When the puck dropped on the PWHL’s inaugural season, it was a new beginning for fans and players alike. While everyone was excited to see what was to come, for some it was a bittersweet beginning. PWHL Montreal forward Jillian Dempsey has lived and breathed hockey for her whole life. Better yet, Dempsey has lived and breathed Boston hockey for her whole life. At least until September 18, 2023, when her life was flipped upside down.
Born and raised in the Boston suburb of Winthrop, Dempsey cleared her own path in the hockey world, and found a way to do it right at home. She played high school hockey at the Rivers School in nearby Weston before graduating to play for Ivy League Harvard for four years, proudly wearing the “C” in her senior year. Fresh out of university, Dempsey joined the now defunct Boston Blades of the CWHL, a team which included Hall of Fame member Angela Ruggiero in its alumni. She then joined the Boston Pride, one of the founding four teams of the National Women’s Hockey League (which became the Premier Hockey Federation). Dempsey played the next eight years, wearing the captain’s “C” for six seasons.
In June 2023, the PHF disappeared when it was bought out by Mark Walter Group and BJK Enterprises to make way for their new league, the PWHL. Now a member of PWHL Montreal, Dempsey took the time to give us this one-on-one interview.
Joining the PWHL
On September 18, 2023, Jillian Dempsey was one of 90 players drafted by a PWHL team. The 10-year professional hockey veteran brought a lot to the table. On top of having played 188 games throughout her career, during which she had amassed 193 points, Dempsey was an experienced leader, having acted as captain for seven years. The package was too good to pass on, and she was claimed in the eleventh round.
Karine Hains: I watched the whole PWHL draft and never in a million years did I think you were going to be drafted by Montreal, so when they called your name, I went “oh my god!”, what did you think?
Jillian Dempsey: Yeah, no I mean I felt the same way you did. It came as a total shock. Definitely something I did not expect, and yeah it was very, very surprising. Very unexpected for me.
KH: Did you hesitate at all before declaring for the draft? Was there a part of you that thought; “I don’t want to play anywhere else than Boston, so I’m not going to risk that”?
JD: I mean, I didn’t want to play anywhere else than in Boston, but going into the year I had put my teaching job on hold for Boston Pride practices, because we were going to practice in the day time for the first time ever. So ,I had really kind of shuffled things around to continue playing for the year. Then when everything kind of collapsed at the end of June, I was in, you know, a tough position as many of the players were, where I had already made so many plans for the year based around hockey. I had given up the year for hockey. So, I thought I should kind of see where it went and I wasn’t really ready to be done playing, especially not in that fashion.
So, I declared for the draft, and I hadn’t really had discussions with anybody expressing interest other than I had on my own with Boston. I didn’t expect interest from another team because I hadn’t heard from any other team. You know, no one asked me how I felt about moving there or living there. Having never had any of those conversations, I figured: “ok I’ll get picked up by Boston, or hopefully try to find a spot in free agency after the draft”.
I considered the compassionate circumstances as somebody who’s played their whole life in Boston. I played 10 years of pro hockey there, and I had no desire, no intention of moving elsewhere. But to me, the way that was presented to players, it was kind of like “oh you have children so you cannot move”, “you’re caring for a sick or maybe an elderly family member”, but basically things that made it impossible for you to go elsewhere. So, obviously that didn’t fit my case. So, I didn’t even try it. I know several players who did try it because they were restricted by their job, and they wanted to continue with their job, but they were rejected from it. So, it probably would have been the case for me because I didn’t have any extenuating circumstances that made it impossible for me to go elsewhere. All that I had was the fact my whole life was there and that’s where I wanted to stay kind of thing, so it probably wouldn’t have been accepted anyway, based on the ones that I know were accepted and the ones that weren’t accepted.
But yeah, I had no intention of being anywhere else. I’m Boston through and through so that [being picked by Montreal] came as a surprise, but obviously, I’m appreciative of Montreal for seeing something valuable in me that they wanted to have. I’m grateful for that, and they’ve been a first class organization and they seem to do things the right way and so I recognize that for sure.
