PWHL Rumblings: Europe pushing back, false start trade talks, reserves, and NY frustrations

The Hockey News' Ian Kennedy collects another week's worth of rumblings from across the PWHL. Here's what he's hearing and seeing this week.

It was a busy week in the PWHL, and there are six games on the schedule this week. Here's a look at what we're hearing and seeing from across the PWHL this week.

When it comes to signing players to contracts overseas, don't expect European teams to just give players away anymore. Before this season, several players signed deals in the SDHL, with Dominika Laskova being the first, that included out-clauses. From the sounds of it, teams are not going to be as generous with giving players out clauses for the PWHL moving forward. In fact, most teams have already said no to these clauses moving forward. The other point being passed along is, even getting the declaration information for the PWHL Draft may be a challenge for players from Europe. When the league sent out information to leagues and federations on the eve of the declaration period opening, NCAA players received the information immediately, while many, if not most in Europe did not receive the information. Those players may have to reach out to the league themselves, or be sent the information from friends and former teammates in North America.

Fans love trade talk, and so do media, but somewhere out there exists a disconnect between the "rumours" and reality. After false reports last week about trade talks between PWHL Ottawa and PWHL Boston, it was followed up this week with another false start on a trade talk where it was rumoured that a trade was in talks that would see Jillian Dempsey and Shiann Darkangelo swap places. Let's be honest, this deal is a no brainer on the ice and off the ice, and would put both players in a situation where they're more comfortable, which would likely lead to better on ice performances too. The deal could (and perhaps should) still happen, but to be clear, it's not something the teams are currently discussing.

If you were a player on PWHL Montreal, you probably felt a certain kind of way seeing Melodie Daoust jump into practice for a few days and then onto the team's top line, while those in the lineup all season weren't promoted. PWHL Montreal players might have been feeling completely different after seeing Daoust dangle and generate an abundance of chances in her first game. It's not dissimilar to the positive impact Abby Boreen has had in Minnesota. Currently however, neither player is eligible to sign a full time contract to join their respective teams. Some players like Boreen are ineligible as full time students, which would also apply to a player like Claire Thompson in New York. But the main reason is that players like Thompson and Daoust didn't fully enter the draft. They needed to remain in the market they live in, and therefore can't sign full time deal. The issue for the league is, Daoust is obviously a star and a player the PWHL would want in a best-on-best format. It will be interesting to see if an Abby Boreen or Melodie Daoust Rule comes into play this offseason as the league continues to evaluate how to manage their player pool and put the best players on the ice.

We saw a coach replaced in the days leading up to the inaugural PWHL season, and Minnesota has never looked back under the guidance of Ken Klee. While it's not likely in the cards to see any coach replaced this season, there is growing consensus that PWHL New York is falling out of touch with coach Howie Draper. Perhaps a winning streak will change that, perhaps it won't. Part of that frustration definitely stems from individual struggles on the ice, but New York has some internal issues among players and staff that GM Pascal Daoust may need to get ahead of sooner than later.

With a 3-2-1 point system, it might take longer for the "Gold Plan" for deciding the first overall pick to click in. That said, we could see the top two teams clinch playoff spots before the World Championship break if they stay hot. Montreal has already opened up an 11 point gap on New York and Ottawa through 14 games, which means those teams would need four regulation wins to catch Montreal if they didn't collect another win this season. With only 10 games remaining, it might take Adam Gold to figure the exact odds, but they aren't good. Montreal plays both New York and Ottawa this week. If they win both, in regulation, that clinch will be within sight.

The PWHL opened draft declarations on March 1, meaning players intent on joining the PWHL next season via the 2024 PWHL Draft, can now make those intentions clear to teams and the league. Similar to last season, only players who declare for the draft will be eligible to be selected, and will be eligible to sign or play during the 2024-2025 PWHL season. While no specific date has been announced, PWHL senior vice president of hockey operations Jayna Hefford stated the seven round draft will take place during the middle of June.