Nothing will replace the special moments and many firsts B次元官网网址� first game, first road trip, first win B次元官网网址� Hilary Knight enjoyed during the PWHLB次元官网网址檚 inaugural season.
At 35, one of USA HockeyB次元官网网址檚 most accomplished female players remains awed by the leap the league made in being established in late June 2023, launching six months later and catching the wave of womenB次元官网网址檚 sports growth in North America.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 just the perfect timing to be able to be a woman in pro sports and be a part of the piece that continues to move the sport forward,B次元官网网址� Knight said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e part of the conversation now.B次元官网网址�
Even being on the ice with her Boston teammates following a decisive Game 5 loss in the finals in May and watching Minnesota players raise the Walter Cup didnB次元官网网址檛 blemish KnightB次元官网网址檚 experience.
B次元官网网址淐elebrating the first year for every team is critical because it was the inaugural season,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎nd now it really does feel like, B次元官网网址極K, letB次元官网网址檚 go.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Welcome to PWHL Season 2, which opens Saturday and features all six teams in action this weekend. There will be more games B次元官网网址� 30 per team, up from 24 last year. There will be more talent, with an influx of both college graduates and European veterans.
Each team has a logo and nickname after going without last year. And thereB次元官网网址檚 already talk of expansion, with the privately financed and centrally controlled PWHL looking to add up to two franchises by next year.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard to put into words, to be honest. Obviously, the first season exceeded all of our expectations,B次元官网网址� vice president of hockey operations Jayna Hefford said. B次元官网网址淲e always believed. We had a vision for it. But to see it happen as quickly as it did was something that was pretty special.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 Game On again for a league that has Toronto moving into a larger home, New York finally settling on a home after splitting games at three sites, and the PWHL expanding its reach with nine neutral-site games ranging from North Carolina to the Pacific Northwest.
In Minnesota, the Frost are coming off the highs of winning the title while attempting to get past a tumultuous offseason. General manager Natalie Darwitz was dismissed following a league-launched internal and external review that, in part, revealed an irreconcilable rift between her and coach Ken Klee.
B次元官网网址淔or me itB次元官网网址檚 just about getting our group back together,B次元官网网址� Klee said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e focusing on the future. Pro hockey, things happen, some unfortunate things and some things out of our control, and weB次元官网网址檙e just really looking forward and excited to get the season going.B次元官网网址�
The Frost seek to draw on how they persevered by sneaking into the playoffs after losing their final five regular-season games. Minnesota then overcame a 2-0 deficit in its best-of-five semifinal series against Toronto.
ItB次元官网网址檚 a collapse that still stings in Toronto, where the regular-season champion Sceptres failed to overcome losing league MVP Natalie Spooner to a knee injury that will keep her sidelined for the start of this year.
B次元官网网址淪he was a huge part of our success last season, but I think the biggest thing for us as we approach this season without her in the lineup is that everyone is aware that theyB次元官网网址檙e not going to replace Natalie Spooner,B次元官网网址� captain Blayre Turnbull said. B次元官网网址淓veryone has an opportunity to step up and be the best player that they can be. And I think itB次元官网网址檒l be a good test for our team.B次元官网网址�
The Victoire are motivated after being beset by injuries that contributed to Montreal being swept by Boston in a semifinal series that had all three games decided in overtime, including a 2-1, three-OT loss in Game 2.
General manager Dani猫le Sauvageau placed an emphasis on adding speed and offense to a lineup led by Team Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin.
Among the newcomers are playmaking U.S. national team defenseman Cayla Barnes. Meantime, late-round 2023 draft pick Lina Ljungblom made the jump to North America after the 23-year-old finished third with 46 points (23 goals) in SwedenB次元官网网址檚 pro womenB次元官网网址檚 league last season.
ThereB次元官网网址檚 increased expectations among the two non-playoff teams, Ottawa and New York.
New York had whatB次元官网网址檚 considered the best draft class in June, starting with the No. 1 selection of Canadian star and Princeton grad Sarah Fillier. The Sirens also drafted Swedish defenseman Maja Persson and Finnish forward Noora Tulus in the second and third rounds, and Canadian university player Emmy Fecteau in the sixth.
The newcomers join a last-place team featuring a new coach in ColgateB次元官网网址檚 Greg Fargo, who is highly regarded for his up-tempo approach.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just been a completely different vibe and environment,B次元官网网址� forward Abby Roque said. B次元官网网址淎s bad as last year was for us as a team, I think thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of stuff we can build on.B次元官网网址�
The same goes in Ottawa, where the Charge were eliminated on the final day of a season in which they went 1-6 in games ending past regulation. The PWHL awards three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime/shootout victory, and one to OT/shootout losers.
The Charge added size by drafting Canadian national team forward Danielle Serdachny and Finnish defenseman Ronja Savolainen. Ottawa also drafted Northeastern goalie Gwyneth Philips to back up starter Emerance Maschmeyer, who appeared in all but one game last season.
B次元官网网址淚 think we learned sort of the hard way just how tight this league is,B次元官网网址� captain Brianne Jenner said. B次元官网网址淎t the end of the day, earning a couple of extra of those points would have served us well. So weB次元官网网址檒l make sure weB次元官网网址檙e well-prepared this year for it.B次元官网网址�
John Wawrow, The Associated Press
