Eight of the PWHL's 18 players on guaranteed three-year contracts are pro rookies. It's a risk that could be a great success, or a complete bust for teams.
Eight of the PWHL's 18 players on guaranteed three-year contracts are pro rookies. It's a risk that could be a great success, or a complete bust for teams.
As part of the PWHLPA's collective bargaining agreement, which was signed before players ever stepped foot on the ice, or even had teams to play for, six players per team in the inaugural PWHL season would be given guaranteed three-year contracts paying at least $80,000 per season.
Among those 18 players across the league, eight were rookies to professional hockey. Those players include Minnesota's Taylor Heise and Grace Zumwinkle, Boston's Alina Muller and Sophie Jaques, Ottawa's Ashton Bell and Gabbie Hughes, Montreal's Maureen Murphy, and Toronto's Emma Maltais.
While all of these players will continue to develop, some are farther along that path, and teams need these players to contribute immediately, not when their three-year deal expires and they're ready for a new contract.
Inevitably, some of these players will be a boom for their team's, and some will be a bust; or at least not live up to the cap hit they were warranted.
Who will boom?
With certainty, Taylor Heise, as long as she stays healthy, will be a major boom for hockey in Minnesota and professional women's hockey as a whole. She's one of the top players in the world and showed her game breaking abilities quickly in the league. It would actually be surprising to see Heise outside the top 10 in league scoring at any of her first three seasons, and she's not only a leading contender for rookie of the year, but she's an early MVP candidate. Grace Zumwinkle got off to a roaring start in Minnesota, but she'll need to prove herself over a longer period than Heise to be deemed an immediate boom.
Alina Muller's ability to control play, distribute pucks, and break away from defenders herself is impressive, although it hasn't resulted in big numbers yet. It's pretty clear that success is coming, and whether she's the playmaker or the finisher, her impact will live up to expectations. Although she's a vastly different player, Emma Maltais has been an early driver for Toronto as well. Her offensive ceiling is not as high as Muller, but her impact in Toronto, particularly given some of their initial roster shortcomings, is meaningful. She needs to produce, however, to earn a full boom.
Ottawa expects Ashton Bell and Gabbie Hughes to emerge as stars in this league. That has been the message from general manager Mike Hirshfeld from day one, and so far, it looks as though both are on that track. Bell in particular has flashed her star power as a two-way defender in a blueline starved league. Hughes' contribution isn't always measured by the scoresheet, but she looks on track with a strong start.
Who will bust?
It's impossible to predict this for certain. What is certain, is that there is a group of NCAA stars who will enter the PWHL Draft this season whose immediate impact will supersede many current rookies, including those listed as potential "boom" players. Hannah Bilka, Sarah Fillier, and Cayla Barnes to name a few, along with players like Danielle Serdachny and Julia Gosling. Had these players entered the draft this year, there would be a different group of names on this three-year contract list.
Sophie Jaques was last year's Patty Kazmaier trophy, showing her immense offensive upside. Producing in college and producing in pro are vastly different challenges, particularly when defense cannot be freely sacrificed for riskier chances. She's going to need to learn this process, meaning fans might not see the same player they were expecting to step in and light up the league immediately. Don't count her out, especially in a league thin on the back end, and she could heat up at any moment, but there is certainly learning to be done.
One of the more intriguing three-year contracts went to Montreal's Maureen Murphy. A standout in the NCAA with Northeastern, Murphy was a big time producer, but has yet to garner the interest from USA Hockey that others are receiving. She could break that trend by playing her way into the discussion in the PWHL, and lining up alongside Marie-Philip Poulin is only going to help. Murphy should produce at a decent pace given the opportunities she's getting, but when you look at the available names for next season, it becomes harder to justify. The thing is however, some players are just built to be pros, whether or not the national team calls. Murphy looks like one of those players. Boom or bust? Time will be on Murphy's side, and Montreal will hope they look like geniuses by the end of year one.
Incoming NCAA Players
The aforementioned Fillier, Bilka, and Barnes are elite. They will step onto top lines, pairings, and power play units. The same is likely true for Danielle Serdachny and Julia Gosling, and another wave including Kristýna Kaltounková, Britta Curl, Natalie Mlynkova, Anne Cherkowski, Jennifer Gardiner, Izzy Daniel, Klara Hymlarova, Casey O'Brien, Elle Hartje, and Kiara Zanon look like good bets to take roster spots and challenge for scoring line roles. All could be playing in the league this year.
On the blueline, teams will scramble for the best available including Barnes, Allyson Simpson, Anna Wilgren, Megan Carter and several others who will compete to take roster roles.
With wave upon wave of talent who will make the PWHL deeper and more talented, expansion, roster changes, and development opportunities will all come into view. As that happens, rookies on guaranteed three-year deals will be closely scrutinized against their peers.