The NHL Players’ Association says it’s a bad idea for USA Hockey to recruit replacement players for the women’s world hockey championships.
USA Hockey informed players’ representatives that it will be gauging replacement players’ availability for the tournament, which begins March 31 in Plymouth, Mich.
The American players chosen to represent the defending champions have threatened to boycott the tournament unless their federation gives them more equitable treatment, financial and otherwise.
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They’re looking for a four-year contract that includes payment outside the six-month Olympic period.
Several players not initially chosen for the squad said Friday on social media they had been contacted by USA Hockey and turned down an invitation to play in the world championship.
The NHLPA weighed in Friday with a statement on Twitter saying "It is important that the best American women players be on the ice for the world championship and the notion of seeking replacement players will only serve to make relations, now and in the future, much worse.
"We trust this dispute will be resolved fairly and quickly."
The U.S. has won six of the last seven world championships, including last year’s title in Kamloops, B.C., with a 1-0 overtime win over Canada.
Those two countries have met in every world championship final dating back to the first in Ottawa in 1990.
The U.S. training camp scheduled to start this past Wednesday in Traverse City, Mich., was postponed.
Meanwhile, the Canadian women held their first practice of training camp Friday in Leamington, Ont.
Canada is scheduled to open the world championship March 31 against the U.S. at USA Hockey Arena.
Russia, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Germany are also in the field.
Hockey Canada has taken a position of "none of our business" in the dispute between the U.S. federation and its players.
When players or coaches have spoken publicly, they’ve stuck to carefully worded talking points. Hockey Canada’s general manager of national women’s teams continued that message Friday.
"Our players and staff respect the U.S. women’s national team and USA Hockey and remain hopeful that a resolution is found between both parties," Melody Davidson said in a statement.
"Regardless of the outcome surrounding the situation, our focus remains solely on our preparation and on-ice performance leading into and throughout the IIHF women’s world championship.
"We ask for respect in our decision to not make players and staff available for any future comments on the matter."
Hockey Canada issued a statement on behalf of the players saying "we support the fair treatment of women in sport and have seen tremendous growth in our game in the last decade and we are optimistic that this progress will continue in the coming years.
"We hope that the U.S. women’s national team players and USA Hockey can reach an agreement that furthers the advancement of elite women’s hockey."
