Ronja Savolainen and Daniela Pejsova could quickly go from one of the most dynamic, in sync defensive pairings on the planet to opponents through the PWHL Draft.
On the ice, the chemistry between Ronja Savolainen and Daniela Pejsova can often look like a dance. Sitting on the bench together with Lulea, well, you can quite literally see the now former defensive pairing dancing side by side.
It's a moment that defines the duo. On the ice, they're fierce competitors. Members of the Finnish and Czech national teams. Big, physical blueliners. Offensive threats. But there's more to the pair that will quickly endear them to PWHL fans next season. Each are slated to go high in the 2024 PWHL Draft, and each will make an immediate impact on the league...even if it's no longer together.
"It's been great to play with Daniela, for sure the best one I've been playing with so far in my career," said Savolainen. "Of course it would be a dream come true to be in the same team because we know how to play with each other, we have the chemistry."
Savolainen, 26, scored 11 goals and 29 points this season in 35 games this season. The 5-foot-10 defender has five World Championship medals and two Olympic medals representing Finland. In total, she's represented Finland at eight World Championships and two Olympic Games.
Pejsova, 21, has won two World Championship bronze medals with Czechia and was named the 2022 Best Defender at the tournament.
Together, the pairing won back-to-back SDHL titles with Lulea in the SDHL. And while they've played against each other before, including the SDHL when Pejsova was a member of MoDo, and internationally, including this year in the World Championship bronze medal game, playing against each other instead of with each other for an entire season will be something neither Pejsova or Savolainen are looking forward to.
"It would be tough to play against (Pejsova) because (she) has a lot of talent and skating, just everything is amazing. That would be an unlucky situation for me to play against (Pejsova)," said Savolainen.
"If I'm playing against you, I'm watching my back," Pejsova answered back in a call with media.
Ideally, the two would prefer to stay together. While it's possible they get selected by the same team to remain partners in the PWHL, with how highly the duo are ranked, they may not end up in the same location.
"I of course wish we will play on the same team," said Savolainen.
"I enjoy the time I was playing with Ronja, it was like right form the moment when we started to play together I knew it was right," said Pejsova. "When that happened it was good chemistry, even on the ice and off the ice, so I enjoy that very much. I would be hoping to play with Ronja again."
If it isn't this year, the duo could find themselves reunited in the future in the PWHL. For now it's not Savolainen and Pejsova preparing to compete against each other, it's PWHL teams preparing to compete for the services of the talented defenders.
Savolainen and Pejsova are both expected to be selecting in the first two rounds of the PWHL Draft on June 10.