Fleet GM Danielle Marmer Discusses Expansion Draft, Filling Lineup Gaps

Boston Fleet general manager Danielle Marmer met with the media virtually this afternoon to discuss the expansion draft and to look ahead at free agency and the entry draft. Following an opening statement on the players lost, she fielded questions about went into her protection decisions and how she plans on filling the gaps left in her lineup.

Initial Forward Protection Ended With 'Hardest Decision' of Marmer's Career

For the initial three protection slots, Marmer chose to protect goaltender Aerin Frankel, defender Megan Keller, and forward Alina Müller. Marmer said protecting Frankel was a no-brainer and called her the best goaltender in the world, and she had similar feelings about Keller. However, the forward decision was different.

“Not protecting Hilary Knight was the hardest decision that I've made in my professional career to date,” Marmer said. “I think the world of her. I think she's an incredible player, an incredible leader. That's a void that we're not looking to fill. I'm not expecting anybody to rise up and become Hilary Knight. I think we're going to have to come together as a group to fill that void...and I'm excited for the opportunity for some of these players to get to step up. But that was a decision [where] how I personally felt and what I felt was best for the team and with my GM hat, opposed each other.”

Marmer said she had to strike a balance between performance, longevity, and the salary cap to reach her forward decision. She did not want to face losing Müller, Hannah Bilka, and Knight once she calls it a career in a few years. The conversation where Marmer had to tell Knight she was going to be left exposed was one she dreaded, but it unfolded with nothing but respect and understanding.

“Ironically, it's one of my favorite conversations I've had with Hilary,” Marmer said. “She's such a professional, and she was so understanding and gracious...It just speaks to who she is as a person, a player, a leader, and her experience. I am a big fan of hers, and I have been since I was in high school watching her play. I really wish her all the best and hope she has all the success she can have. And I told her, obviously I want to win a Walter Cup, but if I can't, I want it to be you. She's someone who deserves that.”

As for why she protected Müller over Bilka, it came down to experience and what Müller brings regardless of the players she’s surrounded by.

“She’s proven that she can do a lot and can do a lot without much,” Marmer said. “...She makes players around her better in a way that I really haven't seen many other players do…Alina is somebody who, [it] doesn't matter who we surround her with or what she has to work with. She's going to find a way to do a really nice job and be productive and be impactful.”

The final protection slot went to forward Shay Maloney, who Marmer said embodies what it means to be a hockey player in Boston.

“Knowing that we were losing two really impactful forwards, we wanted to reprotect Shay,” Marmer said. “She's somebody who just embodies how we want to play hockey in Boston. She's big, she's tough, she's physical, she's really detailed…I think at this age, it gets harder and harder as they're professionals to build and add the detail [and] the habits. And she has that in her, it's who she is as a player, and it's proven to provide her with a ton of success as we saw this past season. She is someone who is only going to continue to get better.”

Defense a Priority for Marmer in Draft, Free Agency

With just two defenders under contract for next season and only one other under team control, Marmer says that drafting defenders or finding them in free agency will be her priority. That said, she also sees this as an opportunity for players like Daniela Pejšová to take the next step.

“I think she's going to be a player who is going to take advantage of the opportunities that are coming from adding two more teams to this league,” Marmer said. "Her role is going to get bigger. She's going to be able to play with a different confidence, knowing [that if] she goes out there and makes mistakes, she's gonna get to go right back out. And I think that is really important…There's going to be a lot of players in a similar role where maybe the leash was a little short because of how tight the league is and how much the points matter, and then how many great players there are. So, to spread that out and give some players a little bit of breathing room to come into their own, to develop, to get better, I think we're going to see the game evolve and continue to grow...this is going to be really good for our game.”

While Marmer is eyeing more defenders, the Fleet forward corps are missing their two best scorers from last season with Knight headed to Seattle and Susanna Tapani a pending free agent. Marmer said she is working hard to ensure Tapani remains in Boston next season, but expects the rest of the offensive void to be filled by committee.

“The exciting thing is, with change comes opportunity,” Marmer said. “There are going to be players who are going to rise to the occasion and step up in a way that they maybe wouldn't have had the opportunity to had some of these players remained in our market. I'm confident that we have some of those in our locker room right now, and I'm really excited to see who it is.” 

That said, Marmer will also look to add a few more players up front. She's confident that their salary cap situation will allow them to be competitive with the other teams when it comes to signing players.

“There aren't going to be too many situations where we're outbid or can't compete in that realm,” Marmer said. “...We want players to be in Boston because they fit our locker room, they fit our style of play and they want to be here. I think that's ultimately more important than the salary component of this. I know it's a business, and this is their job and we want to make sure players are paid fairly. But for players who is just about the money, I don't know if those are the players that we necessarily are looking to add to our locker room. We want people to be team-first and to do what's best for the team…[but] it's not like I'm in the business of underpaying players or trying to get by by not paying players. I feel confident that we have the cap and the space to do what we need to do in this free agency period.”

The PWHL roster-building process continues on June 16 with the opening of a signing window for players on expiring contracts at 9 a.m. ET. Additional details, such as whether there is an exclusive window for players to re-sign with their current teams, will be announced in the coming days if necessary. Then, it’s on to the 2025 PWHL Entry Draft, which will take place on June 24 at 7 p.m. ET at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Ottawa, ON. The order of that draft will be announced soon.