Womens' Pro Hockey League

Dream BIG... why not?

Personally as a stark raving mad hockey nut I think this is a great idea. However I fully realize and understand the huge obstacles faced in bringing this quixotic dream to reality, particularly on this side of the border. Nevertheless it's good to see people like Angela Ruggiero following their dreams and pushing the hockey envelope in ways never before imagined.

"The groundwork is already there with the NWHL (the Canadian-based National Women's Hockey League) and it gets coverage up there, but a league here has to get a foothold in the media to allow fans to follow their teams instead of waiting for one game on TV once every few years," Ruggiero said Thursday.

"I'm very happy with all the coverage we do get on NBC during the Games - a lot of sports don't even get that. And I'm grateful the media does perk up for us during Olympic years. I know we have a good product. But the frustration comes afterward.

"Even the NHL is having those kind of exposure issues. I've heard ESPN is showing more highlights to try to keep its hockey fans satisfied, but I also know the games are harder to find on OLN because not a lot of homes have it. It's still more regional coverage.

"We also get a lot of regional coverage, which is great, but it's not going to attract new growth outside those areas."

Maybe there's some cable rights synergy for a pro women's hockey league down the road with NBC, which has jumped back into covering the NHL starting early next year. Maybe it's getting the Lifetime Channel or OLN interested after seeing how well the U.S. team performs in February.

Women's pro hockey in the US may not fly now BUT it will someday not too far down the road due largely to the pioneering efforts now of hockey people like Angela Ruggiero.

You go girl.

And in other women's hockey news.

TORINO, Italy (AP) — The U.S. women's team beat Finland 1-0 Monday in the first game at the main hockey arena for the Torino Olympics.

You go girls.