KH: After the draft I did ask Danielle Marmer [PWHL Boston’s general manager] if they were a bit annoyed that you were “stolen from under their nose” and she told me “Yeah we were just about to pick her when Montreal did that, so that I was a surprise for us”. So, I was like yeah, maybe Daniele Sauvageau – Montreal’s general manager] is trying to start something, a bit of a rivalry there.
JD: As if there isn’t one that already exists between Montreal and Boston. When I was with the Blades at one time it was the Stars and then they became the Canadiennes. That rivalry ran deep you know. Then there was a break from it for a while, but then you know with the Force [Montreal’s PHF franchise] last year, it felt like once it was a Montreal-Boston game, there was definitely a little bit of extra intensity and extra fierceness there. I don’t know, maybe it’s just a thing that exists between players who have grown up in those cities and maybe it just runs deep, but it’s something that’s always been there for me, being a kid from Boston.
KH: You signed a one-year deal with Montreal, now that a fair chunk of the season has gone by, are you hoping to sign on for another season?
JD: I’m not really sure what my future plans will be, you know I’m just taking it one year at the time. I’ll see how things go in the new league and what it would mean for me as a player going forward. I’m not really sure what will come next, but I’m definitely going to have to take the time to think about it and see what the options are and what the season would look like for me and go from there. So, I’m not really beyond this season right now I would say.
KH: According to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) the one-year deals are the ones that can be voided by a team that wants to offer a permanent contract to a reserve player, is that something you thought about? Did you see it as a bit of an added risk?
JD: Yeah, I mean I feel like there are a lot of things like that for something that was supposed to be created by the players and for the players to protect the players, there are things that kind of made you turn your head up. That seemed a bit odd given everything, but you know there were several points throughout that I think were questionable. For instance, you can just be terminated if it’s deemed that you’re not performing up to expectations and that’s not a black and white criterion, that’s grey. It’s not super spelt out. That’s concerning because if that happens to a player, there’s no development league below, that you can just go to.
So that means it’s probably it for you. And there wouldn’t be any opportunity to grow and develop to have a chance again. So it’s definitely an interesting part of the CBA, and as you probably saw it I think it happened recently to a player in Ottawa [Victoria “Tori” Howran]. In the past, I think those things didn’t really happen because there was a real human side to it, knowing the salary players made and knowing, I guess, the sacrifices players made to continue playing competitively.
Like the salaries are not at a point like you’re making a million dollars or $775,000 which I believe is the base salary in the NHL, but if they ask a player to you know, get up and move across the country, it’s a little bit more manageable in that situation. Also, there’s more options for maybe getting dropped down but then playing somewhere to work your way back up and I think it’s tough that we don’t have these options right now. Essentially, a player can just be terminated at any moment and that’s something that you’d hate to see and you hope doesn’t happen but it already did so…
KH: When you sign that type of contract is that spelt out to you, I mean do you have an agent who’s there to say: “You know, be aware that you’re kind of “eligible” (for lack of a better word) to that”?
JD: That was definitely made clear. I do have an agent. But you know from a player’s perspective, like I said, we’ve had contracts where you know technically you could be terminated and you always, as a player I guess, you would hope that you have faith in the management that they kind of wouldn’t do that to you out of the blue, that maybe there would be some conversation beforehand. But, you know things are different now. You just hope you don’t see something like that. You go out there and work as hard as you can. You perform at your best, and hope that there’s at least communication to help you improve in certain areas if the coach or GM is expecting more from you there and that you’d have a chance to improve on it before termination, but you know that, like I said I almost wouldn’t have expected that to happen giving it’s the first season and so much change and adjustments going on, but it did. I guess anything can really happen.
KH: The first thing that came to my mind when I saw that the PHF was bought out and was ceasing operations was why did they close it? Why not keep it in place and use it as a development league, because there’s only six teams left, you know?
