Latest news with #PWHLSeattle
Ottawa Citizen
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Danielle Serdachny seeks better fit away from Ottawa: ‘We'll be really upset that we lost her'
Article content From the moment the PWHL announced its expansion rules during its championship series last month, one Ottawa player was destined to walk out the door. Article content Danielle Serdachny, fresh off signing a two-year deal with PWHL Seattle, didn't mince words in her first media appearance with her new team. Her rookie season in Ottawa fell short of expectations. Article content 'It was more on the disappointing end,' the 24-year-old forward said. 'I didn't have as much as an impact as I hoped I would.' Article content Article content Drafted second overall last summer after a dominant five-year career at Colgate University, Serdachny arrived in the nation's capital with big expectations. The Charge needed scoring and the Canadian national team forward looked poised to provide it with her elite speed and vision. Article content Article content But even with big-game experience playing with the Canadian national team at world championship, Serdachny struggled in her adjustment to the PWHL. Skating in all 30 regular-season games, she compiled only two goals and eight points, tied with fellow rookie Mannon McMahon for ninth on the Charge. Article content Originally playing in a top-six role with power-play time, Serdachny slowly tumbled down the lineup until she found herself buried on the fourth line for nearly all of Ottawa's eight-game playoff run. Article content Meanwhile, Sarah Fillier — the only player drafted ahead of her last year — shared the league scoring title and earned a forward of the year nomination. In contrast, Serdachny looked out of place in Ottawa's defence-first, grinding style of play. She showed glimpses of the blazing speed and puck control that they drafted her for, but more common were the turnovers and lack of finish. Article content Article content The arrival of Seattle and Vancouver to the league couldn't have come at a better time. For Serdachny, a change of scenery and a healthy dose of opportunity is absolutely part of the equation to unlocking what many feel is superstar potential. Article content 'This fresh start will be really, really good for me and a new opportunity to play under a new staff and with new teammates,' Serdachny said. 'Just hoping I can continue contribute in any way.' Article content Ottawa general manager Mike Hirshfeld has no doubts that she'll find her way — and make the Charge regret losing her even more than they already do now. Article content 'We were really optimistic about her future,' he said. 'We think she's got the potential to be one of the best players in this league, so it's disappointing when you lose that talent from your roster.' Article content With the ability to protect just three players from the expansion roster-building process, Hirshfeld and the Charge just couldn't take a chance protecting Serdachny over established difference-makers in Gwyneth Philips, Emily Clark and Ronja Savolainen.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Hilary Knight, Olympic gold medalist, signs with Seattle expansion team
Hilary Knight, Olympic gold medalist, signs with Seattle expansion team The expansion Seattle franchise of the Professional Women's Hockey League signed legendary forward Hilary Knight to a one-year contract on Wednesday. Knight was left exposed in the expansion draft by the Boston Fleet. Seattle and fellow expansion franchise Vancouver were given a five-day window from June 4-8 to sign a maximum of five players prior to the June 9 draft. Knight, a four-time U.S. Olympian who recently announced her intention to play in the 2026 Games in Milan, tied for the PWHL lead of 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in the recently concluded season. It was her second season with the Fleet. "Signing Hilary Knight was an absolute no-brainer − she's the heartbeat of any team she joins," Seattle general manager Meghan Turner said in a news release. "Her proven leadership and drive, the way she elevates everyone around her, those are qualities you can't teach. "Hilary's not just a game-changer on the ice, she's the kind of person who defines a culture, and we're incredibly proud to have her as the first-ever player to join PWHL Seattle." Knight, who turns 36 in July, has won one Olympic gold medal and three silvers. She had a regulation-time goal when the U.S. famously beat Canada in a shootout to win the 2018 gold medal in South Korea. In the 2022 Olympics, Knight had six goals and four assists. Overall, she has 12 goals and 15 assists in 22 Olympic contests. She also owns a record 15 medals (10 gold, five silver) at the women's world championships. The most recent gold came in April. "I'm incredibly proud to be part of bringing professional women's hockey to the Pacific Northwest," Knight said. "Seattle holds a special place in my heart, and I'm beyond excited to join PWHL Seattle in such a storied sports city. I'm grateful to Meghan Turner for believing in me and bringing me on board as part of this new chapter. "To my teammates, the staff, and the fans of Boston − thank you. The Fleet wasn't just a team, it was home. These past two seasons were some of the most meaningful of my career, and I'll carry those memories with me forever." Across all levels of U.S. national team play, Knight has 161 goals and 125 assists in 243 games. The longtime resident of Sun Valley, Idaho, was a college star at Wisconsin and helped the Badgers win two national championships. The Seattle franchise will play at Climate Pledge Arena, the home of the NHL's Kraken. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hilary Knight signs with PWHL Seattle after going unprotected in expansion
