US Women's team doesn't want millions, they're 'just asking for what's fair' | The Hockey News 

U.S. Women’s Team doesn’t want millions, they’re ‘just asking for what’s fair’

Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson Author: Martin Rose/Getty Images

The U.S. Women\'s National Team took a stand on Wednesday, announcing they\'d sit out the World Championship as they seek equitable support from USA Hockey. The women aren\'t looking for big-money contracts, but they want a liveable wage.

Six months after Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson returned to Grand Forks, N.D., from the Sochi Olympics, she was heading out of town again. This time, it was for the camp leading up to the 4 Nations Cup, where she underwent strength and conditioning tests with the rest of her USA Hockey teammates. After that, Lamoureux-Davidson was off to a December camp, followed by a post-graduate camp in late-February. That set up for the World Championships, which take place the final weekend of March and culminate with the gold medal game in early April.

Every six-to-eight weeks, Lamoureux-Davidson said, she’s packing her bags to head elsewhere to fight for her place on the roster and chance to represent her country. The women are expected to be there if they have designs on competing on the big stage at the Olympics, too. But the only time she and her teammates are compensated is during the six-month pre-Olympic period. Most recently, that meant members of the women’s national team were given a $1,000 per month living stipend. Earning that much hasn’t always been the case.

That the women are only compensated for six months of every four-year cycle is one of several reasons why Lamoureux-Davidson and her teammates made a stand. The U.S. Women’s National Team, the defending world champions, announced Wednesday they are set to boycott the Women’s World Championship after negotiations for equitable support from USA Hockey stalled. The tournament is scheduled to take place in Plymouth, Mich., in two weeks.

“It’s disappointing that we train full time, are expected to win championships and perform at an elite level, but we aren’t financially supported by our national governing body to do so,” Lamoureux-Davidson said. “Over half of us work second or third jobs, and there are a couple girls who still live with parents. There (has to be) support from family members or spouses. It’s unfortunate that’s the case.”

Lamoureux-Davidson made it clear, too, that the women aren’t seeking to be compensated like millionaire NHL players. Matter of fact, they’re not even looking for a salary commensurate with that of a middling player on a two-way NHL deal. Rather, the hope is to be supported with a “liveable wage” akin to what full-time professionals in other fields earn. That would help remove the financial burden that can come along with playing for the national team. And it is a burden, to be sure. 

At times, women have to choose between careers and the pursuit of their dream or decide whether they can have a family while still being a member of the national team. It’s the very reason why women who are in the prime of their playing careers leave the game. Lamoureux-Davidson, for example, wants to start a family with her husband, but knows that might mean she doesn’t get to leave the game on her own terms.

“If someone wants to have a family and chase their dreams, they’re essentially saying that you need to pick one,” Lamoureux-Davidson said. “It becomes — and it’s sad — but it becomes, ‘Is it worth it to keep playing?’ It’s not even a conversation about whether you’re good enough to keep playing or if you’re getting too old. It’s, ‘Is it worth it?’ ”

After Wednesday’s announcement, USA Hockey fired back with a statement of its own, indicating that each player could receive nearly $85,000 during the upcoming Olympic period. Lamoureux-Davidson called USA Hockey’s statement “very misleading and dishonest,” adding that the $85,000 figure includes a gold medal bonus and funding that could come from the US Olympic Committee, as well as potential bonuses provided by USA Hockey. To say a quarter of that money is guaranteed would be generous.

“Well over half (of the $85,000) is from the USOC,” Lamoureux-Davidson said. “To say that they’re offering $85,000, that’s not their money to be offering.”

It wasn’t just the misleading financial figures that were frustrating. USA Hockey’s statement also glossed over one of the biggest issues, Lamoureux-Davidson explained. The players want continued support over all four years and benefits that are given to the men’s teams that aren’t currently provided to the women. The long-term contract would include equitable support for transportation and travel, pregnancy benefits and disability insurance, which the women don’t currently have but men\'s teams receive. Lamoureux-Davidson called them “basic benefits that employers provide employees."

