Latest news with #Victoire
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
PWHL expansion draft explainer: How it works and what's at stake
As the Montreal Victoire players gathered with reporters on Tuesday, everyone seemed to acknowledge the same reality: change was coming, and the same group wouldn't be back next year. It's not unique to the Victoire, which lost to the Ottawa Charge in four games in the semifinals last week. The league will hold an expansion draft to help build new teams in Seattle and Vancouver, which begin play next season. It means every team will lose stars, putting rosters across the league into a blender. "Every time you lose in those big moments, it's emotional," Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin told CBC's Jay Turnbull and other reporters gathered at locker clean out day on Tuesday. "You go through so much with your team as individuals. You want to do well for your team. It is very sad." WATCH | Montreal Victoire reflect on playoff loss, expansion: The expansion draft is set for at June 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET. Here's how the process will work, how we got here and how it could affect teams and players. Each team will only be able to protect three players from expansion, to start. Those lists are due on June 3 at 12 p.m. ET. It's a tiny number, and one that seemed to send shock waves through team fan bases over the weekend. The idea is to make sure Seattle and Vancouver can be competitive from the beginning. Parity has been a key pillar of the league since it launched, and that's come with success. More than half of the league's games have been decided by one goal or a shootout, and three teams finished tied in the points standings this season. The league spent months working on these rules, executive vice president of hockey operations, Jayna Hefford, said ahead of Game 1 of the Walter Cup finals. "It was really critical that we got it right because decisions like this do shape the future of the league," she said. "For us, the priority is always about competitive balance." The league also negotiated with the players' association throughout the process, as well as general managers, coaches, the league's advisory board and others. Hefford acknowledged on Tuesday that the rules may not be popular among fans of existing teams. "We understand a lot of people will have questions about the process and of course an affinity towards their teams and their favourite players," Hefford said. "But we also know this is such an exciting time of growth for women's hockey and for the PWHL. It's important to remember that all teams here will be growing under the same salary cap and the same rules." Only players who are under contract or team control next season have to be protected. That means pending free agents, like Toronto's Natalie Spooner or Hannah Miller, for example, can't be taken in the expansion draft. After the protection lists are submitted, the Seattle and Vancouver teams have a five-day window to speak with and potentially sign up to five unprotected players each. The expansion teams can also sign players who are on expiring contracts. The idea, Hefford said, is to give players a bit more power over where they're going to sign, especially if they think they could be selected in the expansion draft. "It's their decision at the end of the day, but we definitely had a little bit of an impact on what we thought was best for the players, especially in terms of free agents," said Laura Stacey, who is the Victoire's player representative on the players' association. Once a team has given up two players, either through the signing window or the draft itself, the team can protect a fourth player. The negotiation window closes on June 8 at 5 p.m. ET. It's not yet clear whether Seattle or Vancouver will select first, but both teams will alternate picks until they each reach 12 players. If a team comes into the draft with more signed players than the other, then they may have extra picks to get to the magic 12 number. The league has yet to name a general manager for Vancouver. Seattle will be built from scratch by Meghan Turner, who's been the assistant general manager with the Boston Fleet for the last two seasons. By the end of the expansion draft process, existing teams will each have lost four players. Terms of players' salaries aren't made public in the PWHL, but it's safe to say the new teams can't draft a team full of superstars and stay under the salary cap. Still, there's no doubt the process will end with existing teams having big holes in their lineups to fill. For Montreal, it could undo what was a strong entry draft in 2024. The Victoire added defenders Cayla Barnes and Anna Wilgren, as well as rookie of the year nominee Jennifer Gardiner, who is from British Columbia. "We are most probably going to lose some of those players that we drafted, we picked, we evaluated, we developed this year," said Montreal GM Danièle Sauvageau, who added that her team hasn't decided which three players to protect yet. "But they're going to be playing in this league and this is what we have to be proud of because at the end of the day, we are here to grow the league and we are here to build the market that is growing the league as well." The PWHL is a single-entity league, which means every team has the same owner. In other words, what helps make the expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver successful will help lift the other six teams, too. "It's never fun to hear but again, it's part of professional sport," Poulin said about the prospect of losing teammates. "There's two teams coming in. It's exciting. There are going to be more women playing hockey." For players, especially those whose seasons have ended, the next two to three weeks are full of unknowns. Will they return to the same team next season? Or will they be moving across the country? Until those questions are answered, players can't make big life decisions, nor can general managers fully plan for the upcoming PWHL entry draft, which is set for June 24 in Ottawa. For defender Erin Ambrose, who has a year remaining in her contract with the Victoire, it could mean leaving a city and team she has come to love and regard as family. Like others around the league, she said she's trying to focus on the bigger picture — the same way players did when they vowed not to play professionally until they could create a sustainable league, or when the PWHL launched in the summer of 2023 and players waited to see what the future would hold. "There's a lot of anxiety around it," Ambrose said. "But I also am really excited because it means that our league is doing something good. It means that we are growing as a professional league. It's an unfortunate situation because I would love to stay here, but it is out of my control."
