Will having women play with men affect hockey as a sport?

Question

Haley Wickenheiser just signed a contract to play professional Hockey in Europe making her the first female (that wasn't a goalie) to play professionally. Congrats to her. She is an amazing role model for girls everywhere, but how will this affect the game? or will it?

Answer 1

Haley has played in a European men's league before. It was a few years ago. It did not change a thing. If she is good enough let her play. There is no rule against having women on pro teams anywhere. I can say being a woman hockey player myself. The guys here now love to play with us. They beg us to play with them. They know we work hard and it means a lot to us . It means nothing. On the ice we are all just players

Answer 2

it wont affect the game.. sure they will be less likely to check her and stuff but theyll get used to it. i only hope the nhl will let girls in seriously.. by the time im 18

btw guys DO play as hard when theyr up against girls.. when i played on a bantam team i was getting into fights everyday bc guys would try to check me out of nowhere just to prove theyr cool.. but i guess that changes in adult leagues.. kinda

Answer 3

No, as long as they have the skill and ability I'm fine with it. Good for her. She'll also be playing at a higher level.

And if she does well I wouldn't be surprised to see an NHL team sign her.

Answer 4

Unless they change the rules to protect her it shouldn't change the game. I wonder what will happen if she starts a fight with one of the men.

Answer 5

guys don't play as hard as they usually do when they are versing woman. so i think they'll go easy on her. and it may effect the game a little bit.

Answer 6

I do think the men will be much more hesitant in laying out a body check and it could give her and extra scoring chance or two, but beyond checking and fighting, I don't see too much changing from it.

Answer 7

Haley has played in European leagues before,she played in a Finnish professional league and scored 12 points (2 goals). This was I believe in 2002/03 and she while I am sure not cherished by some of "the guys" was still described as a capable player and got her ice time. But while she is the only female to score a goal in a mens professional league she is far from the first female player. We all know the Manon Rheaume story and she in fact signed a professional contract and played in the IHL. Great story, however that was around 1993 (I think, cant remember exactly) and the 1st female professional goalie was an 18 year old Karen Koch (pronounced Cook) who signed a pro contract in 1969 for a team in upeer Michigan (again forget the details but I think it was Iron Mountain). This was a USHL league and she won a backup job during a tryout (they had no idea she was a girl until someone "ratted" her out during the tryout). She was small and average at best but good enough to get a $40.00 per game contract and was such a media sensation that a couple cities insisted she be the starting goalie to boost ticket sales. She was released after she repeatedly took off her mask (they werent required in '69) against the will of the coach, he let her go with around 10 games left in the season.

But to get back to your question....Haley has always been a great embassador of the game, male or female game and she will represent herself well like she always has. Because so many people know who she is I dont see this having anything but a positive effect.....the game will get some better exposure because her presence. I am sure some guys wont be thrilled but they will play around her the same way they do any other time (I am sure someone will run her....it happened the first time around and she is no worse for wear).

Answer 8

Hey Anon:

Check out Manon Rheaume's bio if you want another role model. She actually played in net for Tampa Bay Lightning in a few exhibition games. It was a bit of a publicity stunt but she looked as good as a lot of other rookie goalies in their first pro games.

http://www.seanet.com/~sharkbite/manon/

http://www.whockey.com/profile/canada/rh...

Haley's great and she's played with the guys before and if women players have haley's talent nothing will change in the sport of hockey. If you're good enough you're good enough.

Answer 9

Shouldn't affect the game too much, as long as the skill set is there and the ability to play at that level is obvious it should just be another player on the ice regardless of gender.

Answer 10

I want to know where she showers w/or w/o the rest of the team. * That could be an uncomfortable situation.

:P hater+ to the thumbs down troll.