"They want to say we’re not employees, and that’s OK, but they could still provide these things for us," Lamoureux-Davidson said. "It’s just very basic stuff.”

USA Hockey’s statement also failed to address the support given to the men’s game when it comes to development. In a press release, it was stated that roughly $3.5 million is spent each year on the men’s U.S. National Team Development Program. No equivalent support exists for the women, who, per the release, play nine games in non-Olympic years compared to the 60 played by the men’s development program. Not only that, but no similar development program exists for women.

“It’s hard to believe that, in 2017, we still have to fight so hard for basic equitable support,” said Monique Lamoureux-Morando, Jocelyne\'s twin sister, in a release. “But when I think about the women who paved the way for our team—and when I see girls at rinks around the country who are dedicated to pursuing big dreams and look to us to lead by example—it’s well overdue for us to speak up about unfair treatment, even if it means sacrificing an opportunity to represent our country."

And so it\'s clear, Lamoureux-Davidson and her teammates don’t want to be missing the World Championship, they don’t want to miss an opportunity to defend their title in front of home fans and they didn’t want it to come to this. But after 14 months of trying and failing to make progress in discussions with USA Hockey, drastic measures had to be taken, Lamoureux-Davidson said. The women are more than happy to play if significant progress can be made, but unless that happens, “the team’s not going to show up in Plymouth.” That has led USA Hockey to reportedly seek players for an "alternative team," according to a release from the US Women\'s National team. The team added they regret USA Hockey\'s decision to not "reconsider their treatment of the current World Championship-winning team."

“We’re not asking for millions of dollars, by any means. We’re not even asking for hundreds of thousands of dollars. We’re just asking for what’s fair,” Lamoureux-Davidson said. “That’s really what’s important because it’s going to change the landscape of how young girls can come up through this program in the future. That’s why it’s so important to us.”

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Former Oiler Ryan Smyth is playing senior hockey in Alberta because he still loves the game. That his season was likely ended on a dirty hit by a minor-league goon is another blight on the game.

I have to admit that I had never heard of Kyle Sheen before today. Seems like a pretty decent guy. Works as a mechanic for an elevator company, so you know he can be trusted. His Facebook page has a lot of lovely pictures with his wife, accompanied by warmhearted messages and photographs that depict him as another one of those enforcers with a heart of gold.

He probably volunteers in his community, is great with little kids, walks old ladies across the street and has a soft spot for stray animals. He’s also a former Federal League goon who is now basically a beer league goon who will now be able to sit down and tell his children and grandchildren about the time he scrambled Ryan Smyth’s brain with an elbow to the head.

Personally, I’m growing a little – no, a lot – weary of this tired narrative. And it’s part of what keeps these guys in the game. I’ve met a lot of fighters, almost all of whom are great people off the ice. And I’ve met a good number of clean, skilled players who can sometimes be nasty pieces of work to the people in their lives. The fact that the goons are almost always the first guys to go and visit kids in the hospital or donate their time to charity seem to make them all that much more endearing.

But for god’s sake, people, it’s 2017 and we’re still dealing with these guys who are a blight on the game. This time it was over the weekend, when the former Edmonton Oiler great was rewarded for scoring a backhand goal for the Stony Plain Eagles in the first round of the their playoff series with the Lacombe Generals with a flying elbow to the head courtesy of Mr. Sheen. It seems that Ryan Smyth loves the game so much that even though he can no longer play it at the NHL level, he continues to coax his 41-year-old body to play for a senior team in Alberta for nothing more than the love of the game.

You’d think players in the Chinook Hockey League would realize they have greatness in their midst, that having a guy like Smyth would be great for the profile of their league and something of a privilege to share the ice with him. But then you have these wonderful guys like Kyle Sheen, who think it necessary to knock out the opposing team’s best player in the playoffs. Sheen has actually won the Allan Cup, which goes to Canada’ senior league champions, twice in his career and his teams have won the Chinook Hockey League the past four seasons. And you know what? The guy has actually put up a fair number of points. He’s been basically a point-per-game player for the Generals in the regular season and, get this, actually better than a point-per-game in the playoffs.

