The PHF doubled its salary cap to $1.5 million from last year's $750,000, leading to the biggest contracts ever given to women's hockey players.
Free-agent frenzy is a term most hockey fans have become well acquainted with, and the PHF appears to live up to the phrase this off-season.
In fact, this could be the wildest PHF free agency in league history. Why? The league doubled its salary cap to $1.5 million this season from $750,000 a year ago.
Since there's no draft, all NCAA, U Sports, and European players become free agents. Combine that with the cap increase, and it was a recipe for excitement.
The caliber of the league is on the rise, making competition for contracts intense.
The first weeks of PHF free agency also saw historic six-figure contracts begin to pour in from teams in the league. Here are some of the top storylines so far.
Montreal Force Steal Superstars
Perhaps the biggest moves out of the gate were made by the Montreal Force. As an expansion team last year, the Force were a late addition to the league and didn’t get a full off-season to build their roster. This year, the Force are making it clear they will be an Isobel Cup contender.
The first items of business for the Force was signing two of the top players in the league from last year’s regular-season champions, the Boston Pride. Montreal signed reigning PHF goaltender of the year and rookie of the year Corinne Schroeder, who led the league in all statistical categories while going 19-1-0. Montreal also grabbed Quebec native Elizabeth Giguere. Giguere is a former Patty Kazmaier winner as the NCAA’s top player and has represented Canada at the U-18 level. This year, she participated in multiple stops for Team Canada on the Rivalry Series.
The Force also re-signed the team's leading scorer, Jade Downy Landry, captain and former Canadian national team member Ann-Sophie Bettez, and grabbed U Sports all-Canadian and two-time U-18 Canadian national team member Audrey-Anne Veillette, a player most assumed was headed for the PWHPA.
Alina Muller Marks A New Era
To replace their departed stars, the Boston Pride made a splash by signing Swiss superstar Alina Muller.
Muller’s signing marks a new era for the PHF, as she’s widely considered one of the top players in the world, and that includes comparing her to Canadian and American stars.
Internationally, Muller has been named the best forward at three separate U-18 World Championship tournaments. In 2018, she led the Olympic Games in scoring en route to being named the best forward there as well.
At the NCAA level with Northeastern, Muller was a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award for five straight years, an unheard-of achievement. This year, she scored 60 points in 38 games for the Huskies and added 10 points in seven games at the World Championship for Switzerland.
In a similar move, the Montreal Force inked former Hockey East player of the year Theresa Schafzahl, a consensus star coming out of the University of Vermont. Schafzahl, 23, captained the Catamounts this season, scoring 45 points in 36 games. She’s also a member of Austria’s national team.
Boston also signed NCAA standout Chole Aurard and has been linked to a number of other elite players, including NCAA star Gabrielle David, as well as the leading scorer from the Isobel Cup champion Toronto Six, Brittany Howard.
Six-Figure Signings Continue
A year ago, signing a player for six figures in women’s professional hockey would have seemed impossible. When Mikyla Grant-Mentis signed a record-setting $80,000 contract with the PHF’s Buffalo Beauts prior to last season, people took notice.
Mid-season, when former Patty Kazmaier winner Daryl Watts signed for $150,000 with the Toronto Six, heads turned completely.
This off-season, several six-figure contracts have already been announced. The Connecticut Whale are leading that charge with four players, including former Olympic gold medalist and USA national team member Kacey Bellamy signing a one-year deal worth $122,000 plus a $7,000 signing bonus. Bellamy is one of several former Canadian and USA national team members in the PHF, a list that also includes Bettez, who re-upped with the Montreal Force.
Joining Bellamy in the $100,000 club for Connecticut were the team’s leading scorer and 2022 PHF MVP Kennedy Marchment, who agreed to $130,000 for the second year of her contract, Taylor Girard, who also re-negotiated the second year of her contract to $110,000, and Allie Munroe, one of the best defenders in the league who agreed to $105,000.
Even those who fell just outside of that bracket are signing historic contracts. Metropolitan Riveters captain Madison Packer agreed to a new two-year contract with her team, signing for an annual average value of $92,500. Also re-signing this off-season was Toronto Six captain Shiann Darkangelo, whose financial terms were not disclosed.
What Comes Next?
As signings continue to pour in, there will be many players changing jerseys from last season and more coming to the PHF for the first time.
In terms of NCAA talent, names linked to PHF teams include Sophie Jaques, Gabrielle David, Lexie Adzija, Sandra Abstreiter and Catherine Skaja. Others, including goaltender Emma Soderberg, continue to feel out the market. The Minnesota Whitecaps already announced their first NCAA signing in Minnesota State senior Brooke Bryant.
Similarly, European names continue to circle the market including Czechia captain Alena Mills, forward Michaela Pejzlova, and defender Karolina Kosinova.
The belief is many players are beginning to see the PHF as a legitimate option both financially and in terms of the ongoing improvements to logistics.