Reagan Carey, the Premier Hockey Federation’s new commissioner, was announced Tuesday.
Carey was previously the USA Hockey director of women’s ice hockey, and oversaw the U.S. women’s national teams that won Olympic gold in PyeongChang and silver in Sochi. Carey was also the general manager for the women’s team.
She becomes the third league commissioner in history. succeeding Tyler TumminiaHe was the National Women’s Hockey League’s first female hockey league president.
Carey resigned from USA Hockey in 2018 and worked as a consultant, while also volunteering for the sport’s grassroots.
“It wasn’t something I was interested. When the opportunity presented itself and people shared more information with me about their goals, I became more involved,” Carey said to ESPN. “I understood their needs and what they wanted. My professional experience and passion for the sport are very compatible with the work that the Board has already begun.”
Tobin Kelly, the Chairman of PHF Board of Governors chaired the search committee and interviewed several candidates.
Kelly said that Reagan Carey stands out because of her extraordinary depth of experience and collaborative approach to the position.
Carey officially takes office as commissioner on May 10. This is a crucial time for the league which is about to enter its eighth season.
The Board of Governors of PHF made a commitment to invest more than $25 millionThe next three years will be the most important. The record salary cap for 2022-22-23 will be $750,000 per team, with a floor at $562,500.
For the 2022-23 season, it is expected that the PHF will expand from six to eight teams. It is also possible that one team may be based in Montreal and another in a U.S. town. Carey stated that although he didn’t have a solution for you right now, he knows it’s important and will provide updates as soon as possible.
The PHF is expected to have some competition during this season. The Professional Women’s Hockey Player Association intends to launch a six team league in January 2023. The PWHPA is a group of female players from Canada and the U.S. who were in discussions about forming a partnership with PHF earlier this season. opted not to work with the league.
Carey described the arrival in a rival league as a “really good time for women’s hockey” since it provides more options for players.
“I hesitate to call us competitors. I hope we can support and partner with each other in the way that Hockey Canada or USA Hockey do. Carey explained that although you play on the ice and have a great time, the collaborative mentality behind the scenes is what has enabled us to make significant advances in our sport. Carey said, “If you want to promote women’s hockey, then you’re a teammate regardless of the logo or entity that you represent.” My hope is for a positive dialogue.”
Carey was a PWHPA player at USA Hockey during the 2017 wage and benefit dispute that nearly led to the boycott of the world championships. Carey stated that she has learned a lot from her experience, and is now preparing to lead the PHF.
Carey stated, “Just harnessing power of passion is a valuable lesson. However, it’s also about communicating and trusting and transparency is important to my.” I think that all these aspects, as we move ahead, will be critical to the success of PHF.