JD: Right, yeah basically, they cut the pool of professional women hockey players in North-America last year by like half and I think that some of those players found jobs maybe overseas, but a majority of players were forced into hanging up their skates and it was just sad to see. I have played in the PHF since its inaugural season. I was there through some of the tumultuous times and there through some of the times where many vocal players didn’t want our league to continue to exist like they were like really trying to, you know. There were talks of the NHL stepping in if no league existed, but you know it was nothing really reliable with it at the time. So, even though it was not perfect and it had its flaws, I loved my time in the PHF. I felt that I grew each season, we had a few dips throughout, but I feel that in any start-up, it’s bound to happen and it was obviously very unfortunate and disappointing, upsetting the way things had to end. But like you, I would have liked to see some of that stay in place but obviously all that was kind of completely eliminated, names and logos and everything. Nothing was kept. So, that part is tough too, but it was clear that they wanted to start something brand new from the ground up.
KH: Looking at your X account, I get the feeling you’re a Bruins fan, how does it feel to you know, play behind enemy lines so to speak?
JD: [Laughs] Yeah, I mean I was born and raised in Boston and very passionate about my Boston sports teams, anything Boston really, I’ll defend it to the death. Obviously, playing for Boston my whole career, there’s nothing better than playing for your home city and representing that, but I mean Montreal clearly has a passionate fan base as well and we have all of our sports teams that people get behind Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots everyone is behind them. But here it’s pretty much just the Canadiens. So, everyone is into hockey, or maybe there’s a pro soccer team. I’m not super familiar with soccer, but obviously the Habs are the earth and soul of Montreal and it’s very different to be in Montreal and be surrounded by the French and to know that rivalry how it is, but I’m still rooting for the Bruins.
KH: Well, how could anyone switch allegiance now in any case considering the state the Habs are in right?
JD: [Laughs] Yeah, exactly!
KH: How was it playing your first game in Boston wearing a Montreal jersey?
JD: It was bizarre, a lot of different feelings. I had a huge outpouring of support though. So, that was great to see. Many of my colleagues and my teacher friends and former students, a majority of them showed up and had posters and were in Boston Pride gear and old Dempsey jerseys or t-shirts and family and even some people who I didn’t know were wearing the same gear. So, that was special and very heartwarming for me and that kind of support brought a big smile to my face because like I said, there’s nothing like playing at home and for your city. So, it was wonderful to see all those people come out, because I’ve always had that at home games. Like my family’s pretty much been at every home game my whole life. Then it’s like I don’t have family and friends in Montreal. So, it’s a very different experience in that regard too.
KH: I saw the tribute video made for you, was that played in the arena?
JD: No, it wasn’t, the guy who runs that account he had been a die-hard fan of the Boston Pride for many years. So he was obviously really invested and part of it when we won the past two Isobel Cups, there for those exciting moments and through disappointing moments as well. He was a big leader in trying to make sure this league kept a team in Boston.
I do recall that back in July there were a lot of rumors saying there wouldn’t be a Boston team and it seemed like that would be a huge missed opportunity because Boston had a real growth for women’s hockey, a hotbed for women’s hockey for many years like even before there was pro hockey with the Boston Blades and college hockey and even just at that grass root level. Boston is a great city for women’s hockey and it’s a great city for sport teams. So, that would be a no brainer for a location. So, I know the guy in charge of that account was really spearheading keeping a team in Boston, so that was awesome that he led the charge with that because I do think that’s an excellent city to have a women’s hockey team obviously. You know we had tremendous success in my 10 years and there was success before that too and the city really embraced our team. Both the Red Sox and Bruins had our Boston Pride teams to their games and made us jerseys and recognized us on the Jumbotron.
So to me, it was a no brainer to have a team there and he was really pushing for that. He’s been very supportive of Boston women’s hockey and players who have played in the Boston area and have been part of that history.
It won’t be on any video boards today, but it should.
Your dedication and passion for playing in this city inspired the next generation. There is no league today if you didn’t keep paving the path.
Leader. Player. Champion.
Welcome home, Demps. .@JilliantDempsey pic.twitter.com/zsuvw3bM7N
— Wicked(??) Diehards (Boston Pro Women’s Hockey) (@PrideDiehards) February 4, 2024
KH: At least you took the initial faceoff. I was happy for you that Kori Cheverie made that call.
