Hilary Knight was one of the biggest names to help found the National Women’s Hockey League in 2015. That move had come after three years with the Boston Blades of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, where she had led the team to a Clarkson Cup victory and became the league’s first American-born player to earn MVP honors.
She’s no stranger to jumping ship, joining the Boston Pride in their inaugural season, winning an Iosbel Cup with them in 2016, and winning the league’s first scoring title. After winning gold at the 2018 Winter Olympics, there’s no doubt that the Pride were hoping to have their biggest star come back.
Instead, the 28-year-old forward has signed with Les Canadiennes de Montreal, returning to the CWHL before their post-season run.
It’s an interesting move, to say the absolute least. Knight has been a face of the NWHL and one of the most prominent members of the US Women’s National Team, working toward growing the game and getting more opportunities for women to continue to compete at high levels of the sport. So why wouldn’t she be returning to the young league that could certainly use her star power?
First, the NWHL’s signing window closed a few days ago, while Knight was still on her victory tour with Team USA. Those few days are important for these women to secure sponsorship and endorsement deals. She had less time to decide if she would return to the NWHL this season.
Then there’s money. The NWHL has garnered plenty of criticism for slashing player’s wages tremendously after becoming the first league to pay women to play professionally. The CWHL is in its first season of paying players and has a cap range of $2,000 to $10,000. The NWHL is $5,000 to $7,000.
Finally, the bottom line is that Knight will get to play more hockey. With only four teams in the NWHL, playoffs are a single game elimination, meaning the entire process is determined by the outcomes of three games. The CWHL does a best of three series, allowing Knight a long post-season with a team that is a solid contender — a reason she didn’t return to the Boston Blades, who are out of the playoff picture.
Knight is among three other big names who have moved from the NWHL to the CHWL: Alex Carpenter, Megan Bozak, and Kelli Stack.
The NWHL was formed to address a need that wasn’t being met in the CWHL. With the CWHL moving toward a stable pay structure, the incentive of playing in the NWHL feels lost. Knight moving across leagues could have just as big of an effect as it did the last time. The course of women’s hockey has been changing and this might push the leagues to consider their future with each other.
Knight hasn’t committed to Montreal past this season, though.
You can read more about it below. First, here’s Sharks news and notes:
- A look back at the bizarre hockey career of Jonathan Cheechoo
Jonathan Cheechoo officially announced his retirement from professional hockey. Who’s Cheechoo? He had one of the more bizarre careers in hockey history. - CZECH POINTS: Cheechoo’s seventh heaven | The Belleville Intelligencer
Cheechoo was one of the most exciting and productive players in Bulls history and would go on to win a Rocket Richard Trophy in the NHL for scoring 56 goals in a season for the San Jose Sharks. In all, he’d play 16 winters as a pro. But here, in Belleville, when it comes to Jonathan Cheechoo, it’ll always be about Game 7. - Pete DeBoer doesn’t want Sharks players on iPads on bench
San Jose Sharks coach Pete DeBoer doesn’t want his players using iPads on the bench - Sharks power play breaks out of slump in clutch vs. Blues
The Sharks power play ended an 0 for 29 slump at an opportune moment against the Blues. - Mikkel Boedker ends Sharks’ power play drought in win
There wasn’t a wild celebration when Sharks forward Mikkel Boedker scored a power play goal late in the third period of Thursday’s game with the St. Louis Blues. Instead, as Boedker skated to the bench seconds after he ended the Sharks’ longest-ever power play drought, he flashed more of a wry, knowing smile./
Around the world of hockey:
- Hilary Knight joins Montreal’s Canadiennes – Article – TSN
Knight is expected to practice with the team this Thursday, and make her debut in the lineup with Les Canadiennes on Sunday, March 11, against the Calgary Inferno at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard. - Hilary Knight returns to CWHL, signs with Les Canadiennes de Montreal – The Ice Garden
The Team USA superstar broke the internet, again. - Hilary Knight joining les Canadiennes could be a game changer, for the team and the game – The Athletic
Hockey superstar Hilary Knight has signed with les Canadiennes de Montréal and will join them ahead of the playoffs as they attempt to defend their Clarkson Cup title. - Lightning goalie Vasilevskiy admits he’s tired – ProHockeyTalk
“So that’s why sometimes I’m probably not as sharp.” - DGB Grab Bag: Chicago Hopeless, Stone-Faced Karlsson, and Math—How Does it Work? – VICE Sports
Plus, let us all resolve to give fans in Quebec a break when rumors inevitably start swirling about a team relocating there. - St. John’s ECHL team is out of limbo and about to be a reality – Pension Plan Puppets
The Maple Leafs will have their new ECHL affiliate next season unless any last minute snags crop up. - Taylor Hall Should Be the NHL MVP – VICE Sports
Here are all the players under MVP consideration who aren’t Devils star Taylor Hall and therefore shouldn’t win the Hart Trophy. Also, LOL @Oilers. - The Oilers can’t score without McDavid – Article – TSN
But the chasm in the Oilers performance when McDavid isn’t on the ice is massive. The players the organization strategically developed or targeted to bring into their system and complement McDavid have, as a group, failed. - 31 Thoughts: What owner Tom Dundon wants in a new Hurricanes GM – Sportsnet.ca
Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon talked with Elliotte Friedman about Ron Francis, what the owner wants in a new GM, and his vision for the team’s future. - NHL – Can the National Hockey League avoid disaster in its new esports initiative?
After the NBA, NFL and FIFA all jumped into the competitive gaming pool, it was inevitable that the NHL would as well. But in order to succeed in this nascent arena, there are a number of pitfalls the league must avoid. - NHL, NHLPA struggle to get players to consider life after hockey
The Core Development Program, founded in October 2016, aims to facilitate the transition for active players to careers, and to give guidance on how to manage post-playing life. The critical part that’s missing right now? Getting players to participate. - Greg Wyshynski – Everyone’s No. 1 at something, Sunshine and Rainbows edition
The message we want to send this week: No matter its record, every team — from No. 1 Nashville to No. 31 Ottawa — is good at something. So in these rankings, we look at what each team (or a specific player) does best statistically. - Is the current NHL playoff system fair to top teams? | Toronto Star
Three of the top six teams — Tampa, Boston and Toronto — will face each other by the second round. … Plus the Breakaway Mailbag on Marleau, Babcock and more/
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