Donkin's Book Tells PWHL Story

While there are shelves and shelves of books about men's hockey, far fewer books exist written about women's hockey. Now, we can add a new one to the shelf, as reporter and author Karissa Donkin's Breakaway: The PWHL and the Women Who Changed the Game is now available, including on Amazon.

Several weeks ago, I interviewed Donkin about why she wrote this book, her process, and more. Check it out at The IX Sports here!

Donkin's book largely focuses on the beginnings of the PWHL through the league's first season. From the start of the #ForTheGame movement in 2019 to the PWHPA and eventually the league that exists today, the story of how the PWHL came to be is (of course) an exciting one.

Reading this book, it felt like a reminder of all the work that went into creating the league, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at what the players experienced in the inaugural season. As someone who not only watched but also covered that first season, there were a lot of moments that left me reminiscing, and a few that provided extra context and meaning than I had at the time.

Because so few books exist about women's hockey - and this is really the only recent book about pro women's hockey in North America - it's easy to want more from this one. But you can't encapsulate the entire recent history of the sport in a single book; it's just not realistic. There will always be moments that had to be left out; that's just the way journalism and writing works.

With that said, Donkin doesn't shy away from the history here, either - and rightfully so. You can't talk about the PWHL today without honoring the history of leagues like the CWHL and PHF that came before it. Briefing readers on some of the conditions those players experienced - like working full-time jobs while balancing a hockey career - provides the necessary base for people to understand how we got to where we are today, and why it matters. She takes a few chapters to touch on, for instance, Liz Knox's experience in the CWHL, the beginnings of the PWHPA movement and the barnstorming tour that followed.

After discussing a bit of the history, the bulk of this book focuses on the first season of the PWHL, from the teams being announced to the draft and the games themselves. Much of Donkin's book focuses more on the Montréal Victoire - because that's the team that was closest to her geographically - and it works well. In some ways, focusing more on a single team allows for a richer, more in-depth story than trying to cover the entire league and all of its happenings.

Regaling the reader with stories of Marie-Philip Poulin and Danièle Sauvageau, two Montréal hockey icons, Donkin weaves the story of the league's inaugural season. From the first game at Centre Bell to the Battle on Bay Street to the infamous "She's gay, Marcus" moment on social media to more serious topics like Erin Ambrose opening up about her mental health, there's a lot packed into this book - in a good way. The book ends with the culmination of the first season: the Minnesota Frost become Walter Cup champions (for the first time, that is), and soon after, "PWHL Montreal" officially gets its new moniker.

Breakaway is a must-read for any women's hockey fan, whether you've been following the sport since the days of the CWHL or are just being introduced today. It is essential reading that will undoubtedly teach even the most seasoned, experienced fans (and reporters alike!) something new about the inner workings of the PWHL's inaugural season.

The Ice Garden was provided a complimentary advance copy of this book. Thanks also to Karissa for shouting out TIG in the acknowledgements!