Latest news with #AnnReneeDesbiens
Forbes
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Marie-Philip Poulin Is 2025 MVP As PWHL Rosters Are Reshaped At Draft
Montreal Victoire forward Marie-Philip Poulin was named MVP and top forward at the 2025 PWHL Awards. ... More (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Wednesday morning, Marie-Philip Poulin and Montreal Victoire cleaned up at the 2025 PWHL Awards. The Montreal captain, who led the league with 19 goals in 30 regular-season games, was named the league's top forward and winner of the Billie Jean King MVP Award. Amid a decorated career that includes three Olympic gold medals, four world championship golds and, last week, the IIHF's 2024-25 female player of the year award, the 34-year-old called her latest honors 'pretty special.' After acknowledging the support of her teammates, she admitted that 'Honestly, I would exchange these trophies for the bigger one — that's for sure.' Despite finishing comfortably atop the regular-season standings, the Victoire failed to advance out of the first round of the Walter Cup playoffs for the second-straight year. Montreal netminder Ann-Renee Desbiens was also named the league's goaltender of the year, coach Kori Cheverie was named coach of the year, and forward Laura Stacey received the 'Hockey for All' award, which recognized the player who made the biggest impact in her community during the 2024-25 season. Stacey raised over $100,000 through her 'LS7 Sticks In For Charity' Road Hockey Tournament, with funds supporting under-resourced communities in Toronto and Montreal. Laura Stacey was named the winner of the PWHL's 2025 'Hockey for All' award. (Photo by Troy ...) 'As I'm starting to get older and realize that I do want to have an impact and we could leave a legacy,' said Stacey, 31. 'There's so many leaders, trailblazers and community heroes who have done so much for sport and for women, so it was a huge honor to receive this award today. I definitely don't take it lightly.' Renata Fast of the Toronto Sceptres won the league's defender of the year award, and Sarah Fillier of the New York Sirens was named the league's top rookie. Sirens Take Big Swings At The Draft New York Sirens GM Pascal Daoust with 2025 1st overall pick Kristyna Kaltounkova and PWHL hockey ops ... More boss Jayna Hefford. On Tuesday, Fillier's Sirens had a dramatic evening at the PWHL's third entry draft. After his team finished last in the standings for a second-straight season, GM Pascal Daoust elected to shake things up with the league's first-ever draft-day player trade, moving defender Ella Shelton to Toronto in exchange for the third-overall pick and the No. 27 pick. After scoring the fewest total goals over the league's first two seasons and losing top forwards Jessie Eldridge and Alex Carpenter to Seattle during the expansion process, the Sirens made Kristyna Kaltounkova of Colgate University the first Czech player ever to be selected first overall at the PWHL draft. Then, Daoust followed up by choosing 2025 Patty Kazmaier Award winner Casey O'Brien out of the University of Wisconsin, thus boosting his forward group with arguably the two top talents available this year. Later, Daoust dealt forward Abby Roque to Montreal in exchange for gritty forward Kristin O'Neill and the 28th pick. When the dust settled, the Sirens had made nine picks in the six-round draft — six forwards, one defender and two goaltenders. 'We felt that it was an opportunity for us to gear up and cover a new angle,' Daoust said. 'We're very happy with it.' Vancouver And Ottawa Take International Approach As the PWHL prioritized competitive balance when setting the stage for its expansion process and with more expansion on the horizon, it has become apparent that teams might not get the opportunity to develop their draft prospects over a period of time. Five of last year's six first-round picks were claimed by the two new expansion teams, with Seattle bringing in Danielle Serdachny (Ottawa), Hannah Bilka (Boston), Cayla Barnes (Montreal) and Julia Gosling (Toronto), while Vancouver signed Claire Thompson away from Minnesota. Rather than look for NCAA prospects to develop at the draft, the GMs for Vancouver and Ottawa looked to Europe to add immediate offensive pop. Vancouver GM Cara Gardner Morey used her team's first-round pick at No. 7 to select Michelle Karvinen, a 35-year-old Finn who is a legend in the international game. Her eight world championship medals include a silver from 2019, and she served as captain of Finland's bronze-medal group in 2025. Lately, Karvinen has been playing in Sweden. Earlier in her career, she spent three years at the University of North Dakota. She also won a championship with the KRS Vanke Rays in Russia's women's league in 2021-22, on a team coached by new Vancouver bench boss Brian Idalski which also included PWHL Vancouver players Michela Cava and Hannah Miller. 'I just kept hoping that no one picked her ahead of us,' said Gardner Morey. 