But he’s a goon. He’s been one ever since his junior days with the Kootenay Ice and Kamloops Blazers, with 524 penalty minutes and 50 fights in 225 games. He outdid himself in the backwaters of minor pro hockey, though, racking up 561 PIM in just 169 league in the United, Central and Southern Professional Leagues, loops that are so bad that just one of them currently exists. After Sheen’s only season with something called the Rapid City Rush, a year in which he had as many points as he had fights (18), there was a video made by Sheen’s “loyal Rush fans,” thanking him for “leaving it on the ice every game.” It’s three-plus minutes of dirty hits and a bunch of fights, with two goals shown at the end.

And once again, here’s a guy whom a good number of hockey fans laud for being a stand-up guy, one of those guys who’s supposed to be out there to keep peace on the ice so guys like Ryan Smyth don’t have to worry about having their heads taken off by some beer league idiot who wants to make a name for himself. But as is the case with those kinds of guys, they’re actually the ones who make the ice the most unsafe for everyone because they can’t seem to draw the line between protecting their teammates and being aggressors.

So now, instead of helping the Stony Plain Eagles in the playoffs and perhaps helping them to win an Allan Cup – and wouldn’t that have made a great story – Ryan Smyth is back home in Edmonton recovering from a head injury. Who knows? With Smyth, anything is possible and perhaps he comes back to play in this league, but you’d have to think he’s had enough of this garbage. And hockey has had enough of the likes of Kyle Sheen. Maybe we can all just stop idolizing these guys and see them for the menaces they are to the game.

Aaron Ekblad, 21, has as many concussions as NHL seasons played. If the Panthers don’t shut him down for the year, they’re taking a massive and irresponsible risk.

Eric Lindros was at the peak of his powers March 7, 1998. He was 25, a 6-foot-4, 240-pound force of nature, hockey’s answer to Shaquille O’Neal. He’d won a Hart Trophy in 1994-95. He racked up 115 points in 73 games in 1995-96. He guided his Philadelphia Flyers to a Stanley Cup final appearance in 1996-97. But on that day in March, he ran into a wall named Darius Kasparaitis. Lindros suffered the first documented concussion of his NHL career, and the doomsday clock on his playing days began ticking.

Lindros sustained his second concussion Dec. 27, 1999 and another one a little more than two weeks later, Jan. 14, 2000, followed by a fourth in March, a fifth in early May and, famously, the sixth devastating blow in late May on a hit from Scott Stevens in the 2000 playoffs. In 2017, we know a lot about second impact syndrome, in which the brain swells from a second concussion before symptoms of a previous concussion have healed, and Lindros may have suffered through third, fourth and fifth impact syndrome during that horrific half-year stretch. Who knows how much longer he may have played had the Flyers medical staff and the NHL in general been better educated on brain injuries at the time and allowed him proper time to heal?

Today, we understand much better the perils of returning too early from concussions. Sidney Crosby endured second impact syndrome when he sustained brain blows in back to back games Jan. 1 and 5 in the midst of his epic 2010-11 season. He didn’t play again until Nov. 21, almost a year later. The Penguins gave him the time he needed. When a freak Dec. 5 collision with teammate Chris Kunitz shelved him again, the Pens held him out until March. Crosby sustained a minor concussion just before this season began and missed six games. The Pens understand their best player, the world’s best player, can never be rushed back in his recovery from concussions.

Which brings us to the Florida Panthers’ best, most important player. Like Crosby and Lindros, defenseman Aaron Ekblad is a first-overall NHL draft pick who became a teenage phenom and, like Crosby and Lindros, Ekblad is amassing an alarming concussion history at a young age. Younger, actually. Or perhaps doctors are just better at diagnosing them today. Regardless, Ekblad, 21, is at least three and perhaps four concussions deep as an NHLer already. The first occurred at Canada’s 2014 world junior training camp when he was 18, just before he commenced his Calder Trophy-winning rookie season with the Panthers. The second came in January 2016 on a vicious hit that earned Matt Hendricks of the Edmonton Oilers a three-game suspension. Ekblad’s third concussion appeared to come this past September while playing for Team North America at the 2016 World Cup when Finland’s Leo Komarov drilled him into the boards. Ekblad later told reporters he was suffering from whiplash, not a concussion, though those two injuries often accompany each other.

