27 Player Rosters Due: A Look Across The League

Predicting who will be among the 27 players left standing at each of the PWHL's six training camps is a difficult task. That's because no official training camp roster was released by teams or the league.

The PWHL announced a full list of training camp invites on October 16, but following that day it was learned that many players on those lists did not intend to attend training camps. Similarly, no designation was made about players ineligible to sign standard player agreements, but were in camp looking for a spot as a reserve. 

The list of players included in the PWHL's announcement, but not at training camps includes Lina Ljungblom (Montreal), Kendall Cornine, Hayley Lunny, and Bailey Larson (New York), and Saroya Tinker and Kyra Willoughby (Ottawa). Similarly, other players who were drafted opted out of the league this season including Caitrin Lonergan (Ottawa), Minttu Tuominen (Minnesota), and Tatum Skaggs (Boston), with some of these players appearing on the initial training camp lists released by the league.

Here's a look at how many players each PWHL team will need to release:

With approximately 16 players needing to be released league wide, the initial cut, which will be followed the league's first Waiver Window from November 30 to December 2.

In Boston, the two most likely areas of roster reduction include one goalie and one defender. With Emma Soderberg and Aerin Frankel signed in net, either Cami Kronish or Lindsay Browning will be released before the season opens. The team also has seven defenders already signed with Lauren MacInnis as the lone unsigned and undrafted blueliner in the group. With only one cut needed, it seems probable we'll be seeing one of these players released.

Minnesota has 16 forward and nine defenders in camp, along with four netminders and two cuts to be made. Up front, the team will need to decide between several young local products who are all vying for spots, but may choose to ride out those decisions a little longer. The decision will come down to Catie Skaja, Brittyn Fleming, Claire Butorac, Brooke Bryant, and Abigail Boreen, who are all competing for two spots unless they can beat out unsigned forwards like Sophia Kunin, Clair DeGeorge, LIz Schepers, Sydney Brodt, and Michaela Cava. On the blueline, if Minnesota has gained any clarity among their nine, it would seem more likely the team releases one or both of their necessary players from the position to allow for waiver pickups at the position, which is Minnesota's thinnest. Nikki Nightengale, Abby Cook, and Emma Greco are three players to watch here.

Montreal is one of two teams in the league needing to make a deeper cut with four players needing to go. With five goaltenders in camp and two signed, at least one goaltender will certainly see their camp end. If Danielle Sauvageau and Kori Cheverie are confident in Ann-Renee Desbiens' status returning from injury, they could cut down their goaltending roster to three now. Marie-Soleil Deschênes, Blanka Škodová, and Marlène Boissonnault are the three netminders vying for one spot. After signing defender Mariah Keopple, which surprised some, Montreal will likely release one of two defenders to finalize their blueline. That decision will come between Catherine Daoust and Brigitte Laganière who both played in the PHF last season with the Montreal Force. It may however, need to wait until after the preseason camp with Erin Ambrose's injury. With that said, aside from one to two goaltenders, the multiple cuts will certainly happen up front for Montreal who approaches the deadline with 18 forwards still in camp. Multiple pro experienced players will eventually be released with Brooke Stacey, Alex Poznikoff, Leah Lum, Catherine Dubois, Sarah Lefort, and Hanna Bunton fighting for spots. Melodie Daoust is the other free agent invite but has been impressive, and looks like a certain pick for a reserve spot as she's ineligible to sign. 

The other team with deeper cuts coming is New York, who will also likely be an active team on the waiver wire particularly up front, as their crease and blueline have depth. That said, New York has 12 blueliners in camp, a number too significant to survive this round of cuts. It would not be outlandish to see all of New York's release 2-3 from the blueline where Carley Olivier, Johanna Fallman, Megan Eady, Christine Deaudelin, Emily Curlett, and Taylor Baker are all vying for roster spots. Claire Thompson looks like a lock for a reserve spot on the blueline, despite her inability to join the team regularly for practices. New York will also need an additional defender to fill the role of Micah Zandee-Hart who could miss the first portion of the regular season due to injury. Up front where three forwards chose not to attend camp, and with an injury to Madison Packer, the team is already down to 14 skaters. They could release one player from the forward group to free space to bring in new skaters via the waiver wire. 

Ottawa has tough decisions coming. They undoubtedly have the best group of free agent invites up front, and teams will have some of these players on speed dial if they're released. Up front, Ottawa has 17 players, but it's still uncertain if Audrey-Anne Veillette will be ready for the season, despite her participation in camp. If Carla MacLeod and Mike Hirshfeld have any clarity up front it would make sense for those releases to come now, giving players the best possible chance to land elsewhere. The fight up front is presumably between Liliane Perreault, Malia Schneider, Akane Shiga, Fanni Garát-Gasparics, Rosalie Demers, and Natalie Snodgrass. While Mikyla Grant-Mentis is unsigned as well, she seems a probably signing at forward. 

Toronto has only two cuts to make. It would not be surprising to see the team get down to their three goalies prior to the preseason camp, with the final spot set for either Carly Jackson or Amanda Mäkelä. Toronto may keep Emma Keenan, Lauriane Rougeau, and Taylor Wabick through the preseason camp, who are all vying for spots on the blueline, but they'll be players other teams will be watching closely when waiver announcements come. Up front, the status of Victoria Bach is the leading question mark for Toronto. She's only skated twice through the opening weeks of training camp, not related to injury. If she's not in Toronto's opening day lineup, it will alter how they approach their final forward decisions. Cuts could come from any position in Toronto.