When Malaika Underwood officially began her role as the Professional Women’s Hockey League Players Association’s new executive director, she “jumped right in.”
Underwood visited all six PWHL markets in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, New York and Minnesota over the course of her first month on the job, which began March 3.
“I prioritized getting to every market so that I could meet with the team, so I can spend time with each of the player reps one-on-one, and so I could get a sense for their day to day,” Underwood said. “I wanted to know and fully understand the players’ experience, because I think it’s necessary in my effort to help elevate the standards of the league.”
Back in January, the PWHLPA announced Underwood as the incoming executive director, succeeding long-time NHL executive Brian Burke, who led the union since its inception in 2023. Before joining the players association, Underwood was an elite athlete and built a 20-year career in professional sports. Most recently, Underwood was a partner at High Tide Consulting, and had worked for OneTeam Partners, which works with various players associations such as the NFLPA and WNBAPA.
“Malaika’s experience as a successful elite athlete and leader in global sports makes her the perfect person to…
