Skating Uphill : Girls in Hockey (May 23rd, 2025)
Being a girl in hockey isn’t just about the game. It’s fighting stereotypes, dealing with sexism, and navigating a
sport that hasn’t always made space for us. From being called as ‘puck bunnies’ to watching major scandals unfold,
being a female fan, player, or coach means constantly proving you belong. In this post, I want to break down some of
the challenges girls in hockey face including the backlash against pioneers like Jessica Campbell, and disturbing
cases from Hockey Canada and the NHL. Let’s talk about what’s been going on for girls in hockey.
Scandals have been around for years in hockey culture, but that doesn’t mean it hurts any less when you find
out that one of your favourite players has been accused of sexual assault. When I first got into hockey, I just
picked a favourite player and didn’t really do a deep dive into the history of the sport and allegations
surrounding certain players. Unfortunately, I chose Carter Hart. I found out about the 2018 Hockey Canada
situation back in January of 2024 when he was granted an indefinite leave of absence. Without knowing what happened,
I checked the comments of the Instagram post and see everyone telling him to “get a good lawyer”. After some digging,
I found out that Hart along with some other current NHL players were accused of assaulting a girl in 2018. This stung.
I don’t know about anyone else, but when I get into something I tend to get really into it, and the Flyers and Carter
Hart were something I was really fixated on. I sort of felt betrayed in a weird way, which is odd because I didn’t know
him in any way at all, but the feeling that someone you looked up to could possibly do something like that is a feeling
I can’t describe. And the worst part? This isn’t the first time accusations or scandals like this have come out – sexist
remarks in the OHL, the 2021 Blackhawks SA case and now the Artemi Panarin situation, it just keeps happening.
On a lighter note, Jessica Campbell was recently appointed assistant coach for the Seattle Kraken. When I heard this news,
I was thrilled. I know Seattle is one of the more progressive teams in the league, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t paving
the way for young girls in hockey. This opens so many doors for jobs in the league, and it feels good. However, the backlash
from Campbell's debut was mixed. In her first game as acting assistant coach, when she was shown on the jumbotron there were
cheers from the arena – so Seattle seems to be happy. But it seems a lot of other people weren’t. Social media has shown me
that not everyone is as happy as me that Campbell is in the NHL – with people saying that the players are going to sleep with
her and that it’s a “disaster waiting to happen”. And while this isn’t ideal to hear, it doesn’t bother me as much as some of
the other stuff because at the end of the day, she’s in the NHL.
I’m not just here to complain. There has been substantial progress within the hockey community, including the Toronto Maple Leaf’s
partnership with White Ribbon (A campaign to end violence against girls and women). This came about in 2022 and encourages
viewers and players to be “Men of Quality”, meaning modelling healthy relationships, speaking out against all forms of bigotry
and supporting women in general. I think this was a wonderful thing and is a step towards inclusion and respect in hockey.
Change is constantly happening, whether we like it or not. Personally, I think the change in the hockey world is a good thing.
While there’s still a long way to go, I truly believe the NHL and other leagues alike are making things better for their fans.