A Schedule Change

With the U SPORTS National Men's and Women's Hockey Championship being played this weekend, I figured I would be spending a lot of my time in front of my laptop and TV watching games. Everything appeared to be heading towards that fate until I received an email today that changed my schedule and could add a lot of fun to the upcoming weekend. I'll still be watching games, but I'll also be attending a game and chatting with players thanks to receiving some media credentials today!

I applied a long time ago to the PWHL to see if we could bring The Hockey Show down to the practices that the Montreal Victoire and the Ottawa Charge would hold here in Winnipeg as part of the PWHL's Takeover Tour. I had followed up emails that went unanswered, and I figured that our application had likely been rejected with a number of media outlets potentially competing for radio broadcast rights.

UMFM wasn't looking for that nor does the station possess the financial backing to bid on those rights, but Jason and I figured that The Hockey Show could bring its unique interview style to the PWHL if we were granted access. After all, we had a blast talking to Savannah Harmon when she skated with Ottawa, we had too many laughs with Logan Angers after she was drafted, and we had a great chat with author and CBC reporter Karissa Donkin about lots of PWHL news and topics. Surely, there had to be room for The Hockey Show at the Winnipeg stop of the PWHL's Takeover Tour, right?

Consider me surprised this afternoon when an email landed in my inbox stating that The Hockey Show would be involved as Jason and I received media credentials for all of the weekend's activities hosted by the PWHL! That's not to say we fit in at all the activities, but we're going to work on getting at least one interview with a player!

Friday night will also see me attend a workshop held by the Ottawa Charge where interested parties can interact with a panel of people from the Charge regarding meaningful career paths in sports, insider knowledge, and forging real connections with professionals working in the PWHL. I have lots of questions for the panel that reportedly includes Charge GM Mike Hirshfeld and Charge Hockey Operations Director Olivia Giardetti, so hopefully there will be a good discussion!

That doesn't mean that I won't still have my phone or laptop nearby so I can keep tabs on what's happening in Elmira and Halifax, but it's pretty exciting to be included in one of the bigger hockey events to visit Winnipeg in the last number of years. At no point did I think Winnipeg would be a landing spot for the PWHL despite the strong women's hockey market in the city, but clearly I thought wrong.

Considering that we've had the privilege of calling the Female World Sport School Challenge thanks to Balmoral Hall School, the Cross Border Classic thanks to Sledge Hockey Manitoba and Team Manitoba parahockey, and now we get to chat with PWHL players and sit in the pressbox for their game, I'd say The Hockey Show is feeling very humbled and extremely grateful for these opportunities.

I'll do my best this weekend to keep the blog updated with U SPORTS women's hockey information, but things may be posted a little later than usual depending on where I am during the day or evening thanks to this media access we've been granted. Both Jason and I are excited to forge a few friendships with PWHL players where possible, and we'll look to have some exclusive coverage on The Hockey Show in the coming weeks! It'll be a busy weekend, but it will be worth it!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!