There is some chatter out there suggesting the Rivalry Series which pits Canada’s national women’s hockey team against their American counterparts annually has run its course.
Members of Canada’s National team who also play on the Toronto Sceptres would prefer you ignore that short-sighted talk.
Those in favour of bringing an end to the series suggest the cost is just too high in light of recent injuries suffered in games, including those to Sceptres’ forward Sarah Nurse and Boston forward Hannah Bilka that occurred during the PWHL’s last international break that saw the five-game series conclude with games in Halifax, N.S., and Summerside PEI.
Other high-profile PWHL skaters to spend time on the injured list following Rivalry Series competition include Minnesota sharpshooter Taylor Heise and Montreal defender Cayla Barnes.
The Series, which is an exhibition geared towards preparing the two countries for the upcoming world championships and a year from now will help in their preparations for the Olympics, was reduced from seven games to five games this season, but the detractors maintain the injury concerns are just too big to allow it to continue.
Sceptres’ captain and long-time national team member Blayre Turnbull believes the series maintains a value and should be preserved.
“Obviously it’s tough to come out of that Series with a couple of big players down, but I think there is still a benefit to the Rivalry Series,” Turnbull said. “It’s during a time when we have an international break anyway, because the other countries have to go play in their Olympic qualifiers, so for us to play two games in the middle of a season I think it still fits.
“The games are still competitive, the rivalry is still heated, so I know as a member of Team Canada it’s still important for me to play in those games and it’s still a lot of fun,” she said.
Sceptres’ head coach Troy Ryan, who also wears that hat with Team Canada, suggests the argument that injuries have occurred in these games and therefore they are too risky just doesn’t hold water in a sport where injuries can occur anywhere.
“You don’t want to see anyone get hurt in any situation,” Ryan said. “Obviously this is a situation where the NSO’s (National Sport Organizations) and the PWHL will obviously discuss this and have a look at this. But as far as I’m concerned from a hockey perspective or a coach perspective, you never know when (injuries) are going to happen. To be over-protective in those situations, I don’t think it makes a lot of sense.
“Someone could have got hurt today in (Sceptres) practice so if someone gets hurt today in practice does that mean we don’t practice moving forward?
“I understand there’s a lot more to it so I do think this will probably be an on-going conversation and will continue to be one with the international teams and the PWHL.”
Ryan says there’s a risk in mothballing the games as well.
“I think you are seeing right now with the Four Nations Face-off on the men’s side that it still means something to the athletes,” he said. “It’s still a best-on-best opportunity. You can learn from what’s gone on with the men’s side as well. That opportunity had been taken away from them for (nine) years and I believe through their PA (Player’s Association) they fought to get it back. You want to make sure you are learning from those situations,” he said.
Sceptres’ defender Renata Fast, like Turnbull has a resume loaded with international experience, representing Canada at Olympics and world championships and plenty of Rivalry games as well.
With Canada gearing up to defend its world championship title in April in Czechia, Fast used this week-long reunion with her national team teammates to talk strategy and tactics.
“I still think there is a lot of value in being able to come together as National team,” she said. “It’s a small sample of best-on-best throughout the year. I know us as players we love it. We are all so close-knit so it’s a lot of fun. You also have access to high-end coaching as well. I think there’s still value to it. I’m glad they moved it down from seven games to five, but it’s tough when you get those injuries.”
Fast took the opportunity to spend as much time with the Team Canada D corps and broke down plays together and problem solved on things like breakouts.
“It was eye-opening to bounce some ideas off some of them and some of the things they are experiencing with their club teams so I think that was the biggest value for me,” Fast said.
Fast admitted the support for the Rivalry Series at this point isn’t unanimous even in the Team Canada room.
“I do think it’s mixed,” she said. “I think there are some players that feel like the injury risk is too high, but I think there is a large majority that also really enjoy and see the benefit of it. Moving it down to five games was a good step and even if it ends up being just three games down the line, I think that’s fine, but it is a nice touchpoint.”
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