existed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia Breakers British Columbia Breakers The British Columbia Breakers were a professional women's ice hockey team in the National Women's Hockey League . The team played its home games in Langley, a suburb of Vancouver, Canada. The Owner of the Breakers was Nu Global Sports Inc.-History:... |
Langley, British Columbia Langley, British Columbia (city) The City of Langley is a municipality in Metro Vancouver. It lies directly east of the City of Surrey, adjacent to Cloverdale, and surrounded on the north, east and south by Township of Langley.-History:... |
2004-09 | Stopped its activities at the height of the season 2008-2009. After the difficult season of rebuilding in 2007-2008 the new owners of the team were not capable of correcting the financial situation of the team. | |
| Calgary Oval X-Treme Calgary Oval X-Treme The Calgary Oval X-Treme were a professional women's ice hockey team in the Western Women's Hockey League . The team played its home games at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta, Canada... |
Calgary, Alberta | Olympic Oval Olympic Oval The Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a covered speed skating oval built for the 1988 Winter Olympics. It is the official designated training center for Speed Skate Canada and the Canadian National Speed Skating team. It is located on the University of Calgary campus... |
2003-09 | |
| Edmonton Chimos Edmonton Chimos The Edmonton Chimos are a professional women's ice hockey team in the Western Women's Hockey League . The team played its home games at River Cree Twin Arenas in Edmonton, Canada. The Owner is Arlan Maschmayer.- History :... |
Edmonton, Alberta | River Cree Twin Arenas | 2003-11 | |
| Saskatchewan Prairie Ice Saskatchewan Prairie Ice The Saskatchewan Prairie Ice were a professional women's ice hockey team in the Western Women's Hockey League . The team played its home games in Lumsden, Saskatchewan, Canada.-History:... |
Lumsden, Saskatchewan Lumsden, Saskatchewan -History:Settlers first arrived in 1881 and the area came to be commonly known as Happy Hollow. When the Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railway came through the community in 1889, the name was changed to Lumsden after Hugh Lumsden, a senior engineer with the railroad.The town has been... |
Lumsden Arena | 2003-07 | |
| Strathmore Rockies Strathmore Rockies The Strathmore Rockies are a professional women's ice hockey team in the Western Women's Hockey League . The team played its home games in Strathmore Family Center Arena, in Strathmore, Alberta, Canada.-History:... |
Strathmore, Alberta Strathmore, Alberta Strathmore is a town located along the Trans-Canada Highway in southern Alberta, Canada, east of the city of Calgary, within the boundaries of Wheatland County.- History :... |
Strathmore Family Center Arena | 2006-11 |
The Chinese national women's team also played an exhibition schedule against WWHL teams in the 2007-08 season with points counting in league standings.
Other women's top pro-level North American sports leagues
- Canadian Women's Hockey LeagueCanadian Women's Hockey LeagueThe Canadian Women's Hockey League is one of two major women's ice hockey leagues in Canada. The league was founded in 2007. The league currently has six ice hockey teams: three in Ontario, one in Quebec, one in Alberta and one in Boston, Massachusetts....
(CWHL) - Women's National Basketball AssociationWomen's National Basketball AssociationThe Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
(WNBA) - Women's Professional SoccerWomen's Professional SoccerWomen's Professional Soccer is the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded 6 teams for the 2011 season, with continued plans for future expansion...
(WPS) - National Pro FastpitchNational Pro FastpitchNational Pro Fastpitch , formerly the Women's Pro Softball League , is the only professional women's softball league in the United States. The WPSL was founded in 1997 and folded in 2001. The NPF revived the league in 2004 and currently features four teams: USSSA Pride, Akron Racers, Chicago...
(NPF) - National Ringette LeagueNational Ringette LeagueThe National Ringette League is the top level ringette league in Canada. It is composed of 18 teams divided into two conferences. The 2009-10 regular season began on October 17th, 2009 and concluded March 21st, 2010.- Teams :-External links:* *...
(NRL) - Women's United Soccer AssociationWomen's United Soccer AssociationThe Women's United Soccer Association, often abbreviated to the WUSA, was the world's first women's soccer league in which all the players were paid as professionals. Founded in February 2000, the league began its first season in April 2001 with eight teams in the United States...
(WUSA) - W-LeagueW-LeagueThe USL W-League is a national women's soccer league in the United States on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the Women's Premier Soccer League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
(USL W-League) - Women's Premier Soccer LeagueWomen's Premier Soccer LeagueThe Women's Premier Soccer League is a national women's soccer league in the United States and Puerto Rico, and is on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the W-League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
(WPSL) - Women's League SoccerWomen's League SoccerThe Women's League Soccer is a regional women's football league in the United States that was created in 2010 and will kick off its first season 2011. The league is in the process of being sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation....
(WLS)