USA Hockey has postponed the start of the women’s national team’s world championship training camp amid an ongoing wage dispute.
USA Hockey said the camp originally scheduled to begin Wednesday in Traverse City, Michigan, won’t happen.
The organization “anticipates” a training camp in Plymouth, Michigan, site of the upcoming International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship.
Players announced last week that they’d boycott the tournament unless they made significant progress with USA Hockey in negotiations on a labour deal. The sides met for 10-plus hours Monday, and John Langel, a lawyer for the players, tells The Associated Press that the next meeting will be by phone but hasn’t been scheduled yet.
USA Hockey and players called Monday’s talks “productive,” and star forward Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson said the team was “hopeful” about reaching an agreement. Without a deal, there’s no clarity on when a potential training camp might begin or how long it would run.
The camp was supposed to go from Wednesday through March 28 and include an exhibition game Saturday against Finland that also won’t take place. USA Hockey says it sincerely regrets cancelling camp in Traverse City.
The tournament begins March 31. The U.S. is the defending champion and has won six of the past eight world championship gold medals.
Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
