Breaking Barriers
Manon Rheaume chats about history and the future of professional women’s hockey.
By Parisa Shobbar
Ice Warriors Magazine
With an extensive hockey career filled with history-making milestones, as being the first ever female hockey player to dress in the NHL, Manon Rheaume is a pillar to some of the positive changes we are witnessing in women’s hockey today.
Rheaume’s impressive resume consists of an array of accomplishments, such as winning two gold medals at the IIHF Women’s World Championships, playing many years in the QMJHL, and winning silver at the 1998 Winter Olympics... the list goes on.
With an opportunity to sit down with Rheaume, she explained her start in hockey was all because her brothers played the game.
“They put me in goal, they were very passionate about playing and we would play in the background together and they put me in goal every time,” Rheaume reminisced.
Rheaume’s father was a coach for her brother's hockey team and was looking for a goalie for an upcoming tournament, so naturally, she saw this as an opportunity to play in a team environment.
“I volunteered to play in the tournament at just five years old.”
Her dad was not a fan of the idea, at first, as there were concerns about how she was going to be treated by other boys. “He wanted to protect me,” she said.
During the 1980s and 90s, it was not exactly socially acceptable for girls to play hockey, especially with other young boys – it was already a challenge to overcome within itself. The battles of competing for a spot on a team have obstacles already, and in Rheaume’s circumstance, those hurdles are heightened. However, those challenges eventually became her biggest strength.
“I didn’t have the same path as the guys who were invited to camp. Some people said you’re only invited because you’re a woman. But at the end of the day, you have to perform.”
“My dad never protected me from adversity and my mom was always supportive,” Rheaume stated.
This was the recipe for her success, which were ultimately met with victories throughout her playing career.
Rheaume was determined to prove what she is capable of in the space of boys hockey. She tried out for the boys team for a few years getting cut from the roster each time, but she was never discouraged from trying again. Each time she was cut, she was motivated to get better until she finally secured a position with a team.
With a buzz created amongst other parents, seeing Rheaume try out for a boys team, “they did not want me to take a boys spot.” However, Rheaume saw this as an advantage and was driven to become an example of what is possible.
These were all moments that shaped her: “All the adversity I faced prepared me for my speaking engagements in my career.”
Rheaume’s resilience earned her an opportunity to perform on the biggest world stage of professional hockey, playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL.
“I didn’t have the same path as the guys who were invited to camp,” she explained. “Some people said you’re only invited because you’re a woman. But at the end of the day, you have to perform.”
With the chance of a lifetime so many young players dream of growing up, she never thought about this being a possibility.
“I had no idea how that was going to change my life. When we got there, we started with a game, no practice. I was the only team that let in no goals.”
Her performance at the tournament impressed the organization. One thing led to another and Rheaume performed in an exhibition game for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“I know exactly, in every way, I will show the girls you can make a living in this sport just like the boys.”
This year, the world of hockey witnessed history being made again. The first ever female assistant coach in the NHL was announced when Jessica Campbell joined the bench for the Seattle Kraken. Rheaume talked about how emotional this moment was for her.
“When Jessica got that, I felt emotional too. It showed me women have to work harder in different areas to show that they can make it to the NHL, and this has opened the door for women and helps other women dream.”
Campbell’s hiring is another incredible milestone proving why this shift was necessary for the culture of hockey and the future of young female athletes.
It’s no surprise that goals and expectations for girls in hockey were limited in the past. Rheaume admitted that through her involvement with the ‘Little Caesars’ programs in Detroit, the vision the girls had in their playing career did not surpass college or competing in the Olympics.
Dreams of young girls have since grown, and come present day, the new Professional Women’s Hockey League has commenced for its second season. For Rheaume, this was a pivotal moment.
“What impressed me is watching all the women stick together and make it work. Like someone like Jayne Hefford, I can name so many people. It is clear to me that these women want to become leaders.”
In the inaugural season of the PWHL, Rheaume was invited to drop the puck at a game when Ottawa took on Boston in Motor City, home of the Little Ceasars program. Rheaume’s presence in Detroit has left a mark and there is no better way to recognize her.
With so many remarkable accolades under her belt, I asked Rheaume what kind of impact she wants to make in this evolving space.
“I know exactly, in every way, I will show the girls you can make a living in this sport just like the boys.”
One even wonders if there is pressure on Rheaume knowing that there are so many young girls that look up to her today. I had to ask how she handles it.
“There’s no pressure, necessarily,” she responded. “I played in the Olympics and the NHL, and this took me years to realize that my story has impacted so many people. I have parents coming up to me saying their son and daughters have done school projects on me.”
As the game continues to evolve and expand, Rheaume expressed her feelings about the continuous change and success happening in the competitive realm for women’s hockey.
“I’m excited to see what young girls can say about their role models. They can soon say they want to be like a Natalie Spooner or a Hilary Knight. This, to me, excites me a lot.”
