A person with direct knowledge of the agreement tells The Associated Press that North America's top women's hockey players are teaming up with former tennis star Billie Jean King and Los Angeles Dodgers chairman Mark Walter to explore launching a pro league within the next year.

The Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association has decided to break off talks with the rival Premier Hockey Federation.

Frans Nielsen was bought out and Evgeny Svechnikov has a new contract, but it’s not with the Detroit Red Wings or even another NHL team.

FILE - In this Jan. 24, 2016, photo, National Women's Hockey League All-Star players take time for a photo before an All-Star game at Harborcenter in Buffalo, N.Y. The National Women's Hockey League semifinals and final will air on NBC Sports Network in early February 2021. It will be the first time professional women's hockey games are shown live on a major television network in the U.S. (AP Photo/Gary Wiepert, File)Women’s professional hockey will be televised live in the U.S. by a major cable network for the first time when NBC Sports Network airs the National Women’s Hockey League semifinals and final in early February. “As the home of hockey in the U.S., NBC Sports is proud to showcase the NWHL to a national audience,” NBC Sports vice president of programming Michael Perman said. The NWHL fell short of completing its season last spring because of the pandemic.