Melodie Daoust and Abby Boreen are both playing in the opening round of the PWHL playoffs, but win or lose, this is their one shot as neither can play beyond this series.
Melodie Daoust is one of the best players in the world. No one can argue that. Olympics MVP in 2018. Worlds MVP in 2021. She also shares custody of her son, and because of that, didn’t declare for the draft last year. She could only play in Montreal.
That’s why she signed a reserve player contract and because she didn’t declare for the draft, couldn’t sign a standard contract later on. Daoust played only six games – three goals and two assists – in the regular season and admittedly said she could have played more games, but the rule of the 10-day contract for reserve players prevented the team from using her more often.
The day the playoffs were starting, Montreal GM Daniele Sauvageau had a meeting with the league regarding Daoust and reserve players in general. What was said during the season is that a reserve player needs to play at least one game during the regular season to be eligible in the playoffs. Then, such player could sign one more 10-day contract.
Well, it ended up not being the case.
Daoust, like Abby Boreen in Minnesota, could sign what was called a “playoff SPA”. Therefore, according to this new rule, Daoust and Boreen could only play in one series. If they play in the semis, they can’t play in the finals. To me, it still sounds restraining. This gave teams the choice, use reserves who can make an impact now, or save them until the finals. Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie decided to use Daoust in the semis. Her logic is simple. “That’s the only guaranteed series.”
What some find frustrating about this is that the league has one of the best players in the world here, who won’t be playing the finals (if Montreal makes it). The league can’t showcase her as much as they could, and the fans can’t fully witness how talented she is.
To play full-time, Melodie Daoust would need to declare for the draft, take the chance to be drafted by Montreal and only then, sign a standard contract. That won’t be happening. Daoust has decided not to declare for the 2024 PWHL Draft.
This could be the last time Daoust, 32, plays in the league unless a rule change is made that after a certain age, a player does not have to go through the draft and can be a free agent. It would be a rule that would allow Melodie Daoust to earn her living with hockey and the league to benefit from her talent. And most importantly, let the fans enjoy seeing her play a full season.
Reserve players in playoffs
Montreal has two reserve players who didn’t play one game through the regular season. Liliane Perreault and Brooke Stacey were signed only in March, at the trade deadline. Technically, according to what the league originally said, they could not play in the playoffs.
Well, that might not be the case anymore.
The league confirmed to The Hockey News last night that if Montreal needs a reserve player because of injuries, it would actually be considered on a case-by-case basis. That didn’t sound too promising. But the league also said that the idea is not for teams to play with short staff, and that reserve players are there to make up for injured players.