The federal government suspending Hockey Canada's funding because of problems distant to the national women's team can still affect it.
The Canadian women's and para hockey teams rely heavily on federal funds to operate. The bulk of training costs for men's teams are borne by pro or junior clubs who loan players to Hockey Canada for international tournaments.
So when federal sport minister Pascale St-Onge froze Hockey Canada's funding over its handling of an alleged sexual assault by members of the 2018 world junior men's team, the women worried about the financial fallout for their team. "It's a concern for sure," forward Blayre Turnbull said. "We consider ourselves professional athletes without the professional paycheque. "A lot of our money comes from the government and comes from other organizations like that.
Our program would be greatly impacted if the freezing of funds continues to happen." Among the 142 senior and developmental players currently participating in a Calgary camp are 19 women who won Olympic gold in Beijing in February.