Updated: Top Remaining NCAA Women's Hockey Free Agents

While six members of our initial women's hockey NCAA free agent list have been signed, there is plenty of talent still remaining on the market.

Taylor Heise and Nicole LaMantia - Photo by Bjorn Franke - Updated: Top Remaining NCAA Women's Hockey Free Agents

Gone are Alina Müller and Chloe Aurard (Boston Pride), Theresa Schafzahl (Montreal Force), Andrea Brändli (MoDo), Sini Karjalainen and Jenniina Nylund (Brynäs). They were the first five NCAA standouts from our initial list signed this offseason.

While she remains on the list, it's rumored an announcement of the signing of netminder Sandra Abstreiter is imminent. Although her signing announcement seems imminent as well, Gabrielle David, a standout at Clarkson, has also jumped onto the list, as she was initially omitted as she technically had a year of college eligibility remaining.

With that in mind, here's a look at the top remaining NCAA free agents. Sophie Jaques has moved to the top. The Patty Kazmaier winner is being hotly pursued by a number of teams and organizations. Where will she land? It's only a matter of time before we learn her fate for next season.

Sophie Jaques, D, Ohio State - When you're the reigning Patty Kazmaier winner as the top NCAA player in the nation, and you're the top scoring blueliner in the country, the list of suitors will be long. Both of those descriptors are true for Jaques. Inexplicably, she was snubbed from consideration for Canada's national team this season, despite the fact she's the prototypical type of player Team USA used to beat the Canadians. Jaques is Toronto born and raised. Could she join the Isobel champion Toronto Six? Will she join the PWHPA and wait for a Canadian franchise? Time will tell.
Emma Soderberg, G, Minnesota-Duluth - Voted to the tournament All-Star team at the recent IIHF World Championships, Soderberg is one of several prominent European goalies set to come out of the NCAA this season. Given the success Corinne Schroeder had in the PHF last season, teams will be looking to this new wave, which also includes Sandra Abstreiter, and Blanka Skodova. Soderberg has annually been a finalist for the NCAA's top goaltender honor, giving her the leg up on the competition. While all could stay in North America, goaltending positions are limited. The PHF, or returning to play in the SDHL in Sweden are likely the best options for Soderberg, considering 12 netminders populated four PWHPA teams last season.
Taylor Heise, F, Minnesota - Perhaps the most impactful player in the class, Heise's fate seems destined for the PWHPA, which pushed her lower than the two above who enter free agency with less certainty. Heise was second in the nation in scoring with 65 points in 38 games, and she's regularly emerged as Team USA's top forward. Only a handful of USA and Canadian national team members remain unhindered in their movement by PWHPA contracts that don't expire until September. The decision is hers, but it's unlikely Heise breaks ranks.
Danielle Serdachny, F, Colgate - Serdachny won the NCAA scoring title as the only player in the nation to break the 70 point mark. She's big and physical, and got her first taste of the Canadian senior national team at the World Championships, albeit in a limited fourth line role. Although geography is becoming less relevant in the discussion as players are being paid liveable, professional wages, the Alberta product is not tied to any location. Colgate sits an almost equal distance from each American PHF team, save for Minnesota. That said, Serdachny will likely feel the pull of her Canadian teammates to join the PWHPA.
Grace Zumwinkle, F, Minnesota - Something fascinating happened days before the IIHF World Championships. Team USA announced they would not be bringing back Zumwinkle, the NCAA's third leading scorer with 25 goals and 61 points in 38 games, along with another NCAA standout, Jesse Compher. While national team players have traditionally stuck with the PWHPA, recently, more players who saw themselves cut from teams, have moved to the PHF for more money, and more playing time. Could Zumwinkle follow this path?
Gabrielle David, F, Clarkson, NCAA - Finishing tenth in NCAA scoring, the 23-year-old recorded 52 points in 42 games. David can flat out score, and will make an immediate impact in professional hockey. This summer David, who hails from Drummondville, Quebec, was invited to Canada's senior national team camp. She represented Canada at the U-18 level. Watch for an imminent signing bringing David to the PHF.
Jesse Compher, F, Wisconsin - Read everything above, and sub in the name Jesse Compher. Compher used her extra year of COVID eligibility to transfer to Wisconsin and win a national title. Her production dipped compared to her four seasons at Boston University, but that's more because Wisconsin brought a more rounded roster, compared to Compher having to carry the load. It will be an interesting offseason for USA's bubble players.
Emma Maltais, F, Ohio State - Similar to other Canadian national team members, Maltais could easily choose to head to whatever offering the PWHPA presents this season, whether it's the rumoured PWHL, or another tour. Maltais had one of the loudest and proudest cheering sections at the IIHF Worlds in Brampton, hailing from nearby Burlington. The Toronto Six will be more limited than others having already signed former Patty Kazmaier winner Daryl Watts to a record $150,000 contract, but with the salary cap expanding, they'd happily spend to bring Maltais back to the city as a hometown hero.
