Hey, hockey fans. To Hockey, With Love here. Did you miss us? Well, we sure missed you, and we’re back to serve as your one and only source of relevant hockey content.
Yeah, we know, we know! We’ve been gone for a minute! We’re only somewhat sorry about it; we’ve been busy!
Last week, we celebrated two years of To Hockey, With Love, which means we took time to reflect on the past year of this project. 2023 was an interesting year, to say the least. As we were dealing with life’s curveballs, unfortunately, we had less time and energy to put into the newsletter part of our To Hockey, With Love empire. However, we still managed to accomplish quite a few things. The mentorship program has been thriving, and we’re very proud of our work with the Professional Hockey Writers Association. We also got to go to see Beyonce and some of our friends in Vancouver and, most importantly (drumroll pleaseeeee!!), Perrye successfully defended her thesis! You’re now talking to Ms. Perrye-Delphine Seraphin, M.A. She is available to answer all your questions about the state of representation of Black and racialized people in Canadian media. Not really (unless you want to pay her, of course), but her thesis is cool as hell, and we (as in all of her friends and family) are so proud. Congratulations again, friend!!
On the flip side, we also had multiple encounters where we were disrespected by people in the sport, leaving us baffled and with a bitter taste. Actually, to say disrespect might be putting it a little lightly. There were just straight-up moments of racism, misogyny, and the outright questioning of our intelligence and integrity. While we don’t feel the need to air out our business in detail, we are petty enough (mostly Gaby) to say that there is a reason why women of color are taught to document all of their off-putting interactions at work - carefully and in detail - early in their careers. The energy is different this year, and so will our reactions to these things moving forward.
While reflecting on what was next, we realized it was harder to write new issues because we felt we were repeating the same thing. We were almost living Groundhog Day when it came to hockey. You know the usual… the Flames still suck, the Sharks are still at the bottom of the standing, and Toronto media is still too harsh on their players. What else is new?
Our goal was always to take a critical look at what is happening in hockey, but what else is there to say when we’re just reacting to what we’re seeing repeatedly? It doesn’t feel good to constantly repeat ourselves when discussing issues that mean a lot to us. It has taken a toll on our mental and physical health.
You’re probably reading this and are saying, what does it mean for To Hockey, With Love? As much as it sounds like it, this isn’t a letter to announce the end of the newsletter. (YAY!) We’re still hopeful for the future, and we have wishes of what we like to see from the sport and what we want to do next. Here’s our 2024 THWL wishlist:
Gary Bettman retires. A man who allowed NFTs to happen in 2023 does NOT have their finger on the pulse. We’d formally like to nominate literally anyone else.
Less superficial initiatives surrounding EDI - It’’s time to stop pretending that change is happening by players wearing a special jersey for 15 minutes during the warmups.
A real investment in youth hockey that doesn’t require someone’s daddy to be a VP at a Global 500. Sports are essential for community development, and all children should be able to play!
A more significant effort by the NHLPA to reinforce the idea that players are workers and that they don’t have to suffer for the game.
More players outright calling the league out for all the nonsense they engage in. Go ahead, be a little feral.
We hope that The PWHL takes the concerns of fans and people in the DEI space seriously. While we want the league to thrive, we’ve been around long enough to clock the reproductions of oppressive dynamics seen in men’s hockey that are already established.
We’re aware that those wishes won’t happen anytime soon, if ever, but we’re at a point where we need to start manifesting some change to ensure a bright future. As for us and the newsletter, we wish to grow creatively in 2024. We will still publish on a bi-weekly schedule, but we have decided to explore more hockey-adjacent topics (think more TV, movies, and fashion-related issues). We might also discuss our interests that aren’t fully linked to the sport. Don’t worry; we’ll still discuss “serious” topics that interest us as they arise, but we want to remove the pressure from performative outrage. Your support has been incredible from the beginning, and we’re so grateful for your patience. We hope that you all continue sticking with us and enjoying our content.
Thank you!
With lots of love,
Perrye and Gaby
Thanks for your great newsletter! Your wish list item about more investment in youth sports and all children should be able to play made me think that you would enjoy the book Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids' Sports, and Why it Matters by Linda Flanagan