As a hockey fan, does the name Manon Rheaume mean anything to you? It should.
Goaltender Manon Rheaume was just 20 years old when she suited up for one period of an exhibition game for the brand-new Tampa Bay Lightning
But, then again, maybe it shouldn’t. It was 18 years ago today, September 23, 1992 that Rheaume did something no woman has done before or since. She appeared in a period of NHL exhibition hockey. At the time, her feat made hockey headlines everywhere – keeping in mind that hockey headlines were a lot smaller in those days. It’s almost twenty years later, and there are still very strong feelings about whether or not Rheaume deserved her chance or was simply a novelty. (more…)