In order for change to occur, there has to be decision makers along the way that can expedite the process; people that can step up, acknowledge an issue, and do something to fix it.

So who are the key decision makers in women's hockey? Who are the people that are going to set this game on the right path once and for all?

Well, for starters, although she's no longer at the helm of the former Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) as a result of the league folding earlier this year, Jayna Hefford is someone with a lot of power, given that she is respected, intelligent, and has an opinion that's highly valued by the people in the hockey community.

Dani Rylan is another individual with potential involvement in the next steps for the game, given that she's the current Commissioner of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL), which could be the league used as the base for what's to come.

Gary Bettman is also rumoured to be on the verge of becoming more involved in the world of women's hockey. While the National Hockey League (NHL) does allocate a small investment to women's hockey every year, Gary does have the potential to support a Women's National Hockey League (WNHL), the same way the National Basketball Association (NBA) does with the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), which has been around for a long, long time.

Many in women's hockey are hoping that this is the direction that ends up being taken, as the NHL obviously has the resources to sustain the game while it continues to establish itself.

The Professional Women's Hockey Players' Association (PWHPA) also is heavily involved in all of the ongoings of the game, as the newly formed association of players that are standing up for themselves and the way they are treated, led by Hilary Knight, among others.

Other individuals that could be involved in the decision making process are those that have been involved in the game in various ways for a long time - Hayley Wickenheiser and Cassie Campbell-Pascal for example, both have the platform and the voice to instigate change.

It'll likely take several, if not at all of these decision makers to come together and find a solution that works for everyone to set women's hockey in the right direction once and for all.