The PWHL's reserve players are a constant topic of discussion — from their low salaries, lack of playing opportunities, and the risk of losing a year of their playing careers if they don't get into games. Others discuss the potential some of these players hold to step in and make a contribution.
While it hasn't been common, there has been a select group of players who have climbed from reserve players, to full-time contributors in the league without looking back. Some, like Mikyla Grant-Mentis bounced from full-time to a reserve spot and back to full-time. Others like Sam Isbell have made that bounce many times. Still others started as reserves, and had a much steeper uphill battle, waiting for the perfect opportunity to climb and seize the opportunity.
Here's a look at the PWHL players who have gone from starting as reserves to full time roster spots.
Catherine Dubois, Montreal Victoire
Perhaps the most successful of the past reserves, Dubois entered Montreal's roster early in year one missing the team's first two games while on reserve. She signed a 10-day contract on January 10, scoring in her first game that night, signed another on January 27, and then on February 18, following a season-ending injury to Dominika Laskova, Dubois signed a standard contract. She never looked back, re-signing before season two, and quickly followed that campaign with a third season with the Victoire. Dubois was an impact player last season finishing 45th out of 139 players who competed this season in the PWHL in scoring.
Taylor House, Ottawa Charge
Taylor House played the 2023-24 season in Sweden with MoDo. Last year she attended the Ottawa Charge's training camp as a free agent invite. House didn't play for the first month of the season but made her PWHL debut on December 17. Later in the season, in February, House signed her first standard contract when Katerina Mrazova was injured. She played key minutes in the playoffs for the Ottawa Charge, hitting double-digit numbers in all three games she played in the Walter Cup Finals. House's size and two-way game earned her a full time contract heading into 2025-26.
Jessica Kondas, Toronto Sceptres
Nothing is guaranteed here yet, but Jessica Kondas took a step this offseason she had yet to make, as the Toronto ‘ reserve signed her first full-time standard contract on June 20, 2025. Kondas was a reserve for PWHL Toronto in year one and didn't play a game. This year, Kondas stepped in for only one game, scoring a goal. But this offseason, Toronto repaid her commitment and GM Gina Kingsbury stated they wanted to give Kondas the opportunity to play in the league.
The Unique Circumstances
In year one, a handful of "reserves" weren't really reserves. Players like Melodie Daoust and Abigail Boreen were ineligible to sign full-time contracts after removing themselves from the draft due to geographic needs. Daoust should still be in the league today starring for the Montreal Victoire, but the league wouldn't grant her the same concession they gave other players. Boreen finished her first year of pharmacy studies in Minnesota before entering the draft and joining Montreal full-time, before being grabbed by Vancouver in expansion. They weren't alone in their unique situations. Victoria Bach signed as a reserve in Toronto after the team picked her in the inaugural 2023 Draft. The team, and Bach, knew that she'd soon become a full-time player as she needed to finish teacher's college before she could join the Sceptres. She played two seasons in the league before retiring following the 2024-25 season.
The other unique player was Claire Thompson. Announced by the league as a reserve, Thompson couldn't suit up for New York during the inaugural season as she was in the United States on a student visa while studying medicine at NYU. She declared for the 2024 Draft, went third overall, won a Walter Cup, and was a Defender of the Year finalist with Minnesota before joining PWHL Vancouver in expansion.