JD: That was a touching moment because I knew I was fourth line in the line-up and then in the locker-room they were announcing the starting line-up I think I was literally like my eyes went what?!? Everybody gave a nice little cheer for that, and it was unexpected, and I really appreciated that.
The youth players who came out for the anthems were actually from Winthrop youth hockey, which is my hometown and the town where I taught, and the player who ended up standing next to me had a number 14 jersey and was one of my former students. She’s a really great fan, and that’s why she wears 14. So, it was special for her to end up right next to me, because I saw them during warmup going down the tunnel and she said “we’re coming out for the anthems”, and she was like “I’m going to come stand next to you” and I said “Awww…I’m probably going to be on the bench, but still come say hi.” And then it was obviously a pleasant surprise that I got to be part of the starting line-up and have that moment, so I was grateful to the Montreal staff for giving me that.
KH: How does living in Montreal compare to living in Boston? Was it easy to find accommodations and all that?
JD: To be honest I’m still adjusting, it’s a very different life and experience for me. In terms of the accommodations, one of the girls on the team owns a house. So, she had reached out to me right after the draft and extended her home to me saying I was welcome to stay here and it’s like 10 minutes from the rink, so that’s convenient, that’s helped with things just being simple. That saved me from having to do too much searching. That was the most convenient and easy living accommodation I would say. She also has a driveway and there’s snowstorms and you know just a lot of the little things that were helpful and so I accepted the offer.
Differences between the PHF and the PWHL
Playing for ten years in the same town and for eight years in the same league will always mean developing some strong bonds with the city, the fans and the league, even more so when the city is your hometown. I couldn’t speak to Dempsey without asking how she felt about the day the end of the PHF was announced and what differentiates the two leagues.
KH: What was your reaction when you heard the PHF had been bought out and would cease its operation? And not just your reaction, but also your teammates as you were the Pride’s captain, I expect some turned to you with questions?
JD: Total shock, this last year a lot of things, the best way to describe them was just shocking and after some of that shock kind of wore off and you know accepting what that really meant of course, then came devastation and you know because you built something and now it just stopped, you know that was tough and…[Welling up] Sorry it’s still tough to think about it because I was a player that was there the whole time and maybe it meant more to me than to other people but it was disappointing. Of course, players were reaching out to me and I knew nothing. It was just hard because I was a liaison for some of the information [in the PHF], but then I knew as much as anybody else knows. When the information came out, we were very, very in the dark. There were so many great experiences for me, and I loved my time there, we just didn’t expect it.
My reaction probably shows you everything you need to know about that…shock and devastation. Obviously, I was fortunate enough to keep playing, but there were many of my [now former] teammates that were signed for the year and excited for the year ahead. We wanted the chance to win another cup and redeem ourselves from this season. Many of those girls are not even playing hockey anymore. So that’s tough too, no-one thought that their career was just done with, and they were just cut short…that part was tough too. A lot of players just knowing that they were just done.
I was fortunate enough to keep playing, but I feel awful for the ones that had to stop. That was not the way anybody would have anticipated things. So, it was really, really unexpected, out of the blue, like we had no idea it was happening until it happened. And we had no say, no input in the end of the PHF or anything PWHL related. Nobody included us in the CBA discussions or what would come of this league or the draft or anything it was just if you wanted to play you had to get in.
We were basically just very helpless and had no say, no voice, no control, or anything from the end of June through even now, you know. It’s just that stuff was just kind of decided for us and you could choose to join it and be at the whims of everything that was done or hang them up.
So sadly, it meant many players had to hang them up, not necessarily by their choice, but it’s the reality of what we have now.
Around The PWHL
On Being a Former Captain
With great power comes great responsibility as Uncle Ben once told Peter Parker and that goes for team captains in hockey. Dempsey has always loved being a leader and helping people. So ,I had to delve into her memories as a captain.
KH: You captained the Pride for a long time, six seasons and Harvard for one as well, that’s a long time wearing the C. What’s your favorite moment as a captain?
