Latest news with #DefenderoftheYear
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who was the biggest surprise omission for each PWHL team from their expansion protection list?
The PWHL unveiled the three players protected from each of the league's six inaugural teams. Three was a small number resulting in top players from every roster being exposed, and signalling that PWHL Seattle and PWHL Vancouver will almost certainly enter the 2025-26 PWHL season as the teams to beat. While the PWHL has yet to unveil if there will be changes to their playoff format with eight teams now in the league, it's highly likely Seattle and Vancouver will be playing playoff hockey next season, while the existing rosters will take a season or two to recover from the deep cuts the league decided to make to their cores. PWHL fans across the league reacted negatively to the lack of protection for the players they've grown to love, including the exposure of 40 of the 42 players selected in the 2024 PWHL Draft. Advertisement As baffling as the PWHL's plan for expansion was, seeing the exposed players which includes finalists for league MVP, Defender of the Year, Forward of the Year, and Rookie of the Year, including the 2024 PWHL Rookie of the Year, Defender of the Year, Goaltender of the Year, three First Team All-Stars, three Second Team All-Stars, and four of five members of the All-Rookie team. In essence, Seattle and Vancouver are picking all-star rosters without reservation. There were some exposures that surprised more than others. Here's a look at the most shocking omissions from each PWHL team's protected list. Boston Fleet - Hilary Knight Knight is a finalist for the PWHL's MVP award this season and top forward. She tied for the league lead in scoring and was the captain of the Boston Fleet, and remains the captain of Team USA. She's a first ballot Hall of Famer who holds every scoring record at the World Championships. Hilary Knight however, is nearing the end of her storied career, although no one is questioning if she can remain a star in the PWHL for a few more seasons. She would be the ultimate face for the game in Seattle to help the league hit the ground running on the west coast, but it doesn't soften the shock and dismay Boston fans feel having one of the legends of the game potentially stolen from their roster. Minnesota Frost - Sophie Jaques Minnesota made a trade for Sophie Jaques during season one and it paid dividends. She tied for the PWHL lead in scoring by a defender, helped the Frost win back-to-back Walter Cup titles, and has seen her role grow. She's only getting better and is a finalist for the PWHL's Defender of the Year. Few are as dangerous off the rush and jumping into the play as Jaques, and she'll bring her ever improving game to the west coach and make a significant impact there as well. She flourish in Minnesota, and alongside Claire Thompson, the loss of two elite defenders is going to sting. Minnesota will pray that Nicole Gosling or Rory Guilday can be had in the PWHL Draft. Montreal Victoire - Erin Ambrose Montreal loves Erin Ambrose, and Erin Ambrose loves Montreal. She was the 2024 PWHL Defender of the Year, and remains one of the best in the league on and off the ice. Montreal rolled the dice exposing both Ambrose and rookie standout Cayla Barnes on their blueline. Their only hope is that Vancouver picks up Jennifer Gardiner. If the expansion teams pick Ambrose and Barnes, Montreal is going to significantly struggle, and the defensive depth available in free agency and the draft won't be able to recoup what they've lost if the worst case scenario happens. New York Sirens - Alex Carpenter A 2024 First Team All-Star and widely acknowledged as a top 10 forward in the world, Alex Carpenter is a game changer on the ice and was half of the PWHL's most dangerous duo alongside rookie sensation Sarah Fillier. Many New York fans couldn't wrap their head around this one, and in terms of on-ice performance, it's a hard pill to swallow. What this omission shows however, is that teams were looking far beyond the scoresheet when considering their options. New York needs a culture change, they need to shake up their roster to get more out of their depth, and this move plays into that decision. Carpenter's skill will be missed if she's selected. Ottawa Charge - Ashton Bell Without Ashton Bell, it's hard to imagine the Ottawa Charge get to the Walter Cup finals this year. Bell was part of Ottawa's top pairing that played heavy minutes. She blocked shots, transitioned pucks up ice, and was key to their attack. But Ottawa went with the unique toolkit possessed by Ronja Savolainen. Savolainen has a more club friendly contract with two years remaining, and there's belief she's just scratching the surface of her potential in North America. She got better as the season went on. Toronto Sceptres - Sarah Nurse A 2024 PWHL Second Team All-Star, Sarah Nurse was one of the top scoring threats in the league in year one, and if not for an injury in year two, the same could be said. Toronto is lucky to have the depth they do up front, but depending how this process plays out, the Sceptres are likely to lose not only Nurse, but three of Savannah Harmon, Julia Gosling, Emma Maltais, Allie Munroe, or Izzy Daniel as well. It's not a pleasant prospect for the team, but there's perhaps no loss that would hurt more than that of Nurse.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
