USA Hockey adjusts World Championship training camp amid talks with women's team

The 23 players of the U.S. women’s national hockey team were slated to begin training camp Wednesday ahead of the IIHF Women’s World Championship.

Instead, their representatives and USA Hockey continued discussions that would end their holdout over better wages and other benefits. The standoff forced USA Hockey's governing body to postpone training camp and cancel an exhibition against Finland on Friday.

USA Hockey announced Tuesday night it still “anticipates staging a training camp,” which was scheduled to run through March 28 in Traverse City, Mich.

While they could play with replacement players, there were no indications that any were contacted. The Worlds is set to begin March 31 in Plymouth, Mich.

Women's team, USA Hockey continue talks with World Championships looming

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Messages left with USA Hockey on Wednesday were not immediately returned.

The players appear to be adamant that they’d like an agreement finalized, which would require approval from USA Hockey’s board.

“The players have gone too far at this point to blindly start training camp and play in the tournament,” agent Brant Feldman, who represents three current players on the women’s national team, told USA TODAY Sports. “It’s going to take a (finalized) agreement.”

There would typically need to be approval from the 90-plus voting members of USA Hockey’s board if USA Hockey executives and the players come to terms. A board meeting has to be scheduled “with not fewer than 15 days’ notice in writing to all directors” under USA Hockey bylaws, which would rule such an emergency meeting out with the tournament 10 days away.

The board held its annual meeting in January.

But under those same bylaws, President Jim Smith “may exercise all duties and powers of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee only in the case of an emergency when a vote of the board of directors cannot be obtained.”

USA Hockey’s 15-member executive committee also has the authority “to amend, alter or repeal rules and regulations only in the case of an emergency when a vote of the board of directors cannot reasonably be obtained.” A change of bylaws could include one that would allow for a short-notice board vote via teleconference.