A dozen PWHL players remain on long term injured reserve only days before the roster freeze. It's an issue further complicating roster moves for teams looking to bolster their lineups, or make moves down the stretch.
Currently, 12 players are missing from PWHL rosters while they recover on long term injured reserve (LTIR). Another handful remain out day-to-day with various ailments.
With only hours remaining until the PWHL's roster freeze, which takes effect at 5pm on March 31, the impact of injuries is impacting player movement. Teams are working to fill their reserve rosters, or sign free agents, but teams have become slightly shy about shifting too much on their rosters due to questions about when or if certain players will return.
Four players - Minnesota's Dominique Petrie (January 5, Lower Body Injury), Boston's Zoe Boyd (February 13, Torn ACL), New York's Taylor Girard (March 15, Lower Body Injury), and Seattle's Hannah Bilka (February 19, Upper Body Injury) have been deemed out for the season.
Others however have less certainty. Montreal currently has three members of their roster on LTIR including Marie-Philip Poulin (March 15, Lower Body Injury), Maureen Murphy (March 19, Lower Body Injury), and Erin Ambrose (February 19, Lower Body Injury).
Along with Bilka, Seattle is also missing Hilary Knight (February 19, Torn MCL) and Mikyla Grant-Mentis (March 13, Upper Body Injury). Minnesota is missing Petrie, as well as captain Kendall Coyne Schofield (February 19, Upper Body Injury).
In Boston, Boyd is out for the year, and the team is also without Olivia Mobley (February 27, Upper Body Injury), and they've also been missing Jill Saulnier after a hit that landed Maggie Flaherty supplemental discipline.
Finally, Ottawa is without Brooke Hobson (March 24, Upper-Body Injury).
What's more, none of the players on long term injured reserve were in minor roles for their respective teams. It's a list that includes Poulin, Knight, and Coyne Schofield, a trio of future Hall of Famers who are all captains and key offensive players for their respective teams. Bilka and Ambrose were also both Olympians, and others were among team leaders in points or time on ice.
The phones are ringing in the PWHL looking for free agents, and trades that can help solidify rosters down the stretch, but the wealth of players currently sitting on LTIR will factor into each decision for their teams.