Last week, we wrote about the folding of the CWHL and our belief that women’s hockey would be okay. This week, we’re telling you why we believe this to be true.

News broke on Friday afternoon that former CWHL Governor and major financial contributor Graeme Roustan had informed the current CWHL Board that he would like to take over the CWHL, but he requires all of them to hand in their resignation. This request should come as no surprise as Roustan had stepped down from the CWHL when they weren’t able to provide him with financial records indicating where his significant financial contributions to the league were going.

This news, though has come as a surprise to many and has even gained a surplus of negative attention on social media. Many believe that Roustan’s offer is not with good intentions. We’re here to tell you differently.

Why Roustan is the right person for the job

Consider this: women’s hockey, in its current state, is not profitable. That’s not to say that it never will be. That’s to say that women’s hockey is currently struggling. We all know how good the product is—it’s time the rest of the world knew, too. With the right financial support, promotion, and brain power behind it, women’s hockey will no doubt be successful.

Graeme Roustan is offering to do this for women’s hockey, despite its ultimate success and profitability being years away. He understands the importance of the game, respects the hard-working women in the game, and he knows that it deserves more. He’s shown his support in the past and continues to show his support by stepping in when the game needs it the most:

“In 1977, I was the President of my High School student council and I volunteered to be the assistant coach of the women’s hockey team. I took a great deal of ribbing from the guys on my hockey team but I knew I had some leadership skills and hockey sense to offer up to some great athletes. In 2008 as Chairman of Bauer I again took a leadership role in supporting the women of the CWHL, which continued in my personal capacity through November 2018. I am once again offering my leadership in support of women’s hockey by taking control of the CWHL away from Directors who I believe have not demonstrated the necessary leadership at this time.”

Jaclyn Hawkins, President of Women’s Hockey Life, had the following to say about Roustan: “To hear that Graeme has stepped up to not only support a professional women’s hockey league, but to also fund it, excites me and it should excite you too. He knows what he is doing and I believe in his vision and support what he is doing 100%.”

Roustan and Women’s Hockey Life

How can Hawkins be so sure about Roustan? The website you’re reading this on is case in point.

“The reason Women’s Hockey Life exists today is because of Graeme. He planted a seed in my head back in 2010 and has provided me with invaluable guidance and support over the last nine years. He saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself at the time. He stuck by my side through all of my growing pains of learning how to run a business. I made mistakes, bad investments, lost money, but he never quit on me and I know he will never quit on women’s hockey. I don’t know what the future holds, but if Graeme is involved, women’s hockey will thrive.”

If it wasn’t for Graeme Roustan, Women’s Hockey Life may not exist, or at least it may not exist in the way that it does today.

The future of women’s hockey

Women’s hockey’s future is up in the air right now, but if we know one thing to be true it’s that there are people who are willing to help it. Graeme Roustan is one of these people.

We have no way of predicting the future, and there are many circumstances that will come into play as the future of women’s hockey unfolds, but if Graeme Roustan is able to drive the game forward, we know it’s in good hands. We’re here, waiting like the rest of you to find out how this will all play out.

What we do know is that women’s hockey deserves more than it’s getting right now.

DISCLAIMER: Graeme Roustan has never financially supported Women’s Hockey Life—this is a personal opinion from our President, Jaclyn Hawkins.