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Timeline of Women's Hockey

Portrait of the Queen of Ice, Eva Ault.

Portrait of the "Queen of Ice" Eva Ault.


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1890s

  • The earliest documented game of all women's hockey was held in Barrie, Ontario in 1892.
  • Women’s hockey gains popularity in universities, principally at the University of Toronto and Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

1900s

  • Eva Ault becomes known as the “Queen of Ice” and begins to help grow the popularity of the game.
  • Albertine Lapensée, “The Miracle Maid,” becomes regarded by many as the first Canadian female hockey superstar.
  • In 1906, the first Alberta Provincial Women’s Championship tournament was held at the Banff Winter Carnival.
Portrait of the Queen of Ice, Eva Ault.

Portrait of the "Queen of Ice" Eva Ault.

1920s

  • Bobbie Rosenfeld and Myrtle Cook, former track stars and hockey players in their own rights, become Canada’s first women sports reporters, specializing in hockey during the winter. In 1978, Rosenfeld’s name would be lent to the award for Canada’s best female athlete.
  • Elizabeth Graham, goalie for Queen’s University in Kingston, makes history on February 7, 1927 as the first credited netminderto wear a mask in a game.

1930s

  • The Preston Rivulettes rule the ice lanes. Click here for an interview with Ruth (Dargel) Collins of the Rivulettes.
  • Hilda Ranscombe was the brightest star on the Rivulettes, helping them dominate the Ladies Ontario Hockey Association (LOHA) and growing the game in the province.
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1940s

  • The war halts development of the women’s game, which doesn’t revive until the early 1970s.

1954

  • After being named president of the Detroit Red Wings in 1952 after her father’s passing, Marguerite Norris becomes the first woman to have her name on the Stanley Cup.

1956

  • Abby Hoffman challenges hockey’s gender barrier by playing in a boys’ league under the guise of being male as there were no leagues for female in her area
1990 Women's World Hockey Championships - Ottawa, Canada.

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1990 Women's World Hockey Championships - Ottawa, Canada.

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1990 Women's World Hockey Championships - Ottawa, Canada.

1990 Women's World Hockey Championships - Ottawa, Canada.


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1970s

  • Shirley Cameron becomes hockey’s first star of the modern era. She helps found the Edmonton Chimos.
  • Katherine ‘Cookie’ Cartwright spearheads the merging of the Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Union and the Ontario-Quebec University Athletic Association to form the Ontario Women’s Interuniversity Athletic Association, resurrecting collegiate women’s hockey.
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1980

  • The Central Ontario Women’s Hockey League (COWHL) is formed.
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1982

  • Fran Rider becomes the president and CEO of the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) and leads the organization through growing the game worldwide.
  • Phenom Angela James begins her time at Seneca College where she would be named the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association MVP for three consecutive seasons while leading in scoring for three years and leading Seneca to back-to-back championships in 1983-84 and 1984-85.
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1987

  • The first ever Women’s World Championship takes place in Toronto and was organized by Fran Rider and the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA). However, it is not recognized as an official tournament by the IIHF. The teams that participated were Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, the United States, and a team comprised solely of players from the province of Ontario. Canada won the tournament, taking the Hazel McCallion World Cup.

1990

  • The first official and IIHF-sanctioned Women’s World Championship is held in Ottawa. Canada, Finland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, West Germany and the United States participated. Canada wins their second consecutive and first IIHF official, World Championship.
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1992

  • Manon Rhéaume is the first woman to play in the NHL as she backstops the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 1992 exhibition game.

1998

  • Women’s hockey becomes a full medal sport at the Olympic Winter Games for the first time. The United States defeats Canada to win the first Olympic gold medal for Women’s Ice Hockey.
  • The COWHL closes, and the original National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) begins operations.
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1999

  • The Women’s World Championships expands to two pools, A and B.

2004

  • The Western Women’s Hockey League (WWHL) is formed.

2005

  • Angela Ruggiero becomes the first woman to play in a regular season professional game in the United States who was not a goaltender when she played for the Tulsa Oilers against the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees in a Central Hockey League game on January 28, 2005. That night, she joined her brother Bill on the Oilers, becoming the first brother/sister combination to play professionally at the same time.
  • USA ends Canada’s streak of eight straight (nine unofficial) World Championship titles in a shoot-out.
  • The Clarkson Cup is commissioned by Canadian Governor General Adrienne Clarkson.

2006

  • Sweden becomes the first non-North American team to earn silver at the Winter Olympic Games beating the United States in the semi-finals.

2007

  • The original NWHL abruptly ceases operations. Players band together and form the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL).

