NHL Discussing Sponsorship Of Women’s Hockey League

Women’s hockey faces the threat of exclusion from the 2014 Winter Olympics because of a lack of competitiveness. To head off that possible exclusion, women’s hockey officials have entered into talks with the NHL about the sponsorship of a women’s league.

The talks have been described as “very preliminary” by NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly. According to 32-year-old Canadian forward Hayley Wickenheiser, the women’s hockey officials are seeking sponsorship-level involvement from the NHL, with the hopes of eventually creating a more prominent WNBA-type league down the road.