One day after being left unprotected for PWHL expansion, Hilary Knight has signed with the league's new Seattle franchise. The league, which launched in January 2024 with six teams, is adding two franchises in Seattle and Vancouver. PWHL expansion rules allow unprotected players and free agents to negotiate with either of the new teams during a five-day window that opened Wednesday morning. Advertisement As expected, the Boston Fleet protected star goalie Aerin Frankel and No. 1 defender Megan Keller ahead of Tuesday's deadline. But the team opted to protect 27-year-old forward Alina Müller in a surprising move that left Knight, the team's captain, exposed. Knight will turn 36 this summer and she's already announced that the 2026 Milan Olympics will be her fifth and final trip to the Games. She's also said she plans to continue playing in the PWHL. Still, if Boston general manager Danielle Marmer were to protect Knight, she'd run the risk of losing three top forwards in short order — Müller and rookie forward Hannah Bilka to expansion, and Knight to retirement. Protecting Müller — even if it likely means losing Knight — ensures the team keeps at least one of its core forwards for more than a few years. Advertisement For Seattle, however, making one of the greatest women's hockey players of all-time the team's first signing is an easy win. Especially considering Knight is an all-time great who is still a high-end player. 'Signing Hilary Knight was an absolute no-brainer,' said PWHL Seattle general manager Meghan Turner in a press release. 'Her proven leadership and drive, the way she elevates everyone around her, those are qualities you can't teach. 'Hilary's not just a game-changer on the ice, she's the kind of person who defines a culture, and we're incredibly proud to have her as the first-ever player to join PWHL Seattle.' Knight was one of the best players in the PWHL in 2024-25, with a league leading 29 points in 30 games. Knight finished second in goals (15), behind only Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin, and was named a finalist for league MVP and Forward of the Year. Advertisement She was also (once again) among the top scorers at women's world championships in April, where she won her record 10th gold medal with Team USA. Off the ice, very few have anything close to the cachet that Knight has in women's hockey, particularly in an American market. As a cornerstone player in Seattle – and perhaps captain – she should undoubtedly help grow the fan base and market swiftly, much like her star counterparts in soccer (Megan Rapinoe) and basketball (Sue Bird) have done. Turner, who spent the first two seasons as Boston's assistant general manager, is obviously familiar with Knight, and the kind leadership and experience she can add to a brand-new franchise. Signing in Seattle also offers Knight, who is from Sun Valley, Idaho, a chance to be closer to family. 'I'm incredibly proud to be part of bringing professional women's hockey to the Pacific Northwest,' said Knight. 'Seattle holds a special place in my heart, and I'm beyond excited to join PWHL Seattle in such a storied sports city. I'm grateful to Meghan Turner for believing in me and bringing me on board as part of this new chapter.' Advertisement The PWHL's Seattle team will debut in the fall of 2025 and will play at Climate Pledge Arena, home of the NHL's Seattle Kraken. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. NHL, Women's Hockey 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Toronto Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- Toronto Sun
PWHL expansion teams will have plenty to choose from as they stock their rosters
Get the latest from Mike Ganter straight to your inbox Toronto Sceptres' Renata Fast (centre) lays a hit against the Minnesota Frost. The Canadian Press Have at it, PWHL Vancouver and PWHL Seattle. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The two newest clubs to join the PWHL have a veritable smorgasbord of talent ready to be picked over and made their own over the next six days, now that the existing six clubs have declared their three protected picks. GMs Meghan Turner and Cara Gardner Morey of PWHL Seattle and PWHL Vancouver, respectively, both suggested finding leadership in the expansion draft process was going to be high on their list of desirables when it came to making their selections. Well, there's no shortage of that, starting with Boston Fleet captain and U.S. hockey legend Hilary Knight. Or if you want to stay Canadian there's the option of Brianne Jenner, the Ottawa Charge captain and a national team mainstay in her own right. Top-end forwards available include Sarah Nurse, the Toronto Sceptres forward who was one of the team's three foundational signings when the PWHL came into existence. The New York Sirens have left Alex Carpenter, another U.S. hockey legend, unprotected. Like Nurse, she too was one of her team's foundational signings. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. There's a plethora of top-end defenders, starting in Montreal where another long-time national team member in Erin Ambrose was left unprotected. In fact, all of Montreal's vaunted D corps is there for the taking — at least until they, like all six existing teams, lose two players in the process, at which point each team will be able to protect a fourth player. Other top-notch defenders there for the taking including Minnesota's young duo of Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson, as well as Ottawa's Ashton Bell, who is coming off a great second season in the league. As far as goaltending talent goes, there's going to be plenty to fill both Vancouver and Seattle's top two spots, should they choose to go that way. That list includes Minnesota's Nicole Hensley and Maddie Rooney (free agent), Toronto Kristen (Soupy) Campbell, Ottawa's Emerance Maschmeyer, New York's Corinne Schroeder, or even Boston's highly coveted backup Klara Peslarova. