Nothing will ever replace the special moments and many firsts – first game, first road trip, first win – Hilary Knight enjoyed during the PWHL’s inaugural season.
At 35 years old, one of the most accomplished players in USA Hockey is still in awe of the leap the league took when it was founded in late June 2023, launching six months later and catching the wave of growth in women’s sports in North America.
“I think this is the perfect timing to be a woman in professional sports and be part of the piece that continues to move the sport forward,” Knight said. “We are part of the conversation now.”
Even being on the ice with her Boston teammates after a decisive Game 5 loss in the Finals in May and watching Minnesota’s players hoist the Walter Cup didn’t spoil Knight’s experience.
“Celebrating each team’s first year is crucial because it was their inaugural season,” she said. “And now it’s like, ‘OK, let’s go.'”
Welcome to Season 2 of the PWHL, which begins Saturday and features all six teams this weekend. There will be more matches – 30 for each team, compared to 24 last year. There will be more talent, with an influx of both university graduates and European veterans.
Each team has a logo and nickname after being dropped last year. There is already talk of expansion, with the privately funded and centrally controlled PWHL looking to add up to two franchises by next year.
“It’s hard to put it into words, to be honest. Season 1 obviously exceeded all of our expectations,” said Jaina Hefford, vice president of hockey operations. “We always believed. We had a vision for that. But to see it happen so quickly was very special.
It’s game on again for the league as Toronto moved to a larger home, New York finally settled on a home after splitting games at three sites, and the PWHL expanded its reach with nine games at neutral sites ranging from North Carolina to the Pacific Northwest.
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In Minnesota, Frost’s team came off a high by winning the title while trying to navigate a tumultuous offseason. General manager Natalie Darwitz was fired after an internal and external review launched by the league that revealed, in part, an irreconcilable rift between her and coach Ken Klee.
“For me, it’s just about getting our group back together,” Klee said. “We’re focused on the future. In professional hockey, things happen, some unfortunate things and some things out of our control, and we’re really looking forward and excited to get the season started.”
The Frost looks to capitalize on how they’ve persevered by sneaking into the playoffs after losing their last five games of the regular season. Minnesota then overcame a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five semifinal series against Toronto.
It’s a collapse that still hurts in Toronto, where regular-season champion Septer has failed to overcome the loss of league MVP Natalie Spooner to a knee injury that will keep her on the sidelines for the start of this year.
“She was a big part of our success last season, but I think the biggest thing for us as we approach this season without her in the lineup is that everyone realizes they’re not going to replace Natalie Spooner,” captain Blair Turnbull said. “Everyone has a chance to step up and be the best player they can be. I think it will be a good test for our team.”
Victoire’s team is motivated after injuries that contributed to Montreal’s sweep by Boston in a semifinal series in which all three games were decided in overtime, including a 2-1, three-overtime loss in Game 2.
General manager Daniel Sauvageau focused on adding speed and offense to the lineup led by Team Canada captain Marie-Philippe Poulin.
Among the newcomers is US National Team playmaker Kayla Barnes. Meanwhile, 2023 late-round pick Lena Ljungblum has moved to North America after the 23-year-old finished third with 46 points (23 goals) in the Swedish Women’s Pro League last season.
There is heightened expectations among the two teams not in the playoffs, Ottawa and New York.
New York had what was arguably its best class in June, starting with the No. 1 pick of Canadian star and Princeton grad Sarah Villiers. The Sirens also drafted Swedish defender Maja Persson and Finnish forward Nora Tullos in the second and third rounds and Canadian university player Amy Fecteau in the sixth round.
The newcomers join a last-place squad that includes a new coach in Colgate’s Greg Fargo, who is highly regarded for his fast-paced approach.
“It was a completely different vibe and environment,” forward Abby Rock said. “Even though last year was bad for us as a team, I think there are a lot of things we can build on.”
The same goes for Ottawa, where the official was eliminated on the final day of a season in which he went 1-6 in games that ended in previous regulation. The PWHL awards three points for regulation wins, two points for overtime/shootout wins, and one for overtime/shootout losers.
The official added size by drafting Canadian national team forward Daniil Srdachny and Finnish defenseman Runja Savolainen. Ottawa also drafted Northeastern goalie Gwyneth Phillips to back up junior Emerence Maschmeier, who appeared in all but one game last season.
“I think we learned the hard way how strong this league is,” captain Brianne Jenner said. “Ultimately, getting a few extra points would have served us well. So we’re going to make sure we’re well prepared for this year this year.”
& Edition 2024 The Canadian Press
