Angela James - Playing Style

Playing Style

James was a dominant player in the OWHA. Women's hockey historian Elizabeth Etue attributed James' success to her skating strength and "dynamic, bullet-like shot". She was a physical player who helped the women's game overcome a reputation that it was not a sport where the players were willing to play a "gritty", tough style. Opponents claimed running into James was like "hitting steel". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation commentator Robin Brown, who played against James in the OWHA, said of her: "She could do it all. She had end-to-end speed, she had finesse as a stick handler and her slap shot was harder and more accurate than any female player I have ever seen. She was a pure goal scorer like Mike Bossy and aggressive like Mark Messier. In her prime, she was referred to as the 'Wayne Gretzky of women's hockey'." Capable of playing any position, James was primarily a centre during her senior career, but excelled on defence. In one game where her team was without a goaltender, she played the position and recorded a shutout.