USMNT adds Walker Zimmerman, Paxten Aaronson, Nathan Harriel to Gold Cup training camp
The US mens national team is making some changes to its pre-Gold Cup training camp roster, adding Walker Zimmerman, Paxten Aaronson, and Nathan Harriel to the squad that is set to play friendlies v Turkiye and Switzerland in the coming international break. All of the adds are injury replacements. They arrive in place of defender DeJuan Jones (who has what US Soccer called a lower body injury), midfielder Sean Zawadzki (knee injury) and striker Folarin Balogun (ankle injury). All of the replacements appeared for the US at the 2024 Olympics, in which the team made a run to the quarter-finals. Advertisement Zimmerman is no stranger to the full USMNT, having made the roster for the 2022 World Cup and earning praise for his late-game defensive heroics v Iran in the final game of the group stage. Zimmerman, 32, has had a solid season anchoring the Nashville SC backline in 2025. He won back-to-back Defender of the Year honors in MLS in 2020 and 2021. Related: USMNT greats Donovan, Howard criticize absence of top players from Gold Cup Aaronson, the younger brother of camp invitee Brenden Aaronson, just finished a season on loan with FC Utrecht of the Dutch Eredivisie. The midfielder scored eight goals and added four assists this season with Utrecht, and returns to the national team program having last played in the 2024 Olympics. He made his senior international debut in 2023, which remains his last cap for the US> Harriel received his first senior national team call-up this past January having previously played for the program at multiple youth levels. A Philadelphia Union homegrown product, the outside back figures to provide depth at the position with Jones out. The US plays Turkiye in East Hartford, Connecticut on 7 June at 3.30pm ET, then follows that up with a trip to Nashville to play Switzerland on 10 June at 8pm ET.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
PWHL Award Ceremony Set For June 25 In Ottawa
The PWHL will host their 2025 Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 25 at 11:30 a.m. ET at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in the Hard Rock Live theatre in Ottawa, Ontario. It follows the 2025 PWHL Draft which will take place the night before in the same venue. Finalists for the PWHL's six major awards will be announced beginning May 13 with the league's Forward of the Year finalists, followed by Defender of the Year (May 14), Goaltender of the Year (May 15), Coach of the Year (May 20), Rookie of the Year (May 21) and Billie Jean King MVP Award (May 22). This year the PWHL's Rookie of the Year will include 1999 born players and younger who are completing their first season of professional hockey in North America. At the ceremony, the league will also honour this year's top scorers - Hilary Knight and Sarah Fillier - and their Hockey For All Award recipient. Last year, Toronto Sceptres forward Natalie Spooner was named the Forward of the Year and MVP. Erin Ambrose of the Montreal Victoire was the inaugural Defender of the Year, while Toronto's Kristen Campbell was the league's first Goaltender of the Year. Grace Zumwinkle of the Minnesota Frost was the league's first Rookie of the Year.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
O'Brien Headlines WCHA Awards As Player of the Year
The WCHA today announced their 2024-25 individual award winners headlined by Player ff the Year Casey O'Brien. O'Brien was the NCAA's leading scorer this season and passed Hilary Knight's mark as the all-time scoring leader at the University of Wisconsin. She's also a top 10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award. O'Brien was also named the WCHA Forward of the Year. She has 79 points in 36 games this season. Caroline Harvey was the Defender of the Year. The Wisconsin defender also won the honor last season. The goaltender of the year is Minnesota-Duluth's Even Gascon. Gascon was also named a top three finalist for the NCAA Goaltender of the Year today. Caitlin Kraemer was the WCHA Rookie of the Year. The first year Minnesota-Duluth forward had 29 points in 36 games. Also earning awards were Clara Van Wieren of Minnesota-Duluth who was named the WCHA's Outstanding Student Athlete of the Year, and Mark Johnson, who was the WCHA Coach of the Year.