CBC
22-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
PWHL expansion draft explainer: How it works and what's at stake
Social Sharing As the Montreal Victoire players gathered with reporters on Tuesday, everyone seemed to acknowledge the same reality: change was coming, and the same group wouldn't be back next year. It's not unique to the Victoire, which lost to the Ottawa Charge in four games in the semifinals last week. The league will hold an expansion draft to help build new teams in Seattle and Vancouver, which begin play next season. It means every team will lose stars, putting rosters across the league into a blender. "Every time you lose in those big moments, it's emotional," Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin told CBC's Jay Turnbull and other reporters gathered at locker clean out day on Tuesday. "You go through so much with your team as individuals. You want to do well for your team. It is very sad." WATCH | Montreal Victoire reflect on playoff loss, expansion: Montreal Victoire reflect on semifinal loss to Ottawa Charge, upcoming PWHL expansion 2 days ago Duration 1:48 As players cleaned out their lockers, they looked back on the 2024-25 PWHL season and what's to come with the league's expansion. The expansion draft is set for at June 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET. Here's how the process will work, how we got here and how it could affect teams and players. The protection list Each team will only be able to protect three players from expansion, to start. Those lists are due on June 3 at 12 p.m. ET. It's a tiny number, and one that seemed to send shock waves through team fan bases over the weekend. The idea is to make sure Seattle and Vancouver can be competitive from the beginning. Parity has been a key pillar of the league since it launched, and that's come with success. More than half of the league's games have been decided by one goal or a shootout, and three teams finished tied in the points standings this season. The league spent months working on these rules, executive vice president of hockey operations, Jayna Hefford, said ahead of Game 1 of the Walter Cup finals. "It was really critical that we got it right because decisions like this do shape the future of the league," she said. "For us, the priority is always about competitive balance." The league also negotiated with the players' association throughout the process, as well as general managers, coaches, the league's advisory board and others. Hefford acknowledged on Tuesday that the rules may not be popular among fans of existing teams. "We understand a lot of people will have questions about the process and of course an affinity towards their teams and their favourite players," Hefford said. "But we also know this is such an exciting time of growth for women's hockey and for the PWHL. It's important to remember that all teams here will be growing under the same salary cap and the same rules." Only players who are under contract or team control next season have to be protected. That means pending free agents, like Toronto's Natalie Spooner or Hannah Miller, for example, can't be taken in the expansion draft. The signing window After the protection lists are submitted, the Seattle and Vancouver teams have a five-day window to speak with and potentially sign up to five unprotected players each. The expansion teams can also sign players who are on expiring contracts. The idea, Hefford said, is to give players a bit more power over where they're going to sign, especially if they think they could be selected in the expansion draft. "It's their decision at the end of the day, but we definitely had a little bit of an impact on what we thought was best for the players, especially in terms of free agents," said Laura Stacey, who is the Victoire's player representative on the players' association. Once a team has given up two players, either through the signing window or the draft itself, the team can protect a fourth player. The negotiation window closes on June 8 at 5 p.m. ET. Draft day - June 9 It's not yet clear whether Seattle or Vancouver will select first, but both teams will alternate picks until they each reach 12 players. If a team comes into the draft with more signed players