JD: Oh jeez, that’s hard, there were so many, so many great ones. Probably some of the most joyous and best moments were right after we won the cup, the latest one. I mean every time you’re a champion it’s special, but I feel like after the whole journey of my hockey experience when we won the cup at Warrior [Ice Arena, home of the Minnesota Whitecaps] after the weird Lake Placid bubble season. We hadn’t won since the first year, and we were such a strong team that year before when the championship got cancelled two days before because of Covid and we really truly felt that that was going to be our year and so, I think, winning there.
Especially since our performance at Lake Placid was the opposite of what we envisioned for ourselves. We had such high expectations for ourselves, and we barely scrapped into the playoffs. So I think kind of having to go through that adversity, I had aggravated a shoulder injury that was lingering and it was just, there were so many things just working against us that for us to still believe in what we had as a group, and believe in each other and find a way to win and coming from behind in that game, it was probably one of the sweetest moment. And then again probably in Tampa [ at the AdventHealth Center Ice complex] where things didn’t go perfectly all year and you still fought and found a way to win.
I think that when you face that adversity it makes victory even sweeter. So, both of those were definitely moments that I won’t forget. But I had so many, so many great moments through those years that it’s unfortunate but I can’t choose, they’re such good ones!
KH: What would you say then it your proudest moment as a captain or as a leader?
JD: Oh wow, I guess probably similar, I guess in those moments of joy, everybody steps up in those moments and hockey is a team sport and it takes the entire team. Everybody playing their roles and everybody committed to that and you get moments of pure joy and victory hat everybody contributed to. I think getting to be recognized as the leader of that is special, and it’s something I’ve always said is my greatest honor, having been named captain by teammates and then being recognized in that role, that’s something that’s always meant so much to me. It’s something that I take very seriously, and I think being able to help lead the team to that success especially after some of the setbacks we had faced, it goes hand in hand with those moments of joy. Facing adversity made what you accomplished so much better, so I think those moments were just great moments of pride as well.
KH: After so many years being the captain, does it feel weird not having a letter this year?
JD: Yeah, I mean in some ways, when you’re captain, I mean everybody looks to you and you do the cheer at the net and you kind of do those little things that I guess for me had just become so routine. I guess that was just the role that I was on my team and so now it’s obviously very different in that regard, I still try to do what I’ve always done though, whether there’s a letter of not, maybe a little less vocal because other people are kind of in those roles, but I like to think I’m mostly the same even if there’s not a letter. Like that I just try to lead by example and go out there and work hard and support my teammates, I try to do things the right way and just make that a part of who I am whether I’m an official leader on the team or not.
Various Sundries
As passionate as Dempsey is about hockey, she also was about her daytime job for such a long-time, I figured it was worth talking about it a bit. Furthermore, an interview is never complete without getting to know a bit more about the interview, so I added a few questions to do just that.
KH: You used to be a fifth-grade teacher while playing, do you miss teaching?
JD: Yes, yes I really do. I always said these past couple of years that I was living the dream and like I know that’s probably different to a lot of people, that women’s hockey when they envision the dream it’s like to have that NHL caliber life. Like your only job is that you show up to the rink and you only focus on hockey, and you get paid this like big chunk of money to do it. And so of course, that can be very desirable, and I guess we’re on our way there somehow, in certain aspects, but I was like really passionate about both my teaching and playing and so the fact that I got to do both, was a privilege and a wonderful opportunity to pursue two passions.
Many view that as “Oh, it’s terrible that you players have to have outside jobs and careers while playing hockey” but to me, it didn’t conflict. During the day I had teaching and I loved that, I loved engaging with my students and helping them grow, be better academically and better character wise, there’s nothing like teaching. And then I’d be at school and then the whole evening was training on ice or off ice. And the weekend was games and everything just like fit together perfectly.
My students came to games they were in the stands and that was very special to me and hum, I got to do two things that I was absolutely passionate about, that I really loved, at home with friends and family, like that was the pinnacle so you know, yeah, I miss it.
KH: Then would you say that for you, hockey in the evening didn’t even feel like a job because you liked hockey so much?