Gabrielle Hughes, F, Minnesota-Duluth - Hughes launched herself onto the scene making Team USA's gold medal roster, stealing a spot from multiple veterans in the process. She'll feel the pull of the PWHPA, or could the Minnesota born and raised, and Minnesota educated athlete stay in the state with the PHF's Whitecaps? It seems more likely Hughes ends up in the PWHPA, but the options have never been greater for graduating NCAA players.
Sandra Abstreiter, G, Providence - While Soderberg took top goaltending honors at the IIHF women's World Championship, Abstreiter garnered consideration as well. Her performance holding Team USA to only three goals, and magically keeping an offensively starved German team from relegation was miraculous. It sounds like Abstreiter's destiny is in the PHF. Which team? Fans will soon find out.
Ashton Bell, D, Minnesota-Duluth - Another national team cut, Ashton Bell did not receive an invite back to Team Canada this year after winning back-to-back World Championship gold, and Olympic gold with her country. Those types of cuts hurt. Is it enough to keep Bell away from her former teammates in the PWHPA? Probably not. Is it enough for her to listen to offers for more money elsewhere? Probably. She finished this season with 33 points in 39 games as Minnesota-Duluth's captain.
Maureen Murphy, F, Northeastern - The third head of Northeastern's offensive monster alongside Müller and Aurard, Murphy has consistently been one of the top American born scorers in the NCAA the past two seasons. She previously represented USA at the U-18s and could be a player targeted by the PWHPA. She's also Buffalo born, and could return home to play for the PHF's Buffalo Beauts.
Noemi Neubauerova, F, Providence - Statistically, there are other players who outperformed Neubauerova. Coming out of Team Czechia with a bronze medal around her neck however, Neubauerova was part of a group that showed impact is not always measured in blowout games that pad your stats. Not a single Czechian player finished in the top 35 of IIHF scoring, but they still won. Neubauerova is one of those players that contributes in many ways. With five members of Team Czechia in the PHF, it would be shocking to not see that number rise this year, and Neubauerova could be one of those.
Sophie Shirley, F, Wisconsin - Sophie Shirley is a unique player on this list, having played in the CWHL with the Calgary Inferno prior to her NCAA career, being named CWHL rookie of the year. With the CWHL in essence becoming the PWHPA, it would seem logical for Shirley to consider that route (although the majority of her former Calgary teammates are no longer with the PWHPA). She'll have a plethora of options to consider.
Lexie Adzija, F, Quinnipiac - Reportedly, Adzija is soon to join a PHF team. She finished her five seasons of NCAA hockey captaining Quinnipiac. Adzija is rarely pushed off a puck, playing a well balanced game using her five-foot-ten frame to her advantage. Adzija was invited to Canada's senior national team selection camp this summer, and is a former Canadian U-18 team member.
Abbey Levy, G, Boston College - Abbey Levy has a unique advantage few women's hockey netminders have, a six-foot-one frame. She uses her size to cover the net well, and put up sparkling numbers over five NCAA seasons, spending the last three with Boston College. Last year in 30 games, Levy recorded a 1.77 GAA and .947 save percentage. She was the third goalie for USA at the World Championships.
Nicole LaMantia, D, Wisconsin - LaMantia spent five seasons with Wisconsin helping her team to a pair of national championships. LaMantia is a mobile defender who has offensive upside. She was the reserve defender for USA's senior national team at Worlds, and won gold as a member of USA's U-18 national team. This season with Wisconsin, LaMantia scored 29 points in 41 games.
Catherine Skaja, F, Minnesota - Notching 81 points in her last 74 NCAA games with the University of Minnesota, Skaja can produce. She played with the PHF's Minnesota Whitecaps at their Battle of the Rig in Tulsa, and is a good bet to land there. She'd be a significant addition for the Whitecaps. If Skaja does play in the PHF, she'll certainly be in the PWHPA. Skaja, 23, has two gold medals playing with USA's U-18 national team.
Blanka Skodova, G, Minnesota-Duluth - Skodova is interesting to discuss, because she only played three games in the NCAA this season buried behind Soderberg in Minnesota-Duluth. That said, she did just win a bronze medal backstopping Czechia. With limited goaltending jobs available, Skodova could return to Czechia or another European league in search of starts. Her performance at Worlds will open those doors.
Claire Dalton, F, Yale - Four strong seasons at Yale, Dalton averaged more than a point per game across her NCAA career, and helped take Yale from an afterthought to a national contender. A former member of Canada's U-18 national team, Dalton was an on and off-ice leader with Yale, serving as team captain.

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