Hayley Wickenheiser

[Pekka]

I remember someone asking about how she was doing here, playing hockey. Well, she played last year for Kirkkonummi Lightning, and got to play some.

And as for you who don't know her, she is the best woman hockey player in the world, Canadian. She has run out of challenge pretty much in womens leagues, and came here to Finland, we had a team interested in her and she made it to the team to play few games.

She did ok, naturally she didn't shine and wasn't the best player, but she filled her place and played pretty good. Lots of suspections, especially in here because she was playing for a small team so the crowd was different too (supporting small local group, thinking who the hell is that woman and what is she doing here!!) .
But they accepted her, as she was able to surprise most people by being able to play in mens series.

Naturally she couldn't play the physical side, but she took some hits too and didn't complain but continued doing what she is best in, and that is to be a play maker, pass the puck and play center..
---

Now, she has decided to try to come to camp and try to make it on the team for this coming year. The team has advanced to next level, to 1st division. It's not exactly national hockey level yet, but it's pretty good. It will remain to be seen if she makes it into the team or not.

Teemu Selänne owns the team btw...

So that's the latest update to everyone interested about her and how she's doing.

[Flubber]

Thanks Pekka

I was not shocked at her success since ( no disrespect intended) the league she was playing in is hardly on par with the NHL. That the best woman in a sport in which size and strength matters can be an AVERAGE player in a league two to 3 steps down from the men's elite level, seems to make sense to me

I wish her well but I doubt any woman, other than goaltenders will advance much further in men's hockey than this. The size/strength disparity is too great. Think about it, I am 6 feet and 190 and am considered small. I don't know Haley's stats but I don't think she is any bigger than me and she is considered physically intimidating in women's hockey.

Some guys in my recreational beer league have actually played against Haley and the canadian national team in the past. They found that with the exception of Haley and one or two others, it was really easy to push the female players off the puck. Apparently the team liked playing against men to try to work on their skills versus stronger players.

[Pekka]

Flubber, Sure, it's 2 or was it 3 steps below the best level in here, so the difference is quite big. Now, in the first division she gets to be tested better, it's not exactly the best league, but it's definitely better and there are good players there and everyone plays seriously. They even show the results in sports news from that league .

So, if she makes it to the team, it's going to be big I think.. first of all, then she's playing in real mens hockey games that has some quality. It's easier to see how she really is compared to men there, as these guys are not too bad players themselves. But it is huge success even if she could be mediocre in there... that would be huge.

I think it's good that you know guys here were doubting a lot, but at the same time promised not to give any relief for her because she was a woman. She'd be hit just like others. I think that's good. It would be stupid if everyone was afraid to hit her because she's a woman.. but that didn't happen. Our leagues are smaller in size compared to NHL, but still she's small for our leagues. She's very light, so.. but she's good with the other sides of the game, so.. we'll see.

When I played hocke (played until 16.. seriously), and we had a game against national womens team when we were 15. We were already then not only stronger in the physical game, but also faster and I'd say we were more skilled too. There were few good players that we had difficulties to keep, and with good shot, but in general the level was not too good. Our women are not that bad, they're right behind the US and Canada with Sweden. So I have had the pleasure to play against good women too. They weren't bad, but they need to be stronger and faster.. so we beat them with pretty clear numbers.

[Agathon]

She's a bit scary. Don Cherry gave her a kiss (a chaste one) after Canda won the Gold medal in women's hockey (he was genuinely over the moon - he's supported Canadian women's hockey for years) - she looked like she was going to kill him.

[Pekka]

But I don't know.. her playing here makes her definitely a better player. It's still pretty new thing for her to play with men, so who knows, maybe she gets better than most people thinks this year. She has the potential to hang on in 1st division and be mediocre I think, but her game must improve. It's a whole different game now.. but who knows. I wish the best of luck to her, and I hope she continues improving, gets stronger so that the physical side of the game is not effecting her game too much.

[Pekka]

I also like her attitude. She's definitely not getting paid a lot to play for teams in here. She'd get paid ok in the top level, but in the lower levels.. nah.. she must have enough money to support the time she's here, she won't even make so much she would save something, it's going to be negative money wise.

And to come to another side of the world, to small country, leave the superstar status back and start from the scratch for a small local team? Where everyone promises to hit and not dodge, where no one knows her that much except that she's a woman, and that's exotic.
I like that.. that's ambitious, and that shows she only cares about becoming a better player, not the money or fame. Sure, she gets some fame in here and her pictures is in the newspaper today again but.. yep.

[DaShi]

That's such an obviously made up name.

[Pekka]

DaShi, I had to check it up few times before posting too .

It's not too bad if she don't get into the Kirkkonummi Lightning, there are supposedly three teams interested in her, that would give her a shot. So chances are she'll be playing this coming season in 1st division. Or at the very least she has a shot for making to the teams.

[cinch]

Originally posted by Agathon
She's a bit scary. Don Cherry gave her a kiss (a chaste one) after Canda won the Gold medal in women's hockey (he was genuinely over the moon - he's supported Canadian women's hockey for years) - she looked like she was going to kill him.

That was kinda silly of her. I mean, he kissed Doug Gilmour for chrissakes! It doesn't mean anything!

[reds4ever]

So she's taken a pay cut in order to compete against men because the womens leaugue holds no challenges?

if thats the case, more power to her!

[Pekka]

reds4ever, that's pretty much how it is.. and travel half the world for a small local team. Good stuff.

[Chemical Ollie]

Hunnajatta, hunnajatta, hunnajatta...(TPS cheer song)

[Pekka]

Olaf, hmm.. yeah..