JD: Yeah, exactly. Like that was, once we started getting paid and all that but before that, it never felt like a job because I loved it. I got that resurgence of energy, even if I was tired from work, once you get into the locker room, you see the girls and you get to go out there and battle, you know I love that.
It definitely has a different feel now, like things I never thought I’d say I have too many hours in the day but for me I used to be very busy, and I enjoyed that, especially since my career was so rewarding outside of the rink. Now you know I go to the rink at 8:30 AM and I’m there till about 1:30 or 2:00 and that’s kind of It for the day and for me. Well not that I would have been able to teach here anyway because it’s during the entire school day, but the work visa restricts you from having another occupation.
So, I’m pretty much here for that job of hockey and that’s kind of all I can really do. It’s very different, because I just loved my other career so of course it was a job and it was work but when you’re passionate about it, it never really does. Like I had two things that I really loved, and you know I miss it.
KH: Do you see some similarities between the role of a teacher and the role of a veteran on a hockey team:
JD: […] at this level everybody’s a pro and has a decent amount of experience from varying levels of their career be it collegiate, international, different levels of pro as well, so I’m not the head honcho like I am in the classroom obviously, but little things here and there, I find that maybe more so before in my role with the Pride I think. I mean here the whole team was new all at once, so it was a little bit different, kind of adapting to that and being in a new place. I mean before I was much more involved in a leadership role and within the team but also within the league, we had our core group that had been playing in Boston for so many years together and Boston was home so I could kind of help players out if they needed it, with navigating or whatever but that’s different here as well. Yeah, overall, some similarities I would say, not crazy but a few.
Around Full Press Hockey
KH: Growing up, which athletes inspired you?
JD: We had Bruins’ season tickets so my dad would always take me or one of my siblings to the game, the Bruins weren’t super successful in those years like the late 90s and early 2000s, but I really enjoyed watching Sergei Samsonov, he was number 14 and he was a speedy skilled Russian right winger and I just felt like he was so much fun to watch.
Every time he was out there, you’d notice him, I really loved watching him play.
And then later to the 2000s I loved Tom Brady obviously, growing up in New England, he’s the greatest, he’s the goat, getting to watch him play and the way he mastered his craft and he always did it in like such a humble way, always taking full accountability and just he was phenomenal to watch just the way he did everything. I mean we got to watch him for like 20 years, but we really miss him now that’s for sure. At a certain point you just knew you were watching greatness.
Berg, Patrice Bergeron, was one of my favorite player, same thing I liked obviously what he brings in terms of his skill and hockey abilities and I really loved how he was a two-way player, he valued his defensive zone responsibilities just as much as the offensive contributions. But once again, the way he carried himself, and the character and the humility and the leadership, all around there’s nothing you could say about the guy that isn’t positive.
There was also Papi [David Ortiz] on the Red Sox, we had so many great athletes that held themselves to such high standards and with such class, we had plenty of options growing up.
In terms of women’s hockey, I always loved watching Julie Chu play. She played for Harvard and for Team USA and I remember one game at Harvard my family and I had been waiting until the end because I really really wanted her autograph and she happened to be one of the last players who came up. I understand that now, I’m always one of the last ones, very slow to get out of the locker room [laughs] She was so gracious and so kind.
I feel like she took something like 20 minutes engaging with me. She had family waiting and things she needed to get to, so she could easily just have signed and give me a smile and whatnot, but she stopped and had a conversation, and she was so authentic…
I know they say never meet your hero because sometimes they can be disappointing but meeting her made her that much greater to me because of how kind she was and because she took the time. I’ve always been a big Julie Chu fan and she reached out to me after I got drafted, she’s in the area and she said they were there to help if I needed anything and so yeah, just a really kind person and the way she carried herself. Yeah, you can probably see there’s kind of a pattern for me there, but I liked watching all the sports and was very fortunate to have so many teams to watch and so many great leaders to look up to on a regular basis.
We were actually teammates at one stage on the national team when I was a junior in college, so we’d gone through some experiences together. We kept in touch because I was also Harvard hockey, so many times with the alumni we’d run into each other, but it was definitely great to hear from her because I hadn’t connected with her in a while, you know how it is, sometimes we get busy so it was really great that she took the time to reach out and check in.
