One of the newest members of the Montreal Victoire is in a prime position to have a breakout season.
Hayley Scamurra, who signed a two-year free agent deal with the Victoire back in June, could not have chosen a more fitting team to join heading into the 2025-26 season. Here’s why.
Relentless Drive
Scamurra entered the PWHL with the Ottawa franchise and quickly became a mainstay in the lineup, bringing her patented physicality and power forward tendencies every game. She finished her first season with ten points, averaging 0.42 points per game with 91 shots on goal, establishing herself as a consistent offensive threat and contributor. Last season, her production dipped to 0.12 points per game with 56 shots, a drop that reflected limited opportunities due to a stacked Toronto roster rather than any decline in skill. Montreal offers her the ice time and role to return to the form she showed in year one, with the chance to turn every shift into a scoring opportunity.
The blockbuster trade from Ottawa to Toronto may not have worked out the way either side had hoped, largely because she was battling for minutes on a deep and talented Sceptres roster, rather than because of her own performance.
New Team
The Montreal Victoire approached the offseason with the precision one would expect from the likes of Hall of Famer Danièle Sauvageau. The additions added through the draft, trades, and free agency all compliment one another, and Scamurra fits seamlessly into that plan. Heading into the season, the possibility of having a line featuring Maureen Murphy and Hayley Scamurra should excite Victoire fans. Murphy’s speed and playmaking, combined with Scamurra’s net-front strength has the potential to create one of Montreal’s most effective forward duos.
Montreal hopes that her net-front presence and ability to jump on rebounds will translate into 12-15 goals and consistent secondary scoring this season. Scamurra thrives around the crease, is strong on the puck, and quick to pounce on rebounds. She is motivated by the chance to prove that last season was the exception, not the standard. Victoire fans have reasons to be excited, as Scamurra’s style perfectly compliments Montreal’s system.
The Olympic Effect
Players are heading into an Olympic year, which can add extra fuel and motivation, especially for those battling for roster spots. While it’s difficult to imagine a team without Scamurra’s name on it, a player with her ultra-competitive nature will want to leave no doubt in the minds of Team USA’s management. That urgency also benefits Montreal, as a player looking to secure a spot on the Olympic team is bound to elevate their game on a nightly basis. Coming off a gold medal at this year’s World Championships should only add to her confidence and drive.
With a fresh start in Montreal, an Olympic year on the horizon, and a gold medal already in her back pocket, Hayley Scamurra has every reason to make 2025-26 the defining season of her career.