It has been an exciting year in women's professional hockey.
For the first time in history, post-collegiate female hockey players have the opportunity to play the sport they love professionally. Thanks to the newly formed National Women's Hockey League, women are finally able to make some semblance of a career via a $10,000-$25,000 salary. It's not a lot, but it's a start, and long overdue. As a result, many of the Canadian Women's Hockey League's finer talents have been snatched up, particularly in the Boston area, making for an equally competitive league.
While the more established CWHL has been more publicized and connected with National Hockey League teams in Canadian markets, the pay and intrigue of the New England-based NWHL has made it an equally viable option as the top women's league of the future.