Current season, competition or edition: 2016-17 CWHL season |
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Sport | Ice hockey |
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Founded | 2007 |
Commissioner | Brenda Andress |
No. of teams | 5 |
Countries | Canada, United States |
Headquarters | Newmarket, Ontario, Canada |
Most recent champion(s) |
Calgary Inferno (1st time) |
Most titles | Montreal Stars (4 times) |
TV partner(s) | Rogers Sportsnet |
Official website | CWHL.ca |
The Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) is the highest women's ice hockey league in Canada. The CWHL was founded in 2007. The league currently has five teams: two in Ontario, one in Quebec, one in Alberta and one in Boston, Massachusetts.
The CWHL was an initiative spearheaded by players such as Lisa-Marie Breton, Allyson Fox, Kathleen Kauth, Kim McCullough, Sami Jo Small and Jennifer Botterill, all of whom played in the recently disbanded (in 2007) National Women's Hockey League. The players worked with a group of volunteer business people to form the CWHL by following the example of the National Lacrosse League. The league would be responsible for all travel, ice rental and uniform costs, plus some equipment, but does not pay players.
The Brampton Canadettes Thunder won the first CWHL championship on 22 March 2008, winning 4–3 over the Mississauga Chiefs in the final.Molly Engstrom scored the overtime-winning goal while Lori Dupuis won the Championship Game MVP honours. At end of the 2007–08 season, Jayna Hefford was voted the league's regular-season Most Valuable Player. Jennifer Botterill won the Angela James Bowl as the league's top scorer and was voted the CWHL Top Forward. Becky Kellar was voted the CWHL Top Defender, Kim St-Pierre was voted the CWHL Top Goaltender, and Marie-Philip Poulin was voted the CWHL Outstanding Rookie.