From the outside looking in, the NWHL has had a fairly successful inaugural season - a long-term sponsorship commitment from Dunkin Donuts and an appearance at Gillette Stadium ahead of the NHL's Winter Classic will do that. But as the season has gone on, more and more issues have cropped up for the fledgling league and its steely-eyed commissioner, Dani Rylan.
The latest issue involves NWHL COO and Connecticut Whale GM George Speirs - or, should we say, former NWHL COO and Connecticut Whale GM George Speirs. Kate Cimini of Today's Slap Shot broke the news on Wednesday that Speirs was no longer with the team or the league.
And according to Jen Neale of Yahoo Sports' Puck Daddy blog, there may be a very good, and somewhat dastardly, reason for that.
"An anonymous source close to the situation tells Puck Daddy the move to sever the relationship with Speirs was one that became painfully apparent after Speirs took over as general manager for the Whale in December.
"'[Speirs was] one of the single biggest causes of problems for league,' said the source."
The source went on, referring to Speirs as a "snake in the grass," who had begun spreading "internal and external rumors in an attempt to discredit his bosses."
Speirs, per Neale's source, was angling to become the next commissioner.
Speirs began his tenure with the league as a "volunteer" who was said to be interested only in seeing the league survive and thrive. But when he became Director of Operations and then Chief Operating Officer, clearly his aims changed.
Last time we checked in on the NWHL-leading Whale, a report had emerged alleging that Rylan - who also owns the league's four teams and serves as GM for the New York-based franchise, the Riveters - was maybe, possibly sticking her nose where it didn't belong. The day after Whale head coach Jake Mastel resigned, following the resignation of GM Harry Rosenholtz in December, which had followed the resignation of Chris Ardito over the summer, a report suggested that Rylan had held a "secret" locker room meeting with the Connecticut players to gauge their feelings toward Mastel, who many thought was not qualified for his position.
So, if you're counting at home, that makes three GMs for the Whale - the best team in the league, remember - in one season, with a fourth on the way.
It's not known whether Speirs' financial commitment to the NWHL will be rescinded with his ousting, but for a league still trying to get its feet under it, the loss of any financial backing could have potentially far-reaching consequences.
