Sarah Fillier is set to finish her NCAA career this season. While she lives in that moment, she's also a star on the precipice of living her professional hockey teams.

NEW HAVEN, CT -- Whenever Sarah Fillier appears on an athletic stage, the passion and commitment to excel at the highest level just naturally follows.

Whether competing in a multitude of sports at Christ the King Catholic Secondary School in her Georgetown, Ontario hometown -- or under the brightest of spotlights as a part of Team Canada's gold-medal performance at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, China -- Fillier radiates with an intense desire to succeed and a will to win.

Now a senior forward with the Princeton University women's ice hockey team that visited Yale University for an ECAC Hockey and Ivy League showdown this past weekend at Ingalls Rink, more shining moments are likely in her future.

"I grew up in a big hockey family," said Fillier, who has a twin sister Kayla, an older sister Nicole and an older brother Trevor. "Right from basically the time I was a kid I spent every weekend at the hockey rink ...our whole childhood revolved around hockey."

When the siblings weren't playing, they were keeping up with and cheering on their favorite team -- the Toronto Maple Leafs -- along with their parents Dave and Maureen.

The focus for Fillier at the moment is on the collegiate post-season tournaments which are only a few weeks away.

And after that? Well, the best could be yet to come for this rising superstar who just keeps growing in stature.

On January 17, The Hockey News Women's came out with its 2024 PWHL draft midseason rankings and Fillier's name topped a list that included more than 50 players from all corners of the globe.

The 23-year-old Princeton captain is understandably looking forward to a summer that could make the dream of a lifetime an actual reality.

"(The No. 1 ranking) means a lot," Fillier said during an interview after the Yale game. "It's a testament to the work put in at Princeton every day with the girls surrounding me and helping me get better. It's a matter of me continuing to grow my game and not be satisfied with my accomplishments over the past couple of years."

The Hockey News Women's rankings features an international field of star-studded athletes, for sure, and many of whom will be lacing up their skates for one of six teams in the 2024-25 PWHL season.

Here is how it was reported when Ian Kennedy's feature draft ranking story broke on social media:

"The PWHL season is in full swing, and NCAA and European seasons have crossed the midway point. Following a preseason, and multiple monthly draft rankings, we've released our midseason 2024 PWHL Draft rankings. Sarah Fillier remains atop the list, followed by Hannah Bilka and Cayla Barnes, who are all expected to step into PWHL rosters and make immediate impacts.

Sarah Fillier, C, Princeton, NCAA (2000, Canada) - Her performance internationally has set Fillier in a class of her own. She'll be an instant addition to a top line in the PWHL. She can score in a variety of ways utilizing a strong shot and seems to always find space."

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While laser focused on her collegiate task at hand, Fillier said she can't help but be excited about the prospects of a memorable summer.

"I'm sure (when the draft comes) it will really hit me that (being a top pick) is a possibility," she said. "Even just thinking about going (high) in the next draft is so huge."

And when her name is called, it doesn't matter which PWHL uniform she will be wearing over the 2024-25 campaign.

"To be a part of history no matter where I am will be really amazing," Fillier said ." I'm really excited to see what city I end up in."

She admitted that she wouldn't mind joining one of two former Princeton University standouts -- Maggie Connors and Mariah Keopple -- in either Toronto or Montreal. Nevertheless, she's thrilled that they are on PWHL rosters.

"I'm really excited for Maggie Connors, she's going to excel and finally get seen for the player she is," Fillier said. "And for Mariah Keopple, I don't really think she thought she'd be playing pro hockey this year but she got a chance with Montreal and has taken off and is in their first 'D' pairing."

And while in awe to be recognized as a high PWHL draft possibility, Fillier wants to more immediately concentrate on the Tigers' run toward the post-season play.

"Right now, it's all about Princeton and (the importance of) starting to find the details and the things we need to do to get better as we head into the back stretch of our season," Fillier said. "We're starting to find our identity and finding some character within it."

Through last Saturday's action against the host Bulldogs inside the iconic rink known as The Whale, Fillier had scored 19 goals and added 11 assists (30 points) for a Tigers' squad with a 12-7-5 overall record.

The starting left winger on her team's top line on Saturday set up an early Tigers' scoring opportunity on their first offensive rush. Showing tenacity during a puck battle along the boards, Fillier found a teammate in front for a one-timer into the glove of Yale goalie Pia Dukaric.

That effort continued throughout the contest as her solid puck awareness and ability to power her way into the dirty areas around the crease made her a constant nemesis for her opponents in New Haven.

"I like to play a complete 200-foot game," Fillier said. "I know I'm relied upon in a lot of special situations. I try to play a really good and strong defensive game, be tough to play against and hopefully elevate all the players around me."

Her mindset is to lead by example in all three zones.

Wearing the 'C' on her No. 16 uniform with Princeton, Fillier displayed her toughness and resiliency when, after crashing into the boards right in front of the Bulldogs' bench with eight minutes left in the first period, she took a quick seat but returned to the ice for her next shift.

In the second period, Fillier fired off a high-percentage shot on a partial breakaway, and she had a several quality shots during a Tigers' power play.

Although the Ivy League and ECAC Hockey contest ended in a 1-1 draw, there is plenty of reason for optimism.

"After Chrstmas, we had a bit of a hot streak going and we learned a lot," Fillier said. "I think come tournament time we'll be ready to make a good showing."

One player whom Fillier is especially excited to meet up with again when she joins the PWHL is Marie-Philip Poulin. The two were teammates at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing.

"I got to play for the gold medal with players like Poulin who I grew up idolizing," Fillier said. "It's just really cool to have a relationship with her and learn from her by being on that same team."

Fillier would love to model her game after Poulin's.

"Every time she has the puck she's dangerous," Fillier said. "She continues to be a role model on and off the ice and Montreal is really lucky to have her."

Fillier's success really began to take flight when she was a teenager.

She spent two seasons playing with the Oakville Jr. Hornets in the Provincial Women's Hockey League.

In the 2016-17 season, Fillier amassed 61 points (31 goals, 30 assists) in 46 games as Oakville won both the league and the Provincial Championships. The following campaign, she captained the team to a second-place finish at both the league and Provincial Championships.