PWHL Signing Round Up: The