PWHL camp rosters continue to round out. Here's a look at many of the players who will be heading to training camps this Fall with each of the PWHL's six teams.
PWHL camp rosters continue to round out. Here's a look at many of the players who will be heading to training camps this Fall with each of the PWHL's six teams.
PWHL camp rosters continue to come together as the offseason hits a point when many players are exiting vacations and a time to reset their bodies, and are entering the heavy training it will take to earn or keep roster spots this season.
Most teams have completed the bulk of their rosters with only a handful of spots available in training camp. Most of those positions have unsigned draft picks pencilled in, but there will be outside free agents competing.
Here's a look at where rosters sit, and who could be competing for a spot.
PWHL Boston
All of Boston will be cheering for Jillian Dempsey to take a roster spot in Boston, but it will come with stiff competition. Boston currently has 20 players under contract for next season including 11 forwards. They also have drafted but unsigned forward Shay Maloney coming to camp. As well, several members from Boston's 2024 roster including Amanda Pelkey, Taylor Wenczkowski, and Gigi Marvin have yet to announce their intentions, and Boston also owns the rights to forward Caitrin Lonergan and Tatum Skaggs. In net, Cami Kronish, who was Boston's third goalie last season will return on a tryout basis, but she'll be pushed by Czechia's starter Klara Peslarova, widely considered one of the best netminders in the world. Boston's other unsigned draft pick is defender Hadley Hartmetz who is currently recovering from an injury.
PWHL Minnesota
Minnesota has one of the smaller groups of players entering the heart of the offseason with only 15 players signed, which is perhaps because the team has not had a general manager for nearly two months after the league dismissed Natalie Darwitz. The team has seen retirements from Sophia Kunin, Brittyn Fleming, and Amanda Leveille, opening a few positions, and also saw Emma Greco walk via free agency. Minnesota will have members of last year's team including Claire Butorac and Brooke Bryant coming to camp competing for roster spots, and they'll certainly have several others competing for spots. Currently, Minnesota has defenders Claire Thompson and Mae Batherson unsigned, and will likely bring back Mellissa Channell who was strong for them in the postseason as well, although the team has expressed interest in other defenders, including former PWHL Boston blueliner Kaleigh Fratkin. Up front Minnesota has yet to sign draft picks Dominique Petrie, Katy Knoll, and Brooke McQuigge.
PWHL Montreal
The two biggest question marks in Montreal are Amanda Kessel and Abby Boreen. Both remain unsigned, and it became clear at the draft that Kessel had expressed interest in only playing for PWHL Boston as team after team passed on the former American national team star. Similarly, Boreen certainly wanted to be in Minnesota where she played last season as a reserve before being picked in the draft by Montreal. She has school obligations in Minnesota. Montreal will bring in former PWHL New York forward Alexandra Labelle as a free agent invite at camp, and players from last season's roster including Gabrielle David will also return to camp to fight for a contract. Montreal has 18 contracted players, and also has unsigned draft picks Anna Kjellbin, Anna Wilgren, and Dara Greig, along with the aforementioned Kessel and Boreen in the organization. Perhaps the most intriguing free agent invite to Montreal is netminder Sandra Absteiter who was Ottawa's backup last year and will look to grab the third goalie position behind Ann-Renee Desbiens and Elaine Chuli.
PWHL New York
The main order of business in New York is to sign first overall pick Sarah Fillier. The collective bargaining agreement put teams and players in a precarious position after loading the bulk of salaries into the pockets of 36 players through guaranteed three-year deals. It means that following the 2025-2026 season, a significant chunk of money will come available for free agents, which has players looking for shorter contracts to cash in then. New York does have some of the most intriguing free agents coming to camp. The biggest battle in New York looks to be shaping up on their blueline, where in addition to returning defender Taylor Baker, they'll have a pair of outside free agents coming to camp. One of those blueliners, Wisconsin alumni Chayla Edwards could be a surprise among PWHL teams this season if she can steal the seventh spot in New York as she is strong on the defensive side of the puck, something New York's defenders struggled with last season. New York is also bringing former PWHL Montreal defender Madison Bizal to camp to compete for the final blueline spots. New York has only 15 players signed, with draft picks Fillier, Elle Hartje, Ally Simpson, Gabby Rosenthal, Emmy Fecteau, and Kayle Osborne still unsigned. New York will also bring back most of their players from last season to round out their camp invites.
PWHL Ottawa
Between the 18 players signed in Ottawa and the six unsigned draft picks they have, there is quite simply no room on Ottawa's roster. That is unless a free agent can steal a roster spot, or is willing to start as a reserve. Looking at their unsigned players, the list includes second overall pick Danielle Serdachny, second round pick Ronja Savolainen, and third round pick Gwyneth Philips, along with picks Stephanie Markowski, Mannon McMahon, and Madeline Wethington. Ottawa however will also bring in free agents to fight for roster spots. Opening the offseason Ottawa watched Akane Shiga and Kristin Della Rovere sign contracts in Europe. They also saw Sandra Abstreiter decide to test the market, and forward Daryl Watts sign with PWHL Toronto. They filled some of those positions bringing in Rebecca Leslie and Alexa Vasko from Toronto, and signed Logan Angers, an undrafted netminder, as their third goalie.
PWHL Toronto
There are 20 players signed heading into Toronto's camp making them the most secured roster of the PWHL's six teams. A portion of that came from adding Daryl Watts and Emma Woods through free agency and signing four of their seven picks heading into training camp. Their unsigned picks include Noemi Neubaurova, Anneke Linser, and Lauren Bernard. Toronto will bring one of the top undrafted picks on the market to camp who could usurp the potential and performance of many drafted defenders. That player is University of British Columbia captain Rylind MacKinnon who has been a common fixture at Canadian national team camps. Toronto will also bring back Jessica Kondas, a reserve with Toronto last season who did not get into a game as a camp invitee.
Rounding out most team's camp invites are the remaining unsigned players from their 2024 rosters, although each team will have additional players (some not listed above) attending camp. Many players expected to challenge for roster spots as free agent invites have opted to play the 2024-2025 season in Europe where they'll have the opportunity to develop in roles where they are playing more regularly.