Top UFAs To Watch In The PHF

Here are seven impact players to watch as PHF free agency begins, who could command top dollar on the open market.

With the PHF allowing players to sign two year contracts last year for the first time in league history, the conversation of free agency will grow this offseason. Some players, including Boston’s Kaleigh Fratkin, Buffalo’s Dominique Kremer, Connecticut’s Taylor Girard and Kennedy Marchment all signed two-year deals, however, league wide the number of two-year contracts is small. Only 23 players signed two-year contracts in year one of the option, with Metropolitan Riveters captain Madison Packer choosing to void the second year of her contract.

Both Canadian teams, the expansion Montreal Force and the Isobel Cup champion Toronto Six only signed players to one year deals, although Toronto added Darryl Watts midseason to a two-year pact with a record setting $150,000 per season price tag.

Seeing the PHF’s salary cap expand to $1.5 million for the season, teams will certainly be looking to add from the PWHPA and European leagues, as well as offering more lucrative contracts to PHF stars from other teams.

With the vast majority of the PHF open for business as free agents, here’s a look at the top offseason targets for team’s looking to build a contender.

Mikyla Grant-Mentis - Prior to Darryl Watts’ record setting contract, the highest paid player in the league was Grant-Mentis who Buffalo signed away from Toronto for $80,000 USD. Buffalo’s struggles this season were well documented, and it could be enough to have Grant-Mentis considering another change of scenery in search of an Isobel Cup. Grant-Mentis finished as Buffalo’s top scorer with 21 points in 24 games, good for 14th in league scoring.

Brittany Howard - As the leading scorer for the PHF champion Toronto Six, Howard wowed fans this season with her goal scoring prowess, finishing third in goals with 16 despite missing four games in the 24 game season. Howard is from Ontario, and it’s hard to see her leaving Toronto after the season they had, but she’ll draw significant interest from teams across the league.

Michela Cava - Staying with the Toronto Six, Michela Cava was the playoff MVP leading the Six in goals and points in the postseason. In fact, all Cava does is win, and score. Last year she was the playoff leading scorer winning a title in Russia, and the year prior she won an SDHL championship with Lulea. That’s three consecutive titles for Cava. One destination that could potentially entice Cava away from Toronto is if the Minnesota Whitecaps came calling. Cava played her NCAA hockey with Minnesota-Duluth and the Whitecaps will be a contender again next year. The addition of Cava could put them over the top.

Kelly Babstock - Babstock is that player who you hate to play against, but love to have on your own team. She plays with an edge and is a physical presence on the ice. The veteran has already played with Connecticut, Buffalo, and Metropolitan, what’s to say she won’t add another team to her resume? If a team successfully lures one of Toronto’s top players away, and Babstock is still available, it could be a perfect mix. From Mississauga, Babstock spent multiple junior seasons with the Toronto Aeros before moving to the NCAA. She’d provide scoring depth and add a different dynamic to Toronto’s attack in tight games.

Sarah Bujold - A newcomer to the PHF this season, Bujold had a strong campaign with the Metropolitan Riveters scoring 10 goals and 20 points in 23 games. Double digit goal scorers aren’t easy to come by and Bujold, 27, has proven she can produce in USports, the SDHL, and now the PHF. Bujold would fit the needs of a team like Montreal who will be looking to get better after an 8-14-2 regular season as an expansion team. The former USports player of the year represented Canada this year at the PHF all-star game.

Leah Lum - When looking at players teams will target from the Toronto Six, Lum might sit atop that list. Lum is one of the most skilled players in the PHF with high end put skills and playmaking abilities. On a strong Toronto team, her numbers didn’t reflect her skill. After spending four seasons in China, this was Lum’s first year in the PHF. Her coming out party in the league was all-star weekend where she made several highlight reel plays. Although it doesn’t always come back to geographic connections, especially as the salary cap grows, Lum did spend four successful seasons playing NCAA hockey in Connecticut, and her skill would look good alongside Kennedy Marchment and Taylor Girard.

Fanni Gasparics - Similar to Lum, Fanni Gasparics made a name for herself in the broader league discussion as the star of all-star weekend. She’s also been a mainstay with Hungary at recent World Championship competitions. Gasparics has hinted that this may be a one and done season before she headed back to Europe, but with her success in North America, and the expanded salary cap, it wouldn’t be surprising to see her return for another season in the PHF, and if she’s staying, does she believe the Metropolitan Riveters have a title chance, or does she jump to another team she believes she can win with before heading home.