Ryan Smyth injured by player who shouldn't be sharing the ice with him

Then came Ekblad’s third official concussion and fourth noteworthy head/neck injury this past weekend against the Tampa Bay Lightning on a hit from behind from Gabriel Dumont. Ekblad collapsed in a heap. Panthers GM and interim coach Tom Rowe announced Monday Ekblad would miss seven to 10 days recovering.

Oh no. Please let the recovery period be longer than that. Please let Ekblad’s next NHL game be in October 2017.

The Panthers made some noise in the Atlantic Division playoff race once Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov got healthy and reformed the top line with Jaromir Jagr, but the team has since sagged again. Goaltender Roberto Luongo has missed a couple weeks with a lower-body injury, and backup James Reimer has struggled in his stead. Florida has lost four straight games and suddenly sits seven points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. It will take a pretty miraculous stretch to dig out of this hole – especially with no Ekblad and Luongo.

Even if the Panthers squeaked into the post-season, they’d likely do so as a No. 8 seed and secure a date with the Washington Capitals or Pittsburgh Penguins. Florida won’t challenge for the Stanley Cup this year, no matter what. So why even consider bringing Ekblad back this season?

Ekblad has as many concussions as seasons played in the NHL so far in his career, and that should terrify the Panthers. He’s a stud. He had one of the most productive starts to a career ever for a teenage defenseman. His third season, though, stands out as his weakest to date. The Panthers have to hope the head and neck injuries aren’t starting to take their toll already and affect his play, especially when they’ve invested eight seasons at a $7.5-million cap hit for his services, paying him through to unrestricted free agency in 2024-25.

If Panthers are smart, they’ve learned from Lindros and understand how little they have to gain bringing Ekblad back this season. They have a hell of a lot to lose if they take a chance on reinserting him. So does Ekblad. He has potential for a remarkable NHL career, but if he keeps injuring his brain within a small timeframe, that career will be remarkably and tragically short.

The Flames go for their 11th win in a row on Wednesday night, and have already jumped to No. 1 in the THN power rankings.

The last time the Flames won 10 games in a row, they were in Atlanta. Seriously. Hard to believe the Atlanta Flames were ever good enough to win 10 straight.

The Flames have not lost since Feb. 18 and haven’t lost in regulation since Feb. 13, a span of 12 games. In fact, since the calendar turned to February, the Flames are a sizzling 14-2-1 and have a chance to establish a franchise mark for consecutive victories if they can pick up their 11

So it should come as no surprise that the Flames sit atop THN.com’s weekly Power Rankings. (Last week’s rankings in parentheses.):

Johnny Hockey is back. Gaudreau has four goals and 14 points during Calgary’s 10-game winning streak…Corey Crawford has never allowed more than two goals in nine career starts against Montreal…Craig Anderson’s undisclosed injury isn’t serious, but the way Mike Condon has played, the Senators can afford to take their time with it…Once in one of the league’s worst slumps, Blues goalie Jake Allen is 4-0-0 with a 1.25 goals-against average and .960 save percentage in his past four starts…The four-month mark for Steven Stamkos’ injury is today. He’s practicing and travelling with the team, but has not been cleared for contact…When Alex Ovechkin scored in a 4-2 win over Minnesota Tuesday night, it was his first even-strength goal in 19 games and it came one second after a power play had expired…The Penguins scored a coup with the signing of college free agent Zach Aston-Reese, but what made it even more impressive is that the NHL contract doesn’t kick in until next season…Columbus’ 5-3 win over Philadelphia Monday gave the Jackets franchise records for wins (44) and points (94) with 14 games remaining…NHL player of the week Joe Pavelski has seven goals in his past five games…Brad Marchand, 2016-17 Rocket Richard Trophy winner. Sounds really strange, but it could very well happen. Start practicing it now.

