Theresa Schafzahl is one of the NCAA stars bringing an influx of young talent to the PHF after she signed with the Montreal Force.

The PHF wasn't Theresa Schafzahl's original plan. In fact, if you'd asked her a year ago, she figured she'd be playing in Sweden following her NCAA career. That was until she saw the growth of the PHF and the influx of talent coming to the league.

It was after witnessing what the PHF has become, that Schafzahl decided to sign a two-year contract with the Montreal Force.

"Since the league has been developing pretty well and now there's a lot of good players joining, and also the teams, organizations and everything seems like they're heading in the right direction," said Schafzahl.

With Alina Müller, Chloe Aurard, Schafzahl, and the rumored additions of Gabrielle David, Sandra Abstreiter, and Lexie Adzija, along with others still making their decision, youth are shifting the professional women's hockey landscape organically. More top players in the PHF, makes the league more competitive, and will continue to draw others to join.

"They're pretty much some of the best players in the world there are, so that's awesome to see that they believe in the league too," said Schafzahl of other NCAA stars signing. "It's just going to give an incentive to a lot of good players to join that league."

Schafzahl herself is among that elite grouping. She's a former Hockey East Player of the Year and in her last two seasons of NCAA hockey, Schafzahl scored 91 points in 65 games. 

Schafzahl has represented Austria's senior national team at five World Championships, a number which would have been higher if not for multiple seasons cancelled due to COVID-19. She'll again play for Austria at the Division IA World Championships in China this August.

Montreal also signed a pair of notable Canadian university products inking two-time Canadian U-18 national team member and Usports First Team All-Canadian Audrey-Anne Veillette, as well as Concordia's Rosalie Begin-Cyr, who also received All-Canadian recognition this year.

Alongside their new additions, the Force have re-signed captain Ann-Sophie Bettez, leading scorer Jade Downie-Landry, and brought in reigning PHF goalie of the year and rookie of the year Corinne Schroeder and star Elizabeth Giguere from the Boston Pride.