Breaking Down the Victoire's 2025 Training Camp Roster

This summer saw massive changes to the rosters of the PWHL's Original Six, as expansion and free agency reshuffled the league heading into the 2025-26 season.

Despite some major losses, the Montréal Victoire managed to come out of it better than most, owing to some great additions on the open market. On October 16th, the Victoire officially released their training camp roster, set to take the ice this November ahead of preseason action on the 15th and 17th.

Here's a look at how the Victoire's group breaks down heading into camp:

Forwards

Returning players: Catherine Dubois, Alexandra Labelle, Lina Ljungblom, Maureen Murphy, Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, Kaitlin Willoughby
New additions: Shiann Darkangelo, Jade Downie-Landry, Abby Roque, Hayley Scamurra
Unsigned 2025 draft picks: Skylar Irving, Maya Labad, Natálie Mlýnková
Camp invites: Dara Greig (returning), Audrey-Anne Veillette, Claire Vekich

Outside the West Coast expansion teams, Montréal may have the most interesting offensive group to watch this year, with some major front-end adds. They also suffered the loss of Jenn Gardiner and Abby Boreen, who posted the team's third- and fourth-highest point tallies last season. In their absence, which of the team's new additions will step up on the scoresheet?

Training camp will be a first look at Darkangelo, Downie-Landry, Roque, and Scamurra, and where they may slot in for the Victoire this season. Roque could be a solid choice for second-line centre, and will almost certainly start in the team's top six. Scamurra will hope to do so as well, while Darkangelo and Downie-Landry may potentially take on a depth role. Another lingering question with Gardiner out West is who will play alongside Poulin and Stacey this season. 24-year-old Lina Ljungblom will certainly get another shot at it as she works to find her offensive game in her sophomore season, but we're also bound to see some experimentation through November.

Meanwhile, all three of Montréal's newly-drafted forwards remain unsigned at this point and may be fighting for a place with the team at training camp if deals don't get done soon. Also looking to earn a contract through training camp will be invites Greig, Veillette, and Vekich. Greig played with the Victoire last season, tallying three assists through 29 games. Veillette participated in the Ottawa Charge's training camp the last two years, while Minnesota State University's Vekich declared for the draft this year but was not selected.

Defence

Returning players: Erin Ambrose, Amanda Boulier, Kati Tabin
New additions: Jessica DiGirolamo, Maggie Flaherty, Nicole Gosling
Unsigned 2025 draft picks: Tamara Giaquinto
Camp invites: Kelly-Ann Nadeau (returning)

The Victoire lost some big names on the blue line this summer, and are left with Ambrose, Boulier, and Tabin representing the team's core six from last year. In the place of Cayla Barnes, Anna Wilgren, and Mariah Keopple, who all joined PWHL Seattle, Montréal has added Jessica DiGirolamo from the Boston Fleet, Maggie Flaherty from the Minnesota Frost, and 2025 first-round pick Nicole Gosling. Gosling will be one to watch in particular, especially if Kori Chevrie decides to try pairing her up with a veteran like Ambrose right from the start.

Late 2025 draft pick Tamara Giaquinto remains unsigned, joining the Victoire after captaining Boston University through the 2024-25 season, earning a place on the Women's Hockey East First All-Star Team. Additionally, 27-year-old Montréal native Kelly-Ann Nadeau is back at training camp this season. The Université de Montréal alum trained with the team last season and landed on the reserve list, later signing a Standard Player Agreement with the Victoire in February. She made four appearances with the team, averaging just over nine minutes a game.

Goaltending

Returning goalies: Ann-Renée Desbiens, Sandra Abstreiter
Camp invites: Tricia Deguire (returning), Megan Warrener

Not much needs to be said about Desbiens. The reigning PWHL Goaltender of the Year will continue to carry Montréal's crease in this Olympic season. Behind her, 27-year-old German goalie Sandra Abstreiter returns with the team for another season with an opportunity to finally get some starts, as former Victoire backup Elaine Chuli signed in Toronto this summer. Abstreiter made three appearances with the Ottawa Charge (then PWHL Ottawa) in the league's inaugural season, posting a .913 SV% and a 3.08 GAA.

McGill alum Tricia Deguire took part in last year's Victoire training camp and signed a Standard Player Agreement with the team in March when Desbiens went out with an injury. Deguire guarded the crease for the Montréal Force in the 2022-23 PHF season and has participated in multiple Hockey Canada training camps. Competing with Deguire for Montréal's third goaltending spot is fellow camp invite Megan Warrener. The 22-year-old has spent the last four seasons putting up impressive numbers at the University of Connecticut.