The Wild ceded first place in the Central Division and Western Conference to Chicago Tuesday night and have lost three times to the Blackhawks in the past five weeks…Preds defenseman Roman Josi is hot, with 6-14-20 totals in his past 17 games…It was a bit of a head scratcher that Nathan Beaulieu was a healthy scratch for Montreal’s 4-2 loss to Chicago Tuesday night, while the struggling Alexei Emelin was on the ice for three Chicago goals…The Rangers are hoping to get Dan Girardi (who has missed eight games) and Jesper Fast (who has missed seven) back by this weekend…In the midst of a miserable season, Corey Perry has three goals in the Ducks past three games…Oilers coach Todd McLellan on his team ending a three-game losing streak with a 7-1 win over Dallas Tuesday night: “This takes a little pressure off the group. They can relax a little.”…Say what you will about Garth Snow, but they way the Islanders drafted and developed Josh Ho-Sang is a huge feather in the Islander GM’s cap…The Panthers’ 7-2 thrashing of Toronto Tuesday night marked the first time in six tries Florida has won with trade deadline acquisition Thomas Vanek, who had a career-high four assists in the game…The Coyotes picked up just their second three-game win streak of the season in a 3-2 shootout win over Los Angeles Tuesday night…The Maple Leafs raised ticket prices for next season. Nothing unusual about that. But in a letter to subscribers, they actually tried to justify it by saying they were protecting ticket buyers by discouraging ticket brokers. It is to laugh.

Kings coach Darryl Sutter after his team suffered a devastating 3-2 shootout loss to Arizona Tuesday night: “Every game is a new game. I’m not going to let somebody in a basement decide where he thinks we’re going to finish.” No, the Kings have been doing that all by themselves with their play of late…After giving up 18 goals in their previous four games, perhaps it was best for the Jets that their Tuesday night game in New Jersey was scratched because of a blizzard…The Hurricanes have been a disappointment this season, but they’re 3-0-1 against the Islanders with 22 goals. The two teams play for the last time this season April 6 in Brooklyn…The Flyers can’t believe that the team that at one time this season was riding a 10-game winning streak has hit the skids so badly. “Nobody thought during that winning streak that we would be here,” Jakub Voracek said. “But we are here.”…Jack Eichel scored his 20

goal of the season in Buffalo’s 4-1 loss to San Jose Tuesday night. His 21

, however, was an own-goal in the second period that turned out to be the game winner…Anthony Mantha has been a healthy scratch for the Red Wings’ past two games, but is expected to be in the lineup Wednesday when they travel to Colorado…Stars coach Lindy Ruff called Tuesday’s 7-1 loss to Edmonton the worst game he’s been involved with as coach of the Stars…In the wake of his team’s 6-3 loss to Boston Monday night, Canucks coach Willie Desjardins had this to say about his team’s effort: “I didn’t see a team giving up. But I didn’t see a team obsessed with winning, either.”…Matt Duchene has gone 11 games without a point and was recently dropped to the third line by Avs coach Jared Bednar…This season can’t end quickly enough for the Devils. They’ve lost 10 in a row and have been outscored 33-19.

Ben Bishop and Jaroslav Halak should find new homes this summer. Image by: Getty Images

The NHL trade market is closed for the remainder of the regular season, but business will pick up again in the off-season. When it does, several goaltenders could be on the move.

ESPN.com\'s Pierre LeBrun believes Pittsburgh\'s Marc-Andre Fleury and the New York Islanders Jaroslav Halak will be awaiting trades. Fleury, 32, could be asked to waive his no-movement clause before the expansion draft to facilitate a move to a club of his choice. That would allow them to protect young starter Matt Murray.

Fleury spent many years as the Penguins starter, backstopping them to a Stanley Cup in 2009. While he lost that role to Murray in last year\'s playoffs, he could be an attractive option for clubs seeking experienced depth in goal.

According to Sportsnet\'s Nick Kypreos, there\'s a belief Vegas Golden Knights GM George McPhee could pursue Fleury. Kypreos thinks the veteran Penguins netminder could become a franchise-type player in Vegas.

