The Montreal Victoire looked like they would suffer a nearly fatal wound to their Walter Cup hopes in expansion. It looked like the team was destined to lose Erin Ambrose, Cayla Barnes, and Anna Wilgren in a process that would decimate their blueline.
Instead, Montreal was able to protect Ambrose after Cayla Barnes and Jennifer Gardiner signed in the exclusive window, and subsequently lost Anna Wilgren and Abby Boreen in the expansion draft.
It was what happened next for the Montreal Victoire, watching general manager Daniele Sauvageau transform her roster from what could have been disaster, into one of the strongest rosters top to bottom in the PWHL. She did it through a combination of free agency, the draft, and a trade that should have Victoire fans feeling optimistic.
Montreal's Free Agent Finds
By the time free agency opened, it was clear the Victoire had done their work. Montreal quickly scooped up veteran forwards Hayley Scamurra, Shiann Darkangelo, and Jade Downie-Landry. They followed it by picking up defenders Jessica DiGirolamo and Maggie Flaherty. If this had been where Montreal's retooling stopped, the team would still have entered the 2025-26 season as a deeper team than they were up front than last season, and while slightly weakened on the blueline, the Victoire would still be serviceable at all positions. But that's not where Montreal's process ended.
Trades And Picks Pay Off At The Draft
When Daniele Sauvageau locked in her first round pick, it was exactly what her roster was lacking. She grabbed World Championship gold medalist Nicole Gosling, who alongside Kati Tabin or Erin Ambrose has the potential to be one of the top two-way pairings in the league. Next, Montreal was gifted forward Natalie Mlynkova, a capable replacement for the loss of Jennifer Gardiner in their top six.
As if they needed more, Montreal reshaped their forward group further trading Kristin O'Neill to the New York Sirens in exchange for Abby Roque. There was significant concern across the league on Roque's locker room impact in New York, but Montreal is perhaps the only team in the league where those concerns will be erased by the culture and veteran leadership they have already established. In Montreal, Roque is certain to thrive, and should fulfill the potential she has as a physical forward who can finish around the net.
Montreal added to their haul up front picking Skylar Irving from Northeastern and Maya Labad from Quinnipiac, two players who represented their nation internationally with USA's collegiate select and Canada's national development team at the Six Nations Tournament this year respectively. Their final pick of the draft was defender Tamara Giaquinto from Boston University, who was the Hockey East Defender of the Year.
Depth No Longer An Issue In Montreal
Montreal's back-to-back playoff exits can be attributed to one thing...a lack of depth and underutilization of players down their lineup. That won't be an issue in 2025-26. Montreal could conceivable ice a third line including Shiann Darkangelo, Hayley Scamurra, and Skylar Irving or Maureen Murphy that could check with and keep pace with any top line in the league as as shutdown unit with offensive upside. On a night to night basis, Montreal can expect depth scoring contributions even beyond this unit with a potential fourth line involving Jade Downie-Landry, Catherine Dubois, and a pick like Maya Labad. It's a line that most PWHL teams this season would be happy to have higher up their lineup.
It was a masterclass from Daniele Sauvageau and the Montreal Victoire that places them alongside the PWHL's two expansion teams as early offseason favourites.
