Local hockey community devastated by cancellation of CWHL

The Canadian Women's Hockey League will no longer operate as of May 1, the league announced Sunday. 

“Unfortunately, while the on-ice hockey is exceptional, the business model has proven to be economically unsustainable,” the league said in a statement.

Many in the local hockey community are devastated by this news. Caitlin Platt lives in Waterloo and plays in the CWHL with the Toronto Furies. 

“We all found out this morning, as did mostly everyone else,” Platt tells KitchenerToday.com. “Initially just shocked, upset and wondering where we are going to go next.”

While she is very disappointed by the news, Platt is trying to remain optimistic. 

“We put so much into the league, it's basically a second family for us,” Platt says. “I think the general consensus I would say is we're a resilient bunch so I think that we're going to remain united and hopefully find a solution to this. As upsetting as it is, I know personally I try to remain positive that we're going to find a solution.”

Rolland Cyr is the General Manager of the Kitchener Minor Hockey Association. Young female players in the league are seeing this as a huge step back.

“They would like the league back,” Cyr tells KitchenerToday.com. “They would like to maintain the opportunity and ability to play on par with their male counterparts with professional opportunities in the future.”

The CWHL was founded in 2007. There were six teams in North America and China this past season. 

Platt is hopeful that young players, like those in the KMHA, don't lose hope. 

“I remain steady in my advice to the younger generation: don't give up. While this is definitely a big setback to the women's hockey game, we've faced setbacks before and we're going to find a way to come back from that. We'll figure it out, we'll make it work and we'll create a positive future for the women's hockey game.”