Fleury could agree to waive his no-movement clause to join the Golden Knights, but he might opt instead for a team with more immediate upside. Since last summer, there was speculation the Calgary Flames enquired about Fleury\'s availability. Perhaps they\'ll revisit that interest in June.

A sticking point could be Fleury\'s $5.75-million salary cap hit through 2018-19. If the Pens get desperate to move him before the expansion draft, they could be forced to pick up part of that cap hit or toss in a draft pick or prospect in the deal.

Halak, meanwhile, is currently playing for the Isles\' AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. The 31-year-old is signed through 2017-18 with a cap hit of $4.5 million. His salary was one reason why he passed unclaimed through waivers earlier this season. His inconsistency and long history of injuries also hurt his value. If the Isles fail to find any trade partners, they could buy him out in June. 

LeBrun also speculates the Detroit Red Wings have to choose between Jimmy Howard or Petr Mrazek before the expansion draft. He also wonders if the Colorado Avalanche will try to move Semyon Varlamov and the remaining two years of his contract.

Howard, 32, was enjoying a strong start to this season until derailed by a lower-body injury. He carries a $5.3 million annual average salary through 2018-19 with a modified no-trade clause. Mrazek, 25, was considered Howard\'s heir apparent but is struggling in the starter\'s role. He has a year remaining with a cap hit of $4 million.

Since Varlamov\'s 41-win performance in 2013-14, nagging injuries have hampered the 28-year-old\'s performance and contributed to the Avalanche\'s ongoing struggles. Having undergone season-ending hip surgery in January, he could prove difficult to move this summer.

The Avs could leave Varlamov unprotected in the expansion draft. If Vegas passes, they could be forced to pick up half of his $5.9 million annual cap hit to drum up some interest in the trade market.

Several notable goaltenders, including Ben Bishop of the Los Angeles Kings, Ryan Miller of the Vancouver Canucks, Brian Elliott of the Calgary Flames and Steve Mason of the Philadelphia Flyers, are eligible for unrestricted free agency in July.  LeBrun thinks Chicago Blackhawks backup Scott Darling could also attract interest in the free-agent market.

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Bishop will likely attract the most attention. Injury and uncertainty over the 30-year-old\'s future with the Tampa Bay Lightning affected his performance this season. However, he has three straight 35-plus win seasons (2013-14 to 2015-16) and was a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2016. He backstopped the Lightning to the 2015 Stanley Cup final and to last year\'s Eastern Conference final.

Coming off a two-year contract worth $5.95 million annually, Bishop could seek up to $7-million annually on a six- or seven-year deal. That could limit the number of serious suitors pursuing him this summer.

The 36-year-old Miller\'s best seasons are well behind him. Still, he\'s done a respectable job in goal for the Canucks this season. He could be a mentor for a young goalie.

Elliott carried the St. Louis Blues to the Western Conference final last spring, but he was dogged by inconsistency this season with the Flames. He could find it difficult landing a lucrative new deal.

As LeBrun suggests, Darling could become a more affordable option for some teams. The 28-year-old is playing well as Corey Crawford\'s understudy with the Blackhawks and could be ready for a full-time starter\'s job elsewhere. He\'s completing a two-year, $1.175 million deal and won\'t be as expensive to sign as Bishop or Elliott.

The Golden Knights could grab one or two via the expansion draft. They could also attempt to sign one of those pending free agents.

If Miller, Elliott and Mason hit the open market, the Canucks, Flames and Flyers will be seeking replacements.  The Winnipeg Jets could look for a skilled veteran to mentor young Connor Hellebuyck.

The Dallas Stars could also look for help in goal if they can move Kari Lehtonen or Antti Niemi via trade, buyout or the expansion draft.  The Carolina Hurricanes could seek an upgrade over Cam Ward and Eddie Lack.

If the Avalanche can find a taker for Varlamov, they could also go shopping for a new starter. The Arizona Coyotes need a reliable backup for oft-injured starter Mike Smith.