The Hockey Night In Canada podcast is a weekly CBC Sports production.

In each episode, host Rob Pizzo is joined by colourful characters within hockey to discuss great moments and great players and talk about today's stars. The Hockey Night podcast brings you beyond the boxscore with insight you won't find anywhere else.

In this week's episode of the Hockey Night In Canada podcast, we are talking about women and the impact they have made in hockey.

Women's hockey has come a long way in the last 30 years.

Women's hockey really took off after making its Olympic debut in 1998. The thrilling gold-medal game, in which the Americans topped Canada, started one the greatest hockey rivalries of all time.

Since then, women have taken great strides and are now coaching, scouting, broadcasting and making hall of fame speeches.

But there is still room to grow — why doesn't the NHL have female referees, head coaches or general managers?

Five-time Olympian and four-time gold medallist Hayley Wickenheiser joins Pizzo to discuss women's growth in the hockey world. In her role as the assistant director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs, she has helped break down barriers and offers insight into what is still considered a male-dominated sport.

WATCH | Hayley Wickenheiser: Hockey is an "old boys' club and a white male-dominated sport"

This week's episode focuses on women in hockey — from the front office, to coaching, and also the broadcast booth. 0:59

Cheryl Pounder is a two-time gold medallist, who traded in her stick for a microphone to work as a hockey reporter at the Olympics in Pyeongchang. Pizzo talks to her about her transition into broadcasting.

Ice Level reporter Sophia Jurksztowicz has a conversation with one of the pioneers of women's hockey —​ Manon Rhéaume. She was the first woman to play in any of the major North American pro sports leagues, suiting up in net for an exhibition game try out with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992.

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Listen to previous Hockey Night podcasts

Episode 14:

With the NHL season reaching the halfway point, it's time to take a look the highs and lows of the year so far. Stanley Cup champion Glenn Healy helps breakdown what has transpired so far this season.

Episode 13:

We take a look back at the best interviews of 2018, which includes Daniel Carcillo opening up about the hazing he experienced as a member of the Sarnia Sting.

Episode 12:

Hockey books are the perfect gift for any rabid fan and Jay Baruchel, Ken Reid and James Duthie have a few suggestions that should cover anyone on your holiday lists.

Episode 11:

The NHL recently confirmed that when the 2021-22 season begins, there will be 32 teams in the league. We take a closer look at Seattle's expansion bid, the history of expansion, as well as the future of expansion.

Episode 10:

The axe has fallen on four coaches and one general manager so far this season, but we sometimes forget that coaches are human and have families. Former NHL coach Barry Melrose breaks down what life is like for coaches after they're fired.

Episode 9:

Hazing has been an accepted part of hockey for decades now. But recently some disturbing stories have come into the public eye. Stories that involved abuse, bullying, and some horrible behaviour … all disguised as "hazing."

Episode 8:

They're a unique breed — the keepers of the crease are often known to be a little eccentric. Ilya Bryzgalov joins in to help explain what makes them so different from their teammates.

Episode 7:

Recent HHOF inductee Jayna Hefford joins Pizzo to break down the 2018 class, while selection committee member Brian Burke sheds some light on who the most important person in the game is — and it may not be who you think.

Episode 6:

Pizzo sits down with Hockey Night in Canada host Ron MacLean to talk about the top storylines one month into the season and MacLean also fuels the debate over who the best player in the game is right now.

Episode 5:

Hockey fans depend on certain trusted insiders to get their breaking news, but how exactly do they get these scoops? Turns out it's harder work than some might expect.

Episode 4:

The fans love seeing the puck in the net...so what about the poor guys between the pipes? Are they getting pummelled for the sake of rule-tinkering?

Episode 3:

Could there be a more thankless gig? Perfection means being ignored. A single mistake and you are marked for years of noisy abuse. Don Koharski officiated over 1,700 regular season games. He and Pizzo discuss the infamous "donut incident".

Episode 2:

Rivalries are the heart and soul of NHL excitement, but the days of brawling are mostly a thing of the past. Chris Nilan and Kris Draper talk about those old grudges, while some current players insist rivalries are as hot as ever.

Episode 1:

At the beginning of every NHL season, hockey fans generally have more questions than answers when it comes to their favourite teams — and the start of the 2018-19 campaign was no different. Pizzo tackled five burning questions on the minds of the hockey faithful.