Manon Rheaume spoke to media on Tuesday addressing both questions of a perceived early start and tampering, to PWHL Detroit's signing of controversial forward Britta Curl-Salemme following fan backlash.
No general manager faced a litany of difficult questions greater than PWHL Detroit's Manon Rhéaume following Phase Two of the PWHL expansion process.
Rhéaume was asked about the reported trade that will send Hilary Knight to Detroit, followed by questions on the signing of Britta Curl-Salemme, and finally on accusations that Detroit got an early start and may have tampered with signed players.
Curl-Salemme Reacts To Fan Outrage
Britta Curl-Salemme has spoke before on being booed in every venue in the PWHL. The now former Minnesota Frost forward and current member of PWHL Detroit has been criticized not only as the most disciplined and suspended player in PWHL history, but also for actively campaigning against the LGBTQ+ community while representing anti-Trans, anti-abortion organization FIERCE Athlete. She joined FIERCE Athlete after apologizing for anti-Trans comments she made online, and liking several racist and homophobic Tweets.
Manon Rhéaume defended her signing of Curl-Salemme despite outrage from fans.
"I understand that some of the fans has strong feelings about this signing, we don't take that lightly," said Rhéaume. "We want to make sure that people know PWHL Detroit games, we want a place where everybody feel welcome. We did put a lot of time in talking to peopel that either coach Britta or play with Britta and we even have our head coach (Josh Sciba) that got chance to coach her and see her in a team environment, and everybody that talks about how she is as a teammate and how she treat every player on the team, we felt confident within the teammate we were bringing into our organization."
Curl-Salemme's reputation as a teammate however, differs from the community response.
Curl-Salemme's active participation with FIERCE Athlete, which openly calls members of the LGBTQ+ community "disillusioned" and referred to art forms like drag as "disgraceful," a "mockery," and "sexual hedonism," is recent, and came after her transphobic comments, and a subsequent apology.
For Curl-Salemme's promotion of FIERCE Athlete, the PWHL permitted video to be taken used for FIERCE Athlete and Curl's collaboration on ice, on the bench, and during games. The PWHL has refused all comment on why they permitted video to be taken on the ice and on a PWHL bench for the explicit purposes of an anti-LGBTQ+ campaign involving Curl-Salemme.
FIERCE Athletes primary goal however, is to bar transgender athletes from sport, which Curl-Salemme has continued to support in online comments and her endorsement of the organization.
"I acknowledge there are some upset fans and I get that, [it's] not something new to me," Curl-Salemme said when asked by reporter Maya Smith about fan reaction. "But, I just think of my time in Minnesota and the experience that I had there, and it was overwhelmingly positive. I got to really immerse myself in that community and got to meet fans, and just see people eye-to-eye, and be humans together. I think that's what's important, and that's what I plan to do in Detroit as well."
"I think you know Manon (Rhéaume) went to talking on this — it's not easy drafting me, obviously, but she would not have take that on if she didn't believe in me and do her research and talk to the right people. So I can speak as much as I want about my character, but I think it's more important coming from those who actually know me."
Rhéaume Denies Allegations Of Early Start And Tampering
Prior to the start of Phase One of the PWHL's expansion player distribution process, multiple PWHL general managers and agents contacted The Hockey News to report that their players were already being talked to by PWHL Detroit.
Detroit was first out of the gate announcing signings of Daryl Watts, Hannah Bilka and Cayla Barnes, and Britta Curl-Salemme. Multiple members of the PWHL, as well as a member of the Seattle Torrent's 2025-26 roster, and a separate member of Team USA's gold medal winning Olympic roster told The Hockey News that Hilary Knight had informed those close to her she'd be signing with Detroit.
All of those signings were completely within the PWHL's rules, unless those negotiations began, as alleged, prior to June 1.
Rhéaume denied that her team started early, and said she was in constant communication with the PWHL to ensure she and PWHL Detroit were adhering to rules, which she admitted at times were complex.
"I was probably the one that bugged the league the most about like making sure that we understood the rules very well and that we were following them, Rhéaume said when asked about the perception and reports.
"The rules were complicated, a lot of like even agents were questioning the rules," Rhéaume continued. "Our staff we were reading it and I would go back to the league a lot to have clarification because that's important to us to follow the rules. I always believe you do it the right way and that's how you're going to have some success."