2008

  • The IIHF adds the U18 Women’s World Championship to its tournament roster. The United States takes home the first gold medal.
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2010

  • Canada wins its third straight Olympic gold medal, defeating the rival Americans in a hard-fought 2-0 final.
  • Cammi Granato and Angela James are the first women selected for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
  • The CWHL expands into the United States with the Boston Blades.

2011

  • The WWHL winds down operations as former teams the Strathmore Rockies and Edmonton Chimos merge into the CWHL as Team Alberta. The Minnesota Whitecaps, the most prominent of the remaining WWHL teams, becomes independent.
USA vs Canada Women's Gold Medal Game - Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images).

USA vs Canada Women's Gold Medal Game - Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images).


Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) Dream Gap Tour Women’s Hockey Showcase Final game action on October 20, 2019 at the Fifth Third Arena in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Team (Cammi) Granato (White) beat Team (Jayna) Hefford (Red) 4 - 1. (Photo by Paul Stinsa/Hockey Hall of Fame).

Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) Dream Gap Tour Women’s Hockey Showcase Final game action on October 20, 2019 at the Fifth Third Arena in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Team (Cammi) Granato (White) beat Team (Jayna) Hefford (Red) 4 - 1. (Photo by Paul Stinsa/Hockey Hall of Fame).


Alternate Captain Kaleigh Fratkin #13 of the Boston Pride proudly hoists the Isboel Cup amongst her teammates after winning the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) Isobel Cup final game on March 27, 2021 at the Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton, Massachusetts, USA. The Boston Pride beat the Minnesota Whitecaps 4 – 3 to win the Isobel Cup championship. (Photo credit – Steve Babineau/Hockey Hall of Fame).

Alternate Captain Kaleigh Fratkin #13 of the Boston Pride proudly hoists the Isboel Cup amongst her teammates after winning the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) Isobel Cup final game on March 27, 2021 at the Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton, Massachusetts, USA. The Boston Pride beat the Minnesota Whitecaps 4 – 3 to win the Isobel Cup championship. (Photo credit – Steve Babineau/Hockey Hall of Fame).

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2013

  • Geraldine Heaney becomes the third woman inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

2014

  • Canada wins its fourth straight Olympic gold medal, scoring the tying goal with seconds left in regulation, forcing overtime in an epic championship contest against the United States.
USA vs Canada Women's Gold Medal Game - Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images).

USA vs Canada Women's Gold Medal Game - Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images).

2015

  • Angela Ruggiero becomes the fourth woman inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
  • A new National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) launches with four teams in the USA. The new NWHL championship trophy is named the Isobel Cup after the daughter of Lord Stanley, who is one of the earliest known female hockey players. It is the first women’s league in North America to pay players.

2017

  • Danielle Goyette becomes the fifth woman inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
  • The CWHL expands into China with two teams, the Kunlun Red Star and Vanke Rays based in Shenzhen. This was an effort of the Chinese Government in order to ice a competitive team at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. The following season, the teams would merge into the KRS Vanke Rays. This investment allows the CWHL to pay their players.

2018

  • For the first time in Women’s Olympic history, the gold medal winner is determined by shoot-out. Jocelyne Lamoureux scores the winner for the USA as they defeat their rival from Canada, claiming their second Olympic gold medal.
  • Jayna Hefford becomes the sixth woman inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
  • The Minnesota Whitecaps make a return to league play as they join the new NWHL.

2019

  • Kendall Coyne Schofield becomes the first woman to participate in the NHL’s All-Star Skills Competition in the Fastest Skater event. Previously, female players were included as demonstrators of the events only.
  • The final Clarkson Cup is awarded in March and the CWHL closes a week later citing an unstable business model.
  • Finland becomes the first country other than Canada and the United States to finish in the top two of the IIHF Women’s World Championship when they take silver on home ice.
  • Former CWHL players and several NWHL players, along with support from many players around the world, come together and form the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) to advocate for the creation of a sustainable professional league. In the Fall, they began their Dream Gap Tour.
  • Hayley Wickenheiser becomes the seventh woman inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) Dream Gap Tour Women’s Hockey Showcase Final game action on October 20, 2019 at the Fifth Third Arena in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Team (Cammi) Granato (White) beat Team (Jayna) Hefford (Red) 4 - 1. (Photo by Paul Stinsa/Hockey Hall of Fame).

Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) Dream Gap Tour Women’s Hockey Showcase Final game action on October 20, 2019 at the Fifth Third Arena in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Team (Cammi) Granato (White) beat Team (Jayna) Hefford (Red) 4 - 1. (Photo by Paul Stinsa/Hockey Hall of Fame).

2020

  • The new NWHL expands into Canada for the first time with the addition of the Toronto Six.