'We obviously wanted a top forward and Michelle is a proven winner — she's got the experience. I think that leadership, and veteran players, are really important in this league. We had a chance to get one of those in an entry draft that's usually not available. I've gotten to know her personality through some players, and she's going to be one of those special players in the locker room.' Gardner Morey also shored up her crease through a trade. Former Toronto Sceptres netminder Kristen Campbell headed west along with the 19th pick in a deal that saw Vancouver send the 16th and 23rd picks to the Sceptres. Vancouver then selected North Vancouver native Nina Jobst-Smith with that 19th pick and closed out the draft by choosing the PWHL's first-ever South Asian player and the only player this year from Canada's USports program — local product Chanreet Bassi from the University of British Columbia. After the Walter Cup finalist Ottawa Charge lost 15-goal-scorer Tereza Vanisova to Vancouver as well as seeing Serdachny go to Seattle, GM Mike Hirshfeld set his sights on two veteran forwards from Russia's women's league. With the fifth pick in the second round, he selected 28-year-old Anna Shokhina. He added her 27-year-old St. Petersburg teammate, Fanuza Kadirova, in Round 6. 'We think Anna Shokhina — we had her as probably the fourth-most-talented player in this draft. That's how highway we thought of her,' Hirshfeld said. 'To get her at 13 was really exciting for us. We think she's going to be a superstar in this league.' One other veteran from the European leagues was also selected. Sara Hjalmarsson, a 27-year-old Swedish defender, went to Toronto in the fifth round. Roster Rebuilds After the shocking losses of the expansion process, the inaugural six teams and their fanbases can now breathe a little easier. Forty-six new roster spots were created by adding the Vancouver and Seattle franchises, and 48 players were selected in Tuesday's draft. That breaks down to 30 forwards, 13 defenders and 5 goaltenders, with 43 players coming out of NCAA programs. Ohio State University led the way with six players selected, followed by the University of Minnesota Duluth with five. Of the 48 players, exactly half hail from the United States, followed by 17 from Canada, two each from Czechia, Finland and Russia and one from Sweden. With 192 players declaring for the draft this year, the next step for undrafted players will be to try to earn training-camp invitations for a chance to play their way onto a team or its reserve squad. Will the next Marie-Philip Poulin emerge from the PWHL's class of '25?
CTV News
25-06-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Marie-Philip Poulin wins PWHL's Billie Jean King MVP award
The PWHL's Top Goal Scorer Award is presented to Marie-Philip Poulin during the PWHL awards in Ottawa, Wednesday June 25, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA — Montreal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin has won the Professional Women's Hockey League's Billie Jean King MVP Award for the 2024-25 season. Poulin, who was also named forward of the year, was presented the awards at a ceremony Wednesday afternoon in Ottawa. The 34-year-old Poulin led the league with 19 goals and finished fourth with 26 points in 30 games. Poulin was also a finalist for the award, won by Toronto forward Natalie Spooner, in the inaugural 2024 PWHL season. The awards capped another year of major achievements for Poulin, who was also named the IIHF's Female Player of the Year earlier this month after taking MVP honours at the 2025 women's world championship with a tournament-leading 12 points (four goals, eight assists). In other major awards, Toronto's Renata Fast was named defender of the year, Montreal's Ann-Renée Desbiens took goaltender of the year honours, and New York's Sarah Fillier was named rookie of the year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2025. The Canadian Press
New York Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
PWHL releases expansion draft protected list: Hilary Knight, Sarah Nurse go unprotected
The list of players protected in the PWHL's expansion draft for Seattle and Vancouver was released on Tuesday. Each of the league's six existing teams were permitted to protect three players from being selected in the expansion draft, or signing during the pre-draft signing window. Only players signed through 2025-26, or whose rights remain with a team, could be protected. Pending free agents are exempt from selection. Seattle and Vancouver will have a five-day window, beginning on Wednesday, to sign a maximum of five players. An unprotected player or someone on an expiring deal is eligible to sign during this window. During the expansion draft (June 9) both new franchises must select at least seven players to reach a 12-player roster. If a team enters the draft with fewer signed players from the signing window, it will be granted additional selections to reach 12. Regardless, each of the PWHL's six existing teams will lose four players from their 2024-25 rosters in the process. Protected Marie-Philip Poulin (F) Laura Stacey (F) Ann-Renée Desbiens (G) Available Protected Renata Fast (D) Blayre Turnbull (F) Daryl Watts (F) Protected Emily Clark (F) Ronja Savolainen (D) Gwyneth Philips (G) Available Protected Taylor Heise (F) Kendall Coyne Schofield (F) Lee Stecklein (D) Available Protected Aerin Frankel (G) Megan Keller (D) Alina Müller (F) Available Protected Sarah Fillier (F) Ella Shelton (D) Micah Zandee-Hart (D) Available (Photo of Sarah Nurse: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
