Women's hockey union announces series of showcase tournaments

After pledging not to compete in North America this season, more than 200 of the world's top women's hockey players are launching a series of tournaments called the Dream Gap Tour, the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association announced Wednesday.

The "gap" in the tour's name refers to the gap in opportunities that young women encounter if they want to play hockey professionally for a sustainable income.

"You always grow up and hear boys say, 'I want to be a pro hockey player one day.' You don't hear little girls saying that. They say, 'I want to go to the Olympics,'" said U.S. star Kendall Coyne Schofield, according to The Associated Press' John Wawrow. "That's the pinnacle of our sport. I can't make a living playing this sport. ... When I graduate college, I either go to the Olympic Games or get a job."

At each of the tour's four stops, about 80 players will be split into four teams. They'll play a three-game round-robin tournament followed by a championship game. The stops will also include youth clinics.

The tour will start in Toronto from Sept. 20-22, then visit Hudson, New Hampshire, from Oct. 4-6, and Chicago from Oct. 18-20. Union members will also play exhibition games against Boston College on Sept. 21 and against Sharks alumni in San Jose on Sept. 22. Potential tour stops in Southern California and Buffalo are also being discussed.

The PWHPA was formed in May as part of the players' efforts to promote and support a single, viable professional women's league that would showcase the game's top talents.

"We're not talking about millions of dollars here. We just want to be able to live and train full time, and see how far we can take this game," said defenseman Alyssa Gagliardi, who has played in both the CWHL and NWHL. "For so long, it's only been limited to the girls on the national team that can truly do that full time, so this is kind of broadening that."