KH: Do you feel like the PWHL is delivering on its main goal which was to allow its athletes to focus only on hockey?
JD: Yeah I mean I think the facilities seem to be top notch throughout the league. The staff, I can speak to the Montreal staff, there’s so many more roles, before many staff were volunteers and they did it out of the goodness of their heart, but that can only get you so far and they had to do many different roles and jobs. Here the staff is excellent, there’s a dedicated strength coach, several physical therapists, there’s a handful of skills coaches and goalie coaches and assistant coaches. So many front office people as well, you know you just see so many people around that you’re not even sure of what they do, but they do something behind the scenes so I can really speak for the PWHL Montreal’s staff, they’re very professional people who really seem to enjoy their job and really want to help us be better.
I feel like there’s this idea now that players are making all of this money and they can make a “livable wage” which was a term that was often thrown out, but I think in that regard, I think it really depends on the individual. Because you know, only 6 players per team are making above 80k, they are making good money but we also don’t know how much, because there isn’t any transparency with the salaries, but there’s that small amount of players who are really making an excellent salary and then there’s a handful of players who I can imagine it’s going to be difficult to work with the base salary because I know that’s not going up a lot.
In terms of resources for players, that’s definitely delivered and you know we have a pre and post practice meal provided and yeah I mean, I think it would have been more beneficial to more players if it would have been like a salary, like if everybody was closer to like $60,000 versus a handful of players at 35K and a few of the players up to $150,000 or whatever it is because you know, you hear stuff about how much people are making but there’s no official release it would be helpful for players to see and it would help them in future contract negotiations as well, but that’s an interesting thing about salary.
As you said, the players likely to be making more than $150,000 or whatever it is, they are the ones being paid sponsorship money and getting national team money as well. There’s a monthly housing fee included, but you know for the markets the league is in, I don’t think it’s going to be sufficient, I feel like it would only cover a part of the monthly rent and so that, it’s nice it’s provided but if you are on the lower pay bracket, it might be tough to make it a sustainable thing for more than a couple of years. Maybe that’s what they are thinking, they’re thinking those players will be replaced by NCAA graduates. I don’t know what they are envisioning but I think to keep more women in the league longer, the base salary being increased would help everybody, I mean we’ll see how this plays out. Interest from the public is definitely there.
The Fun Stuff!
KH: Right, before we wrapped this up, I always like to ask a couple of quick questions to get to know people better, so here goes…
KH: Favorite Movie?
JD: Miracle, I love a good underdog story!
KH: Favorite food?
JD: I love a great steak, mashed potatoes and asparagus meal that’s what I’m picking if I’m choosing a meal.
KH: Favorite band or singer?
JD: Taylor Swift, but I’m proud to say I’m not a bandwagon fan. With Taylor Swift, I was there from the biggening and I’m also a big fan of Queen.
KH: Favorite song?
JD: All to Well the 10 minutes version.
KH: I interviewed Maureen Murphy last week and she’s also a big Taylor Swift fan…
JD: I know we bonded over that! Whenever we’re making that five hour drive to Boston we have Taylor Swift blaring.
KH: A series you binged?
JD: The Office, American version with Steve Carell, I couldn’t get into the British version.
KH: Thank you so much for taking the time Jillian, I really appreciate it and sorry for keeping you so long.
JD: My pleasure and not at all, I didn’t even realize it had been an hour, it was just a pleasant conversation. See you there.
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*Writer’s note: I’ve rarely spoken to an athlete who opened as much as Dempsey did. All too often, we’re served the same clichés, but this interview felt like she was really speaking from the heart and allowed us to be privy to her personal thoughts and feelings. While I’m a big fan of the PWHL and the quality of hockey it is providing us with, I feel we shouldn’t forget about all those players whose career suddenly came to a halt last Summer and I’m glad I was able to give them a voice through Dempsey. After this hour-long chat, it’s easy to see why Jillian Dempsey was and forever will be the pride of Boston.