Years from now, once her six-month-old son is mature enough to appreciate his upbringing, Kendall Coyne Schofield looks forward to sharing pictures and video of road trips the two will have enjoyed together during the Professional Womensa国际传媒檚 Hockey Leaguesa国际传媒檚 inaugural season.

Coyne Schofield can already envision the possibilities of spending time at various rinks, hotels and airports, and Drew being doted upon by his many new aunties, aka, her PWHL Minnesota teammates.

sa国际传媒淚t will definitely be really special to look back at pictures with him and explain the journey that he was on for the first few years of his life, whether he wants to believe us or not,sa国际传媒� she said.

The experiences mother and son will enjoy go much deeper for Coyne Schofield, a three-time Olympian and former U.S. captain. In preparing for Minnesotasa国际传媒檚 opener at Boston on Jan. 3, the game will underline Coyne Schofieldsa国际传媒檚 determination in returning to competitive play, which some questioned was possible after taking leave from the national team a year ago.

sa国际传媒淲hen I first announced my pregnancy, the first comment that I got out of a majority of peoplesa国际传媒檚 mouths were, `Oh, so yousa国际传媒檙e retiring,sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� Coyne Schofield recalled.

Rather than being an end, this is but a new beginning.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 31 years old and I would argue Isa国际传媒檓 still in the prime of my career,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚 want to make sure that (Drew) knew he was never the reason I stopped playing hockey. He was the reason I continued to play hockey.sa国际传媒�

Coyne Schofield is hardly the first elite female athlete to return to competition after giving birth. She joins the likes of tennis star Serena Williams, Olympic swimmer Dara Torres, Alex Morgan and many other famous soccer moms, and hockeysa国际传媒檚 Natalie Spooner, who rejoined Canadasa国际传媒檚 roster in April some four months after having her first child.

Coyne Schofield certainly wonsa国际传媒檛 be the last at a time the international womensa国际传媒檚 sports landscape is expanding, and with the commitments the PWHL has in place to assist new moms, who will face a 24-game schedule into early May that includes road trips and occasional games on consecutive days.

Aside from maternity leave being included in a collective bargaining agreement Coyne Schofield played a role in negotiating sa国际传媒� it was ratified on July 2, the same weekend Drew was born sa国际传媒� she said she was recently informed the league will provide a nanny for playerssa国际传媒� children through their first birthday.

This was an unexpected and pleasant surprise for Coyne Schofield, given she and Drew are initially making the move to the Twin Cities on their own, while her husband, Michael Schofield, continues his career as an NFL offensive lineman.

sa国际传媒淚 was almost in tears because thatsa国际传媒檚 life-changing. And itsa国际传媒檚 life-changing for others, too, who may not have kids yet,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 knowing like, `Wow, I may be able to play hockey a lot longer. I donsa国际传媒檛 have to decide between having a kid and having a career. I can have both.sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒�

Thatsa国际传媒檚 a major departure for Coyne Schofield after spending the days leading up to the PWHLsa国际传媒檚 exclusive free agency period in September worried whether shesa国际传媒檇 get an offer.

sa国际传媒淚t was definitely nerve-wracking,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚 was like, `I donsa国际传媒檛 know if anyone will still value me or see me like the player I was before I got pregnant.sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒�

She need not have worried after becoming one of the first three players signed by Minnesota.

The teamsa国际传媒檚 general manager, Natalie Darwitz, said she once faced a similar choice between child and career upon being offered a job as head coach at Hamline University in Minnesota. Darwitz initially declined before the athletic director insisted they work around her schedule.

sa国际传媒淚 think, as a society, we have to scrub our brains. This isnsa国际传媒檛 an either-or. This isnsa国际传媒檛, something has to give. Itsa国际传媒檚 how do we adapt?sa国际传媒� Darwitz said.

sa国际传媒淚 was coaching when I was pregnant, so my players would see me with the kids at the rink. And thatsa国际传媒檚 important for them to see that you can do both,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒�(The AD) instilled a big value in me, and I was able to now pay it forward. And maybe Kendall one day will be in a position to pay it forward. And thatsa国际传媒檚 how you make change.sa国际传媒�

Toronto PWHL coach Troy Ryan is no stranger to welcoming back players after they give birth, having done so most recently with Spooner in his other job as Canadasa国际传媒檚 national team coach.

It stunned Ryan to learn of Coyne Schofieldsa国际传媒檚 fears of being under-valued for juggling parenthood.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 unfortunate any player would have to think that way, and especially a player of her capabilities,sa国际传媒� Ryan said. sa国际传媒淲e should be creating an environment where they have every opportunity to play at the highest level possible. And if we donsa国际传媒檛 provide those opportunities, we should be ashamed of ourselves.sa国际传媒�

Coyne Schofield said coming back from giving birth shouldnsa国际传媒檛 be any different than dealing with a player returning from a year-long injury. She said her objective to return at her best has fueled her workouts, while also being reminded of her new responsibilities as a mom each time she returns home.

sa国际传媒淢y son is so excited to see me when I walk in the door. He doesnsa国际传媒檛 care how tired I am. Hesa国际传媒檚 like, `Letsa国际传媒檚 go. Itsa国际传媒檚 time to play,sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� Coyne Schofield said with a laugh. sa国际传媒淚 will say, itsa国际传媒檚 a different tired than Isa国际传媒檝e ever been. But itsa国际传媒檚 the best kind of tired there is.sa国际传媒�

John Wawrow, The Associated Press