Image credit: UNB Reds

By Marty Hastings

HOCKEY DREAMS

Woodland hopes to make Kamloops sports history at Professional Women’s Hockey League Draft

Jun 3, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kendra Woodland is not leaving the crease.

The 24-year-old goaltender – who excelled in the U Sports ranks with the New Brunswick Reds of the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference – is aiming to become the first Kamloopsian selected in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Draft.

“My hope is to get drafted, but my expectation is to get my foot in the door somewhere,” Woodland said. “I strongly believe I just need an opportunity to show what I can do.

Draft entrants who are not picked can be signed during the PWHL free agency period, which gets underway on June 21.

If Woodland is neither drafted nor signed, she will consider playing professionally in Europe.

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“Everybody is watching women’s hockey and women’s sports these days,” Woodland said. “It would have been really cool to be in the inaugural [PWHL] draft and season, but I think it’s that much better to be able to, hopefully, be a part of it moving forward, as it’s just going to keep growing and inspire the younger generation of female athletes across the globe.”

The league’s six teams — New York, Ottawa, Minnesota, Boston, Montreal and Toronto – will combine to select 42 players during the second annual seven-round draft.

Woodland finds it tough to handicap her chances of being picked, noting the draft is in its infancy and many are in the dark on how they rank with PWHL squads.

Players from 19 countries have declared for the draft, which will include some college and university graduates who were offered an extra year of post-secondary eligibility amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Woodland is one of them and she was productive during her prolonged stint in Fredericton.

She helped the Reds win three consecutive AUS titles and was named the U Sports women’s hockey player of the year for 2022-2023, with exploits during that campaign that earned her AUS MVP honours and runner-up for the U Sports Female Athlete of the Year Award.

Woodland was named the Kamloops Sports Council female athlete of the year for 2023.

The standout netminder graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a Bachelor’s degree in recreation sports studies and a minor in media, arts and culture.

Woodland is putting pursuit of a Masters of Arts degree in sports recreation management on hold while chasing hockey dreams.

“I’m in a spot where I should pursue hockey,” she said. “School will always be there for me when I want to go back. I really want to focus on being a professional hockey player.”

Woodland was asked for her thoughts on the average PWHL salary, which is US $55,000, with a three per cent increase expected next season.

“I honestly haven’t looked much at the salaries,” she said. “My love for hockey trumps it all. I really just want to play at the highest level possible. I think it’s great women are able to make money playing hockey these days. It’s a great start and I think it’s going to keep growing.”

There are 156 roster spots available in the PWHL, including 23 active players and three reserves on each team.

Clubs will play 30 regular-season games next season, up from 24 in 2023-2024.

Minnesota was first to snare the Walter Cup, the trophy handed to the PWHL champion, thanks to a 3-0 victory over hometown Boston on May 29 in deciding Game 5 of the league championship series.

“I’m a huge fan,” Woodland said of the league. “I’ve been following as close as I can.

“It’s been a great push to see professional women’s hockey take off, like it has, in North America, so yeah, I just want to be part of it.”