Multiple things can be true about the 2025-26 Boston Fleet roster. First, they have decidedly less star power, having lost Hilary Knight and Hannah Bilka up front, along with Emily Brown, Jessica DiGirolamo, Sydney Bard, and Emma Greco on the blueline. They also saw forward Lexie Adzija walk.
The second truth for the Boston Fleet is that they could be a more difficult team to play night in and night out with the additions the team made – adding players like Laura Kluge, Liz Schepers, Zoe Boyd, and Chloe Aurard. The team also added impact in the draft, picking two-way players who compete hard. General manager Danielle Marmer made the best of a bad situation this offseason.
It's highly unlikely the Boston Fleet find their way into contention, but they will not be a pushover team either.
Offseason report cards are based not only on how each position and item is predicted to perform next season, but also on the offseason changes to the role. Here's a look.
Offense: C
Outside of Alina Muller and Susanna Tapani, Boston lacks top end offense. They'll need several items to click to see this grade improve. First, Boston will need veterans Jamie Lee Rattray and Hannah Brandt to take steps forward. They also need some of their now third-year pros like Theresa Schafzahl and Sophie Shirley to find ways to contribute offensively. The final element is the impact of newcomers. Chloe Aurard's upside is promising, as she returns to play with Northeastern linemate Alina Müller. And Boston needs Ella Huber, Olivia Mobley, and Abby Newhook to find ways to hit the scoresheet. Boston found success last year mining Shay Maloney out of the SDHL, and they're following that path with other invites who have upside. Two of Boston's most legitimate offensive threats are actually defenders Haley Winn and Megan Keller. Finding ways to allow them to open up and join the rush will be crucial.
Defense: B-
When you lose four of your top six, it's not an easy fix. The Fleet added impact defender Haley Winn who will immediately be one of the league's best two-way defenders alongside Megan Keller, giving Boston two elite defenders. Beyond the duo, new Boston head coach Kris Sparre cannot afford to repeat the detrimental deployment of Daniela Pejsova. The young defender has elite upside and could be Boston's answer on the back end, but her development was stifled markedly last year by being buried in a 6-7 role, and then used sparingly as a winger. Boston added physicality on their back end in Zoe Boyd and Rylind MacKinnon. MacKinnon is a player to watch who could blossom. Boston will need one or more of their free agent invites to earn a role, or hope that Hadley Hartmetz is healthy and capable. This blueline could surpass this grade, or could prove incapable of the job. The Fleet's team defense and structure will factor in to this result.
Goaltending: A-
Aerin Frankel is unquestionably one of the best goaltenders in the league, and on the planet. There's no question she's an elite starter. Frankel was the backbone of the Fleet and was directly responsible for much of their success in the opening two seasons of the league's existence. Frankel will be called on to take the vast majority of starts this season. If she falters or suffers an injury, this team is in trouble. Amanda Thiele is the likely backup for the Fleet but is completely unproven at this level or facing this calibre of shooter night in and night out. Abbey Levy, Boston's other signing has potential, but just couldn't show it in New York. Could a new location give her new life? Frankel is a sure thing. Everything else in Boston's crease is a question mark.
Coaching: C
Kris Sparre brings experience from a variety of leagues and levels both as a player and coach. What Sparre doesn't bring is knowledge of the player pool, league's rules or style, women's hockey experience, or head coaching experience. It's a lot to ask of a first-year head coach at any level to navigate a new league with new rules, new requirements, and managing to match up against hundreds of players they've never seen play. The odds are stacked against Sparre, but that doesn't mean he's incapable of doing all of the above and managing to guide this team in the right direction. It simply means he has a lot to learn in a very short period of time, and a roster that lacks the talent of many in this league to manage. Sparre has a unique opportunity to do something special in Boston, particularly with expectations for his roster remaining low.
Intangibles: B
The most noticeable gap is the loss of captain Hilary Knight. It's a significant subtraction to this roster, but it's not like the Fleet are lacking natural leaders. Without a reliance on Knight, this team is in a position to watch new leaders emerge. Megan Keller, Susanna Tapani, and Jamie Lee Rattray lead the candidates to take over as team captain, while returnees Alina Müller, Shay Maloney, and Hannah Brandt can lead as well. What Boston managed to add in the offseason was a lot of respected character players like Kluge, Schepers, Boyd, and Aurard. This team will operate as a group without reliance on any individual.