PWHL open to a 'Keeper of the Cup' after Walter Cup travel mishaps
Jayna Hefford says the league may eventually assign someone to travel with its championship trophy after two summer shipping problems.
The PWHL may eventually assign a person to travel with the Walter Cup after its championship trophy missed two planned appearances this summer.
Asked whether the league might name a dedicated trophy handler, PWHL hockey operations executive Jayna Hefford said Thursday, “Maybe somewhere down the road.” She pointed to the demands of building the league: “I think we’ve had so much on our plates and so much to work on and to build and to do. We haven’t got there yet, but we’re confident that it’ll travel around and still make its appearances so that people can feel part of it.” The NHL uses keepers when the Stanley Cup travels.
The travelling trophy missed Montréal Victoire forward Dara Greig’s scheduled August appearance in Lethbridge, Alta. The PWHL said at the time that the cup was “lost in shipment”; it was found days later. Hefford said Thursday that it had been delayed rather than lost and that the league had always known its whereabouts.
A second delivery failed in early September. Former Victoire forward Shiann Darkangelo attended an event in Brighton, Mich., without the cup. The league did not comment on that case. The Athletic reported that the PWHL used the same shipping company for both trips.
Greig’s postponed Lethbridge appearance took place Wednesday, with the cup displayed at a fan meet-and-greet. Hefford said the league intends to keep taking it to players and fans despite the difficulty of moving it so often.
