When Brittany Howard decided to turn pro, there was little suspense around where she was going to play.

The St. Thomas, Ont., native was planning to start an education degree at York University, so it made sense for her to play close to school, with the Toronto Furies of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL).

"You had to continue your education or you had to get a job because you still had to work while you played," said Howard, who played one season with the Furies before the CWHL shut down …