In the past, people would ask Jennifer Gardiner about her future plans.
Her response was simple: to become a professional hockey player.
However, she realized that becoming a professional player wasn't really a possibility. So the question shifted to, 'What do you want to do alongside playing hockey?'
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AP Photo/Gary M. Baranec
Without a sustainable women's hockey league in North America and the associated competitive salaries, players like Gardiner needed a second career to support their passion for hockey, following the example of those who came before them.
Times have changed rapidly.
Getting ready to compete in the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four starting Friday, the Ohio State captain from Surrey, B.C., has her sights set on the inaugural season of the Professional Women's Hockey League. This fifth-year senior, who is currently working on a master’s degree in sports management, envisions a future where she can completely focus on her beloved sport. Her ultimate goal is to play for the national team and compete in the Olympics.
She expressed her excitement about being able to focus entirely on hockey and dedicate herself fully to the sport in the coming years.
Gardiner and her teammates are aiming to secure the program’s second U.S. national championship in women’s hockey after winning in 2022 and finishing as runners-up last year.
Gardiner stated that her upcoming goal is to be able to play hockey as her full-time job and devote her entire life to the sport in the next couple of years, which is something that excites her.
Ohio State, ranked No. 1, will face No. 4 Clarkson in Friday’s semifinals in Durham, N.H., while No. 2 Wisconsin will meet No. 3 Colgate. The title game will take place on Sunday.
The competition will feature a considerable number of Canadian players, with Clarkson’s roster including 22 Canadians, followed by Colgate with 14, Ohio State with six, and Wisconsin with five.
Gardiner expressed that this tournament marks her last college hockey event.
However, she sees it as a new beginning rather than the end of the road.
The six-team Professional Women’s Hockey League has gained significant attention since its launch in January due to its innovative and forward-thinking approach to the game, which has resonated well with fans.
Fifth-year Colgate forward Danielle Serdachny referred to the current time in women’s hockey as exciting, with many players having goals and dreams.
Serdachny added that the upstart Professional Women's Hockey League has been a major topic of discussion among her team this season.
The Edmonton product mentioned that the PWHL has piqued her interest and that she is currently focused on the upcoming tournament and her final college games, but finds the league's offerings to be highly exciting.
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Canada forward Danielle Serdachny battles for the puck during an IIHF Women's World Hockey Championship game.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
"Everything is escalating so fast," said the defender from London, Ont. "That's what many of the girls currently playing in the league have been advocating for.
"They finally got their voice heard."
Colgate head coach Greg Fargo, on the other hand, has been hearing a lot of PWHL talk in the NCAA.
"What an opportunity," he said. "It couldn't come at a better time for some of our graduates."
The Kingston, Ont., player stated that the league, which will have its second-ever draft in June, is also a significant boost to U.S. college sports and women’s hockey at all levels.
"I'll watch a PWHL game with my eight-year-old daughter," Fargo said. "That has an impact on how she sees the game and the opportunities that will be out there.
"It's going to greatly expand our game. It's not just every four years around the Olympics. It's going to be every season."
Clarkson head coach Matt Desrosiers played professionally after his NCAA career ended. He couldn't imagine juggling a full-time job and pursuing that dream all at once.
"Now they have one, singular focus," said the native of Fort Erie, Ont. "They don't have to make tough decisions regarding their career if they still have an opportunity to play pro.
"They've earned it. They deserve it."
Those players include women currently in the PWHL who fought for a united North American league on solid financial footing – and past generations that scraped by in hopes of a better future.
"The reason it's all come to life," Serdachny said. "All the credit goes to them."
Gardiner is reassured the end of her NCAA journey isn’t the end of a viable hockey path.
"I’m very passionate," she said. "Excited to continue in my career.
"And concentrate on hockey."
Prepared to compete in the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four, Canadian hockey player Jennifer Gardiner also has a keen eye on the PWHL’s banner first season.