than the other, then they may have extra picks to get to the magic 12 number. The league has yet to name a general manager for Vancouver. Seattle will be built from scratch by Meghan Turner, who's been the assistant general manager with the Boston Fleet for the last two seasons. By the end of the expansion draft process, existing teams will each have lost four players. Charge, Frost keep focus on Walter Cup final after expansion draft announcement Terms of players' salaries aren't made public in the PWHL, but it's safe to say the new teams can't draft a team full of superstars and stay under the salary cap. Still, there's no doubt the process will end with existing teams having big holes in their lineups to fill. For Montreal, it could undo what was a strong entry draft in 2024. The Victoire added defenders Cayla Barnes and Anna Wilgren, as well as rookie of the year nominee Jennifer Gardiner, who is from British Columbia. "We are most probably going to lose some of those players that we drafted, we picked, we evaluated, we developed this year," said Montreal GM Danièle Sauvageau, who added that her team hasn't decided which three players to protect yet. "But they're going to be playing in this league and this is what we have to be proud of because at the end of the day, we are here to grow the league and we are here to build the market that is growing the league as well." The PWHL is a single-entity league, which means every team has the same owner. In other words, what helps make the expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver successful will help lift the other six teams, too. "It's never fun to hear but again, it's part of professional sport," Poulin said about the prospect of losing teammates. "There's two teams coming in. It's exciting. There are going to be more women playing hockey." Anxiety and excitement For players, especially those whose seasons have ended, the next two to three weeks are full of unknowns. Will they return to the same team next season? Or will they be moving across the country? Until those questions are answered, players can't make big life decisions, nor can general managers fully plan for the upcoming PWHL entry draft, which is set for June 24 in Ottawa. For defender Erin Ambrose, who has a year remaining in her contract with the Victoire, it could mean leaving a city and team she has come to love and regard as family. Like others around the league, she said she's trying to focus on the bigger picture — the same way players did when they vowed not to play professionally until they could create a sustainable league, or when the PWHL launched in the summer of 2023 and players waited to see what the future would hold. "There's a lot of anxiety around it," Ambrose said. "But I also am really excited because it means that our league is doing something good. It means that we are growing as a professional league. It's an unfortunate situation because I would love to stay here, but it is out of my control."
Winnipeg Free Press
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Changes looming for Montreal Victoire with PWHL expansion ahead
MONTREAL – Erin Ambrose said the hardest part of the Victoire's playoff exit was knowing the same group won't return to Montreal next season. And with Professional Women's Hockey League expansion looming, she knows that might include her. 'More than anything, I'm anxious that I might not be in Montreal, I might not be a part of the Victoire,' Ambrose said. 'That's something for me that means a lot.' Victoire players, following a semifinal series loss to the Ottawa Charge, cleaned out their lockers at Verdun Auditorium on Tuesday — a day after the league announced expansion procedures for incoming franchises in Vancouver and Seattle. The guidelines are clearly designed to make both teams competitive as soon as they hit the ice next season. 