Wisconsin Badgers forward Cassie Hall is one of USA Hockey's brightest young stars. Growing up in Michigan, she played for Manon Rhéaume and Little Caesars. Now she's watching her former coach and role model build PWHL Detroit as her own pro future nears.
Cassie Hall grew up 40 miles from Little Caesars Arena in South Lyon, Michigan. There was no professional women's hockey, and there remains no NCAA women's hockey in Michigan.
One of those items, with the announcement of PWHL expansion is about to change. And for the University of Wisconsin star, who twice represented USA at the U-18 World Championships, and is currently a member of USA's Collegiate Select team, it will be a former role model and mentor of hers, Manon Rhéaume who is responsible for building PWHL Detroit as the team's inaugural general manager.
Rhéaume, who was born in Quebec and is a former Olympian representing Canada, has lived in Michigan for years, and has served as the girls' director for Little Caesars for the past 11 years.
When Rhéaume took the job, she started bringing girls from across Michigan into the Little Caesars program, including Hall, who she convinced to make the jump from boys' hockey to play 'AAA' for Little Caesars.
"She was actually the person that convinced me to switch over to girls' hockey," recalled Hall only minutes after Rhéaume was officially announced as Detroit's first general manager.
"I was playing boys' hockey, and she became the new director of Little Caesars, and she brought me over, and then I kind of had her as my role model growing up."
That relationship included Rhéaume coaching Hall through some of her formative teenage years.
"To have her as a coach and have that relationship with her, I think it's super cool that she's the new GM."
Bright Future Ahead For Hall
This season, Hall's junior year in the NCAA at Wisconsin, Hall won her second straight national title with the Badgers, hitting career marks in goals with 24, and points with 48 in only 41 games.
Originally, Hall would have been a lock to be a top two round pick in the 2027 PWHL Draft. Now however, following a new ruling by the NCAA to give players an extra season of eligibility, she'll need to decide whether she declares in 2027 or waits until what will undoubtedly be a stacked 2028 draft.
Whenever she decides to enter the PWHL, Hall will be a top prospect, and a pro-ready player who can step in and contribute. The opportunity to now not only be able to play hockey as a career, but also to play either in her hometown full time, or to visit Detroit as a member of a visiting team is something Hall has dreamed about.
"It's awesome," said Hall of PWHL expansion to Detroit. "Honestly something I never really thought would happen to have professional women's hockey in Michigan, especially without any NCAA D1 programs in Michigan."
"To have professional hockey in Michigan, I think Detroit's a great place for hockey, and obviously, growing up here it's somewhere I'd want to play. But we'll have to see on that."
Hall thought Detroit would be an excellent location for a team when the league was originally founded, and now that professional women's hockey in Detroit has become a reality, she's thrilled for the future of the sport in her home state.
"Whether I'm playing for Detroit, or as a visiting team in Detroit, it's where I grew up. I grew up playing at Little Caesars Arena with Little Caesars, so I think just it would be almost a full circle moment to come back to that rink and play in front of all these fans, my family, friends. It would be a really special time, and I'm excited for when that would happen. I don't even know how to put it in the words."