DANKOCHIK’S DRAFTINGS: PWHL team could be great fit for new Steinbach arena

Media got an inside look at the Southeast Events Centre via a guided tour Nov. 22, and I was lucky enough to be included.

While there still is clearly a lot of work left to do before opening night, the hockey rink looks on track to become one of the nicest facilities to watch a game not only in Manitoba, but across the country. (Selfishly, the lighting setup seems outstanding for photographers.)

The tour has me thinking big about the future of Steinbach sports, and wondering what prominent events and leagues could come to the new barn.

While the entire ecosystem of men’s junior hockey in North America is in complete flux thanks to the recent NCAA rule change, there’s one league unquestionably on the rise which might just be a perfect fit for not only Steinbach, but Manitoba as a whole.

The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), the first real unified attempt to build a women’s professional league in North America, is entering their second season on a hot streak.

With only six teams, expansion must be top of mind for the league and I’m sure there are talks across Manitoba if a team could call the province home in the near future.

There would be an immediate rivalry with Minnesota, and there would certainly be no shortage of local players who would love the opportunity to play for a “hometown” team.

The real problem any PWHL team in Manitoba would have would be a day-to-day arena to play in.

Sure, the lower-bowl of the Canada Life Centre would fit nicely for playoff games or other marquee match-ups, but for an average Tuesday night in January, there really isn’t a place for them, as shown by the Winnipeg Ice leaving the Wayne Fleming Arena on the University of Manitoba campus.

That’s where the Southeast Events Centre could fit in perfectly. The capacity may be a little small, but the experience could be top-notch.

The tour showed me one thing — this arena is aiming to be second-to-none for it’s size in Canada and it could attract a top tenant in the near future.