2021

  • The new NWHL rebrands as the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF).
  • Canada breaks a five-year gold medal drought, winning the IIHF Women’s World Championship on home ice.
  • Kim St-Pierre becomes the eighth woman (and first female goaltender) inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
  • IIHF members vote to hold the IIHF Women’s World Championship during Olympic Winter Games years. The tournaments in these years will take place in the summer and help mark the start of a new Olympic cycle.
Alternate Captain Kaleigh Fratkin #13 of the Boston Pride proudly hoists the Isboel Cup amongst her teammates after winning the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) Isobel Cup final game on March 27, 2021 at the Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton, Massachusetts, USA. The Boston Pride beat the Minnesota Whitecaps 4 – 3 to win the Isobel Cup championship. (Photo credit – Steve Babineau/Hockey Hall of Fame).

Alternate Captain Kaleigh Fratkin #13 of the Boston Pride proudly hoists the Isboel Cup amongst her teammates after winning the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) Isobel Cup final game on March 27, 2021 at the Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton, Massachusetts, USA. The Boston Pride beat the Minnesota Whitecaps 4 – 3 to win the Isobel Cup championship. (Photo credit – Steve Babineau/Hockey Hall of Fame).

2022

  • Canada reclaims Olympic gold after defeating the USA in Beijing. Canadian forward Sarah Nurse breaks Hayley Wickenheiser’s record for most points in a single Olympic tournament as well as setting the record for assists while Claire Thompson becomes the top scoring defender and Brianne Jenner ties the record for most goals.
  • Riikka Sallinen becomes the ninth woman inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and the first female player from outside of North America.
  • Finland’s Jenni Hiirikoski plays in her 14th IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship, a new record.
  • USA’s Hilary Knight breaks Hayley Wickenheiser’s record for most career points at the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship.
  • Czechia wins bronze at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, marking their first medal at the top level tournament.
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Winners & Leaders

World Championships: Year-By-Year Results

Year Gold Silver Bronze
1987* Canada Ontario United States
1990 Canada United States Finland
1992 Canada United States Finland
1994 Canada United States Finland
1997 Canada United States Finland
1999 Canada United States Finland
2000 Canada United States Finland
2001 Canada United States Russia
2004 Canada United States Finland
2005 United States Canada Sweden
2007 Canada United States Sweden
2008 United States Canada Finland
2009 United States Canada Finland
2011 United States Canada Finland
2012 Canada United States Switzerland
2013 United States Canada Russia
2015 United States Canada Finland
2016 United States Canada Russia
2017 United States Canada Finland
2019 United States Finland Canada
2021 Canada United States Finland
2022 Canada United States Czechia

* This tournament was not officially sanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation.

The World Championship did not take place in 1998/2002/2006/2010/2014/2018 (At the time, no World Championship would be held during a Winter Olympic Games year. This changed in 2022), 2003 (SARS-related cancellation) and 2020 (COVID-19 related cancellation).

World Championships: Career Point Leaders

Points Player Country (Goals - Assists) Tournaments
89 Hilary Knight USA (53G-36A) 12
86 Hayley Wickenheiser Canada (37G-49A) 13
83 Jayna Hefford Canada (40G-43A) 12
78 Cammi Granato USA (44G-34A) 9
68 Brianna Decker USA (28G-40A) 8
68 Danielle Goyette Canada (37G-31A) 9
68 Caroline Ouellette Canada (23G-45A) 12
67 Kendall Coyne Schofield USA (26G-41A) 9
65 Marie-Philip Poulin Canada (29G-36A) 10
61 Jenny Potter USA (23G-38A) 10
60 Riikka Sallinen Finland (25G-35A) 8
59 Jennifer Botterill Canada (26G-33A) 8

Winter Olympic Games: Year-By-Year Results

Year Gold Silver Bronze
1998 United States Canada Finland
2002 Canada United States Sweden
2006 Canada Sweden United States
2010 Canada United States Finland
2014 Canada United States Switzerland
2018 United States Canada Finland
2022 Canada United States Finland

Winter Olympic Games: Career Point Leaders

Points Player Country (Goals - Assists) Tournaments
51 Hayley Wickenheiser Canada (18G-33A) 5
35 Marie-Philip Poulin Canada (17G-18A) 4
32 Jenny Potter USA (11G-21A) 4
30 Cherie Piper Canada (15G-15A) 3
30 Jayna Hefford Canada (13G-17A) 5
28 Meghan Agosta Canada (17G-11A) 4
27 Hilary Knight USA (12G-15A) 4
26 Caroline Ouellette Canada (9G-17A) 4
26 Rebecca Johnston Canada (8G-18A) 4
25 Danielle Goyette Canada (15G-10A) 3
25 Natalie Darwitz USA (14G-11A) 3
25 Riikka Sallinen Finland (12G-13A) 4
23 Katie King USA (14G-9A) 3
23 Michelle Karvinen Finland (12G-11A) 4
23 Alina Muller Switzerland (12G-11A) 3