I always find it amusing when the press, and many hockey fans, equate hockey with the professional leagues. Like many (perhaps most?) Canadians, I've watched hundreds of hockey games in my life, from girls' Atom up to senior OHL league games, but I've only ever watched one NHL game (and I watched it when some Canadian friends visited me while I was living in Washington, D.C. back in the 90's). Our local 2-pad arena, where I live now, is booked solid during weekends in the winter (and booked solid until 9 or 10 every evening). We watch our local Junior B teams as often as we can (if we buy a book of tickets, we can watch them for $5). All three of my daughters play hockey and expect to play it even after intermediate level. My wife took up the sport in her 40's and now plays in a  scrub league, and loves it. Women's hockey is here to stay because it's fun and, once they play it, women, like men, want to keep playing as long as they can. Why all the focus on making money for playing?