'It's a great buffet that those expansion teams have,' Victoire general manager Danièle Sauvageau said. Each of the league's original six franchises will lose four players. Teams can initially protect only three, before adding a fourth after two players are selected from their rosters. Even as last season's defender of the year, Ambrose knows she could be the odd one out on a Victoire roster loaded with high-end talent. Montreal boasts star forwards Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey — who are married — and netminder Ann-Renée Desbiens, the heavy favourite to win goaltender of the year after a stellar season. They were the first three signings in franchise history back in September 2023, and Ambrose expects they'll be the first three protected come expansion time. 'All of us could probably collectively agree on who the three (should be),' Ambrose said. 'Ann-Renée, Stace and Pou, if that happens, it's definitely not a bad choice. I'm not oblivious. 'It's something that's just weird, you have no control over. My hands are up in the air and we'll see where everything falls.' Expansion will unfold in two phases: An exclusive signing window from June 4 to 8, followed by the expansion draft on June 9. Ambrose isn't the only player anxiously waiting for those dates to pass. 'It's pretty hard to process,' said forward Kristin O'Neill, another Canadian national team player. 'I thought I was going to be here for three years, but that has become a little unknown and that's pretty scary, especially because as female professional athletes we're not used to that.' Sauvageau said she hadn't yet chosen her three protected players, although one spot is clearly spoken for. 'Marie-Philip Poulin is going nowhere,' she said. All players, including Ambrose and O'Neill, still acknowledged the bigger picture — that expansion is a positive step for the league's growth. 'Growing to two new cities that are thriving in the women's sports world and really want a women's hockey team, from that perspective, it's amazing to see,' said Stacey, the Victoire's players' association representative. 'We all knew they wanted the two teams to be competitive, and to do that every single team is going to have to lose some great players.' Parity has been a calling card in the PWHL. In each of the league's first two seasons, the Walter Cup final has featured the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds. Poulin believes the even playing field needs to continue with the Seattle and Vancouver franchises. 'That's something we take pride in here for this league, that we want to put the best product on the ice,' she said. 'That's what made these rules happen, to make sure everybody has a great start and is able to compete.' A short protection list means U.S. defender Cayla Barnes and Canada winger Jennifer Gardiner — Montreal's first two picks in last year's PWHL draft — could be on the move. Gardiner is from Surrey, B.C., while Barnes hails from California. 'It would be nice,' said Barnes about the possibility of moving back West. 'My family's close, so that would be nice to be able to see them and them to be able to come out to more games.' Sauvageau, meanwhile, said she's prepared to rebuild. 'It's like our children, we have to let them go,' she said. 'We're probably going to lose players that we recruited, that we developed, for the good of the league.' When the NHL expanded to Vegas in 2017, several teams made trades with the Golden Knights to shield players from selection. Sauvageau said such deals won't be possible in the PWHL, which does not yet allow teams to trade draft picks. HERE TO STAY Sauvageau made it clear that Kori Cheverie, a nominee for the PWHL's coach of the year, will return next season. 'Kori is here to stay,' she said. 'We're going to continue to build.' The Victoire exited the playoffs in agonizing fashion for a second consecutive season. Montreal, after finishing first in the regular season and earning the right to select third-place Ottawa, lost to the Charge in four games. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Goals dried up in the playoffs again. The Victoire scored six in four games and parts of 16 periods, including a quadruple overtime victory in Game 2 — the only playoff win in the franchise's young history. Sauvageau, however, didn't want to hit the panic button. 'We had a good season, the playoffs are another story, we'll ask questions of ourselves and learn,' she said. 'To restart and sweep away everything we've done in a season would be a lack of respect, a lack of recognition. 'We won't panic.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2025.
