Less than 48 hours after being traded from Seattle to Boston, Jessie Eldridge crossed the continent and made her Boston Fleet debut in front of a sold out home crowd in a "whirlwind" experience for the forward.
The Boston Fleet announced on Monday night that they would be trading forward Theresa Schafzahl to the Seattle Torrent in exchange for forward Jessie Eldredge.
Less than 24 hours later, Eldridge hit the ice in a Boston Fleet uniform, playing against the Toronto Sceptres.
Between the time the trade was announced and the puck dropped, Eldridge arrived in Boston, missed morning practice, and was then placed in the starting lineup.
“It's been a bit of a whirlwind, for sure, but special,” Eldridge said. “Obviously not the result we wanted tonight. This is a special group, so just really excited to get work, to work with them.”
As for her sudden placement in the lineup without having practiced with the team, Eldridge said she didn’t mind the lack of preparation.
“I think I actually kind of enjoyed it. I broke the Band-Aid right off. Just go play hockey at the end of it.”
Eldridge joined a Boston Fleet team that is currently at the top of the league standings. After two seasons with New York and half of this season with the Torrent, being on a top team is new for Eldridge.
When asked about how she feels about the transition, she shared her excitement.
“I think it's been some growing pains for me the past couple of years, but I think the process has always been the same for me. You just show up each day. We have the best job in the world. So no matter where you are, at least competitive,” Eldridge said. “No matter what I think past teams I've been on, you go in, and they're close. Games take games; you just couldn't find a way to go on the other side. So just really excited for the final stretch here.”
Head coach Kris Sparre made a deliberate decision about her position in the lineup. Sparre put Eldridge alongside Alina Muller, hoping to spark some offensive opportunities.
As for what he saw in her play on Tuesday, Sparre shared his observations.
“I liked her game,” Sparre said. “I thought she was really crafty around the net. [I] already can tell that she's going to boost our offense for sure. [She’s] got a lot of sticks, a lot of tips in front of the net. I think she had a great chance on the power play in the second period at the side of that. She has a knack for it.”
The pairing of Eldridge and Muller was unsuccessful in scoring opportunities; however, the pair had several chances. Eldridge shared that playing alongside Muller, rather than against her, was something she looked forward to.
“Alina is super special, very offensive,” Eldridge said. “I think, [if I] get my stick ready for her pass so she'll find me.”
The Fleet ultimately lost 2-0 to the Toronto Sceptres. Eldridge and the rest of the team will now have four days until their next contest against the Seattle Torrent on Saturday.