Fleet's Hilary Knight, Sceptres' Natalie Spooner highlight list of unprotected PWHL players

National Post

2 days ago

Several stars could be on the move as the Professional Women's Hockey League's new franchises start building their rosters this week. The league's six original teams released their lists of protected players Tuesday.
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The Boston Fleet are keeping goalie Aerin Frankel, defender Megan Keller and forward Alina Muller, while the championship-winging Minnesota Frost will hang on to forwards Kendall Coyne Schofield and Taylor Heise, and defender Lee Stecklein.
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The Montreal Victoire protected goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens, captain Marie-Philip Poulin and forward Laura Stacey, and the New York Sirens went with standout rookie Sarah Fillier, and defenders Ella Shelton and Micah Zandee-Hart.
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After making their first appearance in the PWHL final, the Ottawa Charge are hanging onto forward Emily Clark, first-year goalie Gwyneth Philips and defender Ronja Savolainen, while the Toronto Sceptres have protected defender Renata Fast, and forwards Blayre Turnbull and Daryl Watts.
Just as revealing are the players that weren't included and are available for Vancouver and Seattle to sign this week or select in Monday's expansion draft. Here are some of the top players up for grabs.
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HILARY KNIGHT: Perhaps the most surprising name on the list of eligible players, the Boston Fleet captain is coming off a 2024-25 campaign where she tied for the league lead in scoring with 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists). The 35-year-old Knight is up for the Billie Jean King award as the PWHL's most-valuable player and has a long history on the international stage, including a gold medal with the United States at the 2025 women's world championships in April.
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CLAIRE THOMPSON: The Minnesota Frost had tough decisions to make after winning back-to-back Walter Cup titles, and opted to leave the 27-year-old defender exposed. Thompson put up four goals and 14 assists in her rookie season this year, and is a finalist for the PWHL defender of the year award. She also has history with Vancouver's new general manager, Cara Gardner Morey, having played for her at Princeton.
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ERIN AMBROSE: The veteran Canadian defender is a prime pick for expansion teams looking for both leadership and a stalwart presence on their blue line. Ambrose helped the Montreal Victoire finish the regular season atop the PWHL standings with 13 assists in 28 games. The 31-year-old from Keswick, Ont., has also been a key piece of Canada's women's squad, and won Olympic gold at the 2022 Beijing Games.