Ottawa Citizen
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa puts brakes on Victoire's playoff hopes
Article content Montréal Victoire's road to the 2025 Walter Cup came to a screeching halt Friday night as they were eliminated in the semifinals by a speeding Ottawa Charge. Article content Montreal, which dominated the PWHL in the regular season, was down 2-1 in the best-of-five series and it was do-or-die for the Victoire at TD Place. Goals from Rebecca Leslie and Emily Clark, as well as a goalkeeping masterclass from rookie Gwyneth Philips, sealed Montreal's defeat as Ottawa took the series 3-1. Article content Article content As hopeful as Victoire may have been to start the match, the tables were quickly turned. Only two minutes into the first period, Leslie capitalized on a rebound to put the Charge up 1-0. She and Anna Meixner had picked up the puck from their defensive zone after a sequence that included a collision between Maureen Murphy and Abby Boreen in front of Ottawa's net. That gaffe followed by the goal was a bad omen for the rest of the game. Article content Article content Despite obvious determination by Montreal, they were not able to score in the first two periods. The Charge were the more composed of the teams, putting heavy pressure on Marie Philip-Poulin and Laura Stacey, the Victoire's most productive players. The occasional dazzling individual play rarely developed into convincing team combinations. Article content The third period somehow began even worse than the first. Montreal couldn't find a release from their defensive zone, and only 31 seconds in, Clark evaded a usually defensively sound Poulin to score a second goal for the home side. Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie challenged the goal for a hand pass, but was unsuccessful. The Victoire found themselves staring down the final frame in a hole twice as deep as when they left the locker room. Article content Article content With 11:42 left on the clock, Cayla Barnes and Stacey combined for the Victoire's best chance of the night. Barnes sent a piercing diagonal pass to Stacey, who had been camping out beside the net, but Philips switched quickly to block the alternate captain's point-blank redirection. Article content As the minutes of Montreal's season ticked down, a moment of individual brilliance gave the Victoire a glimmer of hope. Jennifer Gardiner cleared the puck into the neutral zone and Murphy was able to track back to pick it up. She deked Ronja Savolainen and put the puck past Philips. With 5:02 to go, it was a lifeline for the Victoire. Article content Now within a goal, the Victoire made frantic pushes to score again. Ann-Renée Desbiens left the net with 1:44 to go, but even an extra skater they couldn't tie the game. A discussion among the referees with 6.8 seconds remaining only prolonged a painful end to Montreal's season. Article content Missed plays and questionable decisions will torment the Victoire as they reflect on this defeat. Their power play stopped bearing fruit when it mattered most. They didn't screen Philips often or effectively enough and couldn't build momentum from Desbiens' consistent excellence in net. And, perhaps most hauntingly, they chose to face Ottawa, rather than the lower-seeded Minnesota, in the semifinals.
Ottawa Citizen
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Charge advances to PWHL final after upset of Montreal Victoire at packed TD Place
After sneaking into the playoffs in the final game of the regular season, the Ottawa Charge is now soaring into the Professional Women's Hockey League championship series. Article content Rebecca Leslie scored a tone-setting goal at the two-minute mark and rookie goalie Gwyneth Philips once again rose to the occasion as Ottawa completed a first-round upset of the first-place Montreal Victoire with a 2-1 victory in front of 8,012 fans at The Arena at TD Place. Article content Article content The largest crowd to witness a PWHL playoff game this year saw the Charge, which finished third in the regular season, close out the Victoire in the best-of-five series, 3-1. Article content Article content The Charge will have home ice advantage in a best-of-five final against the defending Walter Cup-winning Minnesota Frost, which starts Tuesday (7 p.m.) at TD Place. Article content If necessary, the fifth and final game will be played Wednesday, May 28, at TD Place. Article content Emily Clark wheeled around Victoire star Marie-Philip Poulin to give the Charge a cushion 31 seconds into the third period, while Philips lost her bid for a second straight shutout when Maureen Murphy scored with 5:02 left. Article content But despite some frantic moments around the Ottawa net, Montreal couldn't come up with the equalizer. Article content The Victoire tinkered with its top line, moving Lina Ljungblom to Jennifer Gardiner's spot alongside Poulin and Laura Stacey, but it wasn't a recipe for success. Article content Article content Philips stopped 19 shots, while being tested just four times in the third, while Ann-Renee Desbiens made 20 saves in the Victoire net. Article content Montreal jumped onto the attack right from the opening faceoff but the Charge took advantage of an opening in the coverage for a 2-on-1 break, with Leslie passing to Anna Meixner, then driving to the net to bang the rebound from her linemate's shot into a wide-open net. Article content Leslie, the lone locally born player on the Charge, had just one goal and two assists in 27 games this season, her first with the team. Article content While Philips was extending her shutout streak through a fifth period, her teammates had a couple of chances to build on the lead. Article content But after Kristin O'Neill was called for tripping Danielle Serdachny early in the middle frame, the Charge failed to convert the night's first power play. And just past the 11-minute mark, Tereza Vanisova was stopped on a breakaway by Desbiens, who also got a pad on Brianne Jenner's attempt to slide in the rebound.
