Timeline Evolution Of Women's Hockey |
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1890s |
Women's hockey gains popularity in universities, principally at the University of Toronto and Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. |
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. |
1930s |
The Preston Rivulettes rule the ice lanes. Click here for an interview with Ruth (Dargel) Collins of the Preston Rivulettes. |
1940s |
The war halts any development of the women's game, which doesn't revive until the early 1970s. |
1956 |
Abby Hoffman challenged hockey's gender barrier by playing in a boys league under the guise of being male. |
1970s |
Shirley Cameron becomes hockey's first star of the modern era. |
1987 |
The first ever Women's World Championship takes place in Toronto. However, it is not recognized as an official tournament by the IIHF. |
1990 |
The first official and IIHF-sanctioned Women's World Championship is held in Ottawa. |
1998 |
Women's hockey becomes a full medal sport at the Olympic Winter Games for the first time. |
1999 |
The women's division at the World Championships expands to two pools, A and B. |
2005 |
USA ends Canada's streak of eight straight (nine unofficial) world titles in a shoot-out. |
2006 |
Sweden becomes the first non-North American team to earn silver at the Winter Olympic Games beating United States in the semi-finals. |
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 first women selected for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. |
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. |
2015 |
Angela Ruggiero becomes the fourth woman Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. |
2017 |
Danielle Goyette becomes the fifth woman Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. |
2018 |
For the first time in Women's Olympic Hockey history, the gold medal-winner is determined by shootout. Jocelyne Lamoureux scores the winner for the USA as they defeat their rivals from Canada.
Jayna Hefford becomes the sixth woman Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. |
2019 |
Finland becomes the first country other than Canada and the United States of America to finish in the top two of the IIHF Women's World Championship when they take the silver on home ice.
Hayley Wickenheiser becomes the seventh woman Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. |
2021 |
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 Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
IIHF members vote to hold the IIHF Women's World Championships during Winter Olympic Games years. The tournaments in these years will take place in the summer, and help mark the start of a new Olympic cycle. |
2022 |
Riikka Sallinen becomes the ninth woman Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and the first female player from outside of North America.
Czechia wins bronze at the IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship, marking their first medal at the top tournament. |