The 2018–19 CWHL season was the 12th and final season of the

Canadian Women's Hockey League The Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL; french: Ligue canadienne de hockey féminin ‒ LCHF) was a women's ice hockey league. Established in 2007 as a Canadian women's senior league in the Greater Toronto Area, Montreal, and Ottawa, the league ...

Offseason

*July 16: The CWHL contracted the

Vanke Rays The Shenzhen Vanke Rays () were a women's ice hockey team that played in the 2017–18 season of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL). They were based in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China and played at the Shenzhen Dayun Arena. The team was develo ...

' membership after one season to focus solely on the Kunlun Red Star team in China. *July 19:

Jayna Hefford Jayna Hefford (born May 14, 1977) is a Canadian retired ice hockey player and current chairperson of the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association. During her career, she won multiple medals at the Winter Olympics and IIHF World Women's C ...

was appointed to the position of interim commissioner of the CWHL, replacing inaugural commissioner

Brenda Andress Brenda Andress was the first Commissioner for the Canadian Women's Hockey League, serving in the position from 2008–09 to 2017–18. Professional career Andress was a former director of recreation for the Town of Newmarket, Ontario. She was al ...

, who tendered her resignation. *August 3: The Kunlun Red Star franchise was rebranded as the

Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays The Shenzhen Kunlun Red Star () or the Shenzhen KRS () are a professional ice hockey team in the Zhenskaya Hockey League (ZhHL). They are based in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China and their home is Shenzhen Dayun Arena. In response to heightened ent ...

as part of integrating the CWHL's two teams in China. Rob Morgan, who served as the head coach of the

during the previous season, was also named as the general manager for the consolidated Chinese team. *August 20, 2018: The Boston Blades relocated to

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...

and rebranded as the Worcester Blades. Home games are scheduled for the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center.

One league movement

Starting in March 2018, and throughout the offseason, current and former players took to

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...

to promote the concept of one unified professional women's hockey league. Players had utilized the hashtag #OneLeague to indicated their support.

CWHL draft

Heading into the draft, the league reported that general managers were authorized to "pre-sign" their first and second round selections prior to the draft. The window for pre-signing expired on August 17.

Head coaching and front office personnel changes

Head coaches

Front office

Standings

Final standings : Advanced to playoffs

Clarkson Cup playoffs

Awards and honors

Regular season

Postseason awards

* 2019 Clarkson Cup Playoff MVP:

Brianna Decker Brianna Decker (born May 13, 1991) is an American women's ice hockey player who plays for the Calgary section of the PWHPA and the United States women's national ice hockey team. She won the 2012 Patty Kazmaier Award while playing for the Univer ...

*First Star of the Game:

Zoe Hickel Zoe Hickel (born July 10, 1992) is an American ice hockey player who currently serves as assistant coach to the Ohio State Buckeyes women's ice hockey program. She most recently played with Linköping HC of the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL ...

*Second Star of the Game:

Ann-Sophie Bettez Ann-Sophie Bettez (born October 14, 1987) is a Canadian ice hockey forward currently signed with the Montreal Force of the Premier Hockey Federation. Playing career CIS She was CIS rookie of the year in 2008 and voted league MVP in her second y ...

*Third Star of the Game:

Kacey Bellamy Kacey Lee Bellamy (born April 22, 1987) is an American ice hockey defender for the Calgary section of the PWHPA, an Olympic Silver medalist, and seven-time IIHF World Women's Championship winner. She currently plays for the Boston Pride in the ...

References

External links

* Canadian Women's Hockey League seasons 1 {{icehockey-competition-stub