quote:

Originally posted by Paulzzy:
Manon Rheaume became the first woman ever to play in an NHL game.

What bothers me about this is that headline, and the fact that it was nothing more than a publicity stunt by Phil Esposito to draw attention to the new (at the time) team in Tampa. Anyone who believes that a woman can play in the NHL has rocks in his or her head.

Rheaume had created a buzz earlier as the first woman ever to play in a major junior A league game. I may have this wrong here as this was long ago, but I think she was actually playing for a junior C team in Quebec when the local QMJHL team needed an emergency backup goalie. Assuming the backup wasn't going to play, they took her rather than pull a goalie off the local Jr. B team. Then the starting goalie got hurt and they had no choice but to put her in.

I don't think she ever played another game in the QMJHL before Espo's huckster/showman side got the better of him.

Has anyone else ever heard that side of the story? Again I can't say it's 100 percent accurate.

Apparently she played in 24 minor league games over 5 years-for SEVEN different teams.

IMO- she was never more than a sideshow, but that gets lost over time.

Revisionist history.

quote:

Originally posted by Paulzzy:
Manon Rheaume became the first woman ever to play in an NHL game.

What bothers me about this is that headline, and the fact that it was nothing more than a publicity stunt by Phil Esposito to draw attention to the new (at the time) team in Tampa. Anyone who believes that a woman can play in the NHL has rocks in his or her head.

Rheaume had created a buzz earlier as the first woman ever to play in a major junior A league game. I may have this wrong here as this was long ago, but I think she was actually playing for a junior C team in Quebec when the local QMJHL team needed an emergency backup goalie. Assuming the backup wasn't going to play, they took her rather than pull a goalie off the local Jr. B team. Then the starting goalie got hurt and they had no choice but to put her in.

I don't think she ever played another game in the QMJHL before Espo's huckster/showman side got the better of him.

Has anyone else ever heard that side of the story? Again I can't say it's 100 percent accurate.

Apparently she played in 24 minor league games over 5 years-for SEVEN different teams.

IMO- she was never more than a sideshow, but that gets lost over time.

Revisionist history.