NHL partnership a step in the right direction for the NWHL

Special to espnW.com

Bruce Bennett/Getty ImagesNWHL commissioner Dani Rylan says a stamp of approval from the New Jersey Devils is game-changing and is hopefully a springboard for other NHL partnerships.

For the first time, the NHL is giving a real assist to women's hockey.

On Thursday it was announced that the NWHL's New York Riveters would rebrand and partner with the New Jersey Devils. It's the first time an NHL franchise has directly supported a women's pro hockey team, and it might be a sign of things to come.

"We have been in talks with the Devils for a while," NWHL commissioner Dani Rylan said. "The Isobel Cup two years ago was at the Barnabas Health Hockey House, and right after that we…