The NWHL has officially suspended the 2021 Isobel Cup due to COVID-19 concerns. The condensed season kicked off on January 23 with a round-robin structure. The competition was originally composed of the NWHL’s six teams – Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, Minnesota Whitecaps, and first-year expansion club the Toronto Six–however, the Riveters withdrew after several members of the organization tested positive for COVID-19. The Connecticut Whale also made the decision to withdraw from the tournament.
The NWHL made the extremely difficult decision to suspend the tournament just one day before the semifinal games scheduled for Thursday between the Toronto Six and The Buffalo Beauts, and the Boston Pride vs. the Minnesota Whitecaps.
The NWHL and the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) have agreed, due to new positive COVID-19 tests and the resulting safety concerns for the players, their respective staff & the community that the remainder of the 2021 NWHL Season in Lake Placid have been suspended.
— NWHL (@NWHL) February 3, 2021
The 2021 Isobel Cup semifinals and final would have been monumental moments for the sport as it was the first time that women’s professional hockey was getting air time on a major national cable network in the United States. Additionally, last year’s championship game between Boston and Minnesota was cancelled due to COVID-19.
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