HOW SWEDE IT IS

The SDHL is playing an integral role in developing prospects and in the overall growth of the international game, but it raises the question: when will other countries step up?

BY IAN KENNEDY

IN MEN’S HOCKEY, there are many well-defined routes to the NHL in North America and Europe. At the 2024 NHL draft, players from more than 30 different leagues and 13 nations were selected. In women’s hockey, however, development pathways remain vastly unequal from nation to nation, and the path to the PWHL is narrow. Only the NCAA and Swedish Women’s League (SDHL) have emerged as legitimate routes to the PWHL. While these leagues are feeding the PWHL, they are also paramount in closing the gap in international competition between Canada, the U.S. and the rest of the world. In many ways, the SDHL and NCAA are playing a more important role than the PWHL in levelling the international playing field in women’s hockey. This season, the PWHL features national-team players from nine…

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The Hockey News (Digital) - 1 Issue, Future Watch 2025

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