PWHL Ottawa-Montreal Game 2 goes to 4 OTs, breaks league record for longest game
A playoff game between the Montreal Victoire and Ottawa Charge set a record for the longest game in Professional Women's Hockey League history on Sunday night, spanning over 135 minutes and four overtime periods. The puck dropped at 2:08 p.m. ET, and the game went on for more than five hours, finally coming to an end at 7:42, with Montreal winning 3-2. Advertisement Catherine Dubois scored the game-winning goal with just under five minutes remaining in the fourth overtime period to give Montreal its first playoff win in franchise history. 'I'm just happy we got a win and it's over now,' Dubois said after the game. Montreal goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens set a record with 63 saves on 65 shots. Gwyneth Philips made 53 saves for the Charge, good for a franchise record. Montreal defender Erin Ambrose logged a game-high 58:09 in ice time while Laura Stacey led all forwards with 46:47. It was the second-longest game in Montreal's rich professional hockey history, just shy of Game 1 of the 1936 semifinals between the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Maroons (176:30). It was also the second consecutive year that Montreal's second game of the postseason turned into a hockey marathon. Last season, Boston beat Montreal 2-1 in triple overtime en route to a 3-0 series win. Advertisement With the win on Sunday, the best-of-five semifinal series is now tied 1-1 and will turn to Ottawa on Tuesday for Game 3. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Women's Hockey 2025 The Athletic Media Company
CBC
12-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Dubois' goal in 4th OT ends longest game in PWHL history as Victoire level series with Charge
Social Sharing Catherine Dubois scored at 15:33 of the fourth overtime to lift the Montreal Victoire to a 3-2 playoff victory over the Ottawa Charge on Sunday afternoon at Place Bell. The game set a Canadian professional women's hockey record for the longest hockey game ever, passing the Canadian Women's Hockey League semifinal on March 18, 2018. The previous longest Professional Women's Hockey League game was played exactly a year ago between Montreal and Boston. Kristin O'Neill and Laura Stacey also scored for Montreal, while Anna Wilgren had two assists. Ann-Renee Desbiens made 62 saves as the Victoire tied the best-of-five semifinal series at 1-1. Brianne Jenner had a goal and an assist for the Charge. Aneta Tejralova also scored for the visitors while Gwyneth Philips made 53 saves. WATCH | Dubois scores in 4th OT, Victoire even series with Charge: Victoire edge Charge with Dubois' winner in 4th OT to even series 19 minutes ago Duration 1:53 Ottawa came back from a 2-0 deficit with two goals in the final 4:34 of the third period. Jenner's goal forced overtime with 41.8 seconds remaining. The Charge had pulled their goaltender for the extra attacker. Both teams had five-on-three power plays in the first overtime period, but were unable to capitalize. Montreal had 1:34 of five-on-three time, while Ottawa had 24 seconds. Neither power play generated a great look to end the game. The Victoire opened the scoring 2:25 into the game when O'Neill scored her first of the post-season. The pass banked off the side boards and ended up perfectly placed for O'Neill to beat Ottawa's defence to the puck. She then put the backhand past Phillips. It was Montreal's first shot of the game. Montreal doubled their lead 8:35 into the second period when Laura Stacey entered the zone off of a nice pass from Anna Wilgren and fired a snap shot over the pad of Philips. Ottawa sees goal waved off Ottawa looked to cut the lead less than a minute later. A scramble in front saw the puck cross the goal line, but the call after an official review ruled there was goaltender interference. The Charge challenged the call, but it was confirmed giving Montreal a power play. Rebecca Leslie was credited with the shot that crossed the line. The Charge had the best chances during the penalty. Katerina Mrazova hit the post on a rush, and Emily Clark had a shot from the slot saved by Desbiens. It also generated some momentum for Ottawa. Ten of their 11 shots in the second period came after Stacey's goal. They finally beat Desbiens with 4:34 remaining in the third period. Brianne Jenner's faceoff win got the puck to Tejralova. Her point shot got through traffic to make the score 2-1. Jenner's tying goal came when Tereza Vanisova had the puck at the goal line to the left of Desbiens, and fired a cross-ice pass. The puck hit off of Ottawa forward Clark before Jenner fired the one-timer into the open side of the net. The series now shifts to Ottawa for the next two games. Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday night at TD Place.