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The league put a premium on parity in this draft process and barring only some rather poor decision-making, both newcomers are being gift-wrapped the opportunity to come in at close to or even to the same level as the six existing teams. Should the new teams decide to start young and build that way, that route is there for them as well. Up for grabs just from last year's draft are the Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 picks — Ottawa's Danielle Serdachny, Minnesota's Thompson, Boston's Hannah Bilka, Montreal's Cayla Barnes and Toronto's Julia Gosling. In fact, the only 2024 first-round pick not available in this process is first-overall pick Sarah Fillier and, with her ties to the new GM in Vancouver (Fillier was Gardner Morey's captain at Princeton) coupled with some tough contract negotiations in New York, that means New York will have to negotiate another deal this off-season or risk losing her after the year. There's at least the potential for a deal there between Vancouver and New York. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As for surprises on the protected lists, there were a few, though in truth many of the bigger surprises were just confirmation of leaks that trickled out over the past few days. Leaving Knight and Bilka unprotected in Boston was a surprise given Knight is the team captain and still playing at an elite level, while Bilka has elite potential and is just starting out her pro career. The two-time defending champs in Minnesota stayed true to its leadership corps knowing they will probably lose at least one of their top goaltending tandem in Hensley and Rooney. In Montreal, there was very little surprise as it, like Minnesota, went with holding on to what they are built around and that is the duo of Poulin and Stacey, and the world-class goaltending of Desbiens. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It means they are likely going to have to scramble to rebuild a back line in front of Desbiens and say farewell to some coveted pieces, but that goes for all six teams. New York leaving Carpenter available was a surprise, but it allows them to maintain their more vocal leaders in Shelton and Zandee-Hart while ensuring their own once-in-generation talent in Sarah Fillier, a younger version of Carpenter, doesn't just leave them. Both Ottawa and Toronto had some very tough decisions of their own, exposing faces of their respective franchises in Jenner and Nurse. Those can't have been easy, but nothing about this process, other than knowing expansion means the league is thriving, has been easy for any of the six teams about to get picked over. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In the process, all six teams will lose a total of four players, giving each of the two incoming clubs a 12-player roster. Read More Following a five-day exclusive window in which Vancouver and Seattle can attempt to sign any of the unprotected players or those on expiring contracts, the two clubs will make selections in the expansion draft (Monday, June 9) until they have reached a total of 12 players each. The remainder of those two rosters will be filled out when they take part in the annual entry draft. The league has yet to announce where the two expansion teams will choose in the eight-team draft. The Protected Lists Boston Fleet: Aerin Frankel (G), Megan Keller (D), Alina Muller (F) Minnesota Frost: Kendall Coyne Schofield (F), Taylor Heise (F), Lee Stecklein (D) Montreal Victoire: Ann-Renee Desbiens (G), Marie-Philip Poulin (F), Laura Stacey (F) New York Sirens: Sarah Fillier (F), Ella Shelton (D), Micah Zandee-Hart (D) Ottawa Charge: Emily Clark (F), Gwyneth Philips (G), Ronja Savolainen (D) Toronto Sceptres: Renata Fast (D), Blayre Turnbull (F), Daryl Watts (F) Other Sports Canada Ontario Toronto & GTA Canada
Hamilton Spectator
21-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
PWHL hires Boston Fleet assistant GM Meghan Turner as GM of its Seattle expansion franchise
Boston Fleet assistant GM Meghan Turner is switching coasts after being hired as the PWHL Seattle expansion franchise's general manager and first employee, the league announced Wednesday. Turner spent the past two seasons working under Fleet GM Danielle Marmer, and earned an MBA during her college playing days at Quinnipiac. She went on to compete in the Canadian Women's Hockey League and the PWHL's precursor, PWHPA. Her first priorities will involve hiring coaching and support staffs, while also preparing for the PWHL's expansion exclusive signing period spanning June 4 to 8 and expansion draft on June 9. Turner's hiring fills one of the PWHL's two expansion team slots, with Vancouver's GM position still open. The six-team PWHL, in the midst of completing its second season, announced Vancouver and Seattle's additions in separate news conferences held a week apart late last month. 'Meghan brings an extraordinary combination of hockey experience, strategic vision, and professionalism to PWHL Seattle,' said Jayna Hefford, PWHL executive vice president of hockey operations. 'During her time in Boston, Meghan distinguished herself as a big-picture thinker who quickly earned the respect of players and staff alike.' The PWHL centrally controls all of its franchises and is responsible for hiring staff for each team. From Bedford, New Hampshire, Turner previously worked as a consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and remains an active member of the Army National Guard. Turner enjoyed a glimpse of Seattle's support for women's hockey in the Fleet's 3-2 shootout win over Montreal on Jan. 5 in a neutral site game played at the NHL Kraken's Climate Pledge Arena, which will also serve as the yet to be named PWHL team's home. The game was the PWHL's first of nine 'Takeover Tour' games this season and attracted a crowd of 12,608. 'I'm confident that we're stepping into an environment that is more than ready for women's hockey,' Turner said. 'I'm excited for the opportunity to build a team and an organization that reflects the passion of the city and the excellence of the league. We've got a lot of work to do and I'm ready to get started.' ___ AP Women's Hockey:
