In pro sports, players are always under pressure to perform. This season in the PWHL, perhaps no players will feel more pressure than Daryl Watts, Britta Curl, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Ann-Renee Desbiens, and Emerance Maschmeyer.
In pro sports, players are always under pressure to perform. This season in the PWHL, perhaps no players will feel more pressure than Daryl Watts, Britta Curl, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Ann-Renee Desbiens, and Emerance Maschmeyer.
It's the business of professional sport. There's always pressure to perform, and to show your value on and off the ice to an organization and league. Some players however, find themselves under additional stress and scrutiny each year for a variety of reasons. It could be a contract year, it could be a newly signed contract, off ice scandal, or pressure to keep their job.
This season in the PWHL, there are many players coming into a contract year and many more fighting for jobs. A player like Jillian Dempsey will feel the pressure to make the Boston Fleet roster as a free agent in training camp. Dempsey's return to Boston was a hot button topic all last season with politicians even attempting to use their pull to push Boston to acquire the forward from Montreal. This year Dempsey gets to choose where she plays, but she also needs to prove she can make the Fleet a better team.
While the list is long of players who will feel the pressure in training camp to make teams, here are five PWHL players already signed for this season who will be under the microscope for other reasons.
Daryl Watts - Toronto Sceptres
No offseason change of location for a player was discussed more avidly than Daryl Watts' departure from Ottawa to play for the Toronto Sceptres. Watts took significantly less money than she was being offered elsewhere to play in Toronto, and it was a move a number of general managers in the league were critical of given the fact Hockey Canada sent national team invites to Watts and fellow signee Emma Woods only hours before they became free agents and signed with Toronto, who is led by Team Canada GM Gina Kingsbury and head coach Troy Ryan. Watts herself however will be under pressure to produce at a rate equal to or better than she did in Ottawa last season when she finished 12th in league scoring. Watts will also be playing for a coveted roster spot with Canada, with the ultimate goal of being named to Canada's 2025 World Championship roster who will travel to Czechia in April.
Britta Curl - Minnesota Frost
There's no doubt fans are going to love what Curl brings to the ice. She is like a magnet for pucks, plays with pace, and can break a game open. The former Wisconsin captain and current member of Team USA is a big game player who will thrive within the PWHL's style. Curl however, has something to prove to fans who called out her openly transphobic and racist activity online. Following the draft, Curl apologized to fans and impacted communities, but the apology was only the first step in this journey. Fans will be watching closely, and will certainly be interested to see what initiatives Curl engages in off-ice this season to grow the game for all people.
Kendall Coyne Schofield - Minnesota Frost
One of the greatest players to ever lace them up, Coyne Schofield is headed to the Hall of Fame as a first ballot eligible player whenever she hangs them up. With the added attention paid to the women's hockey under the spotlight of the PWHL last season however, different elements emerged, including a player who wielded great power within the league and team, whether it was calling lines, ignoring team prescribed programming, and an alleged mutiny against members of staff. The controversy surrounding Natalie Darwitz was the tip of the iceberg. If the short exchange with Star Tribune (one of the outlets who broke the story on Natalie Darwitz and Coyne Schofield's involvement) veteran reporter Jerry Zgoda at the league's press conference announcing team branding is any indication, building back public rapport may not be a high priority. Still, if Coyne Schofield can bring another Walter Cup to Minnesota, it will keep some critics at bay.
Ann-Renee Desbiens and Emerance Maschmeyer - Montreal Victoire and Ottawa Charge
It's a two for one because both goalies will face the same pressure this season. Desbiens and Maschmeyer finished fourth and seventh last season among netminders to play at least ten games in save percentage respectively. They were also fifth and sixth in goals against average. In a six team league, they played well, but two of the netminders who outperformed them and ended as nominees for the PWHL's Goaltender of the Year award, Kristen Campbell, who eventually won the honor, and Corinne Schroeder, will also be looking to take their jobs with Team Canada. Canada's brass has remained faithful to their veterans on many occasions, but there's reason to believe that one or both of these netminders might see their time beginning to get cut, particularly as Canada eyes the 2026 Olympics. Desbiens, Canada's starters is unquestionably one of the best goalies in the world, and is a likely Hall of Famer. She may not currently, however, be Canada's best goaltender. Desbiens was 14th at the World Championships in save percentage. With Campbell coming into her own in Toronto, and Schroeder now putting together back-to-back successful season, the pressure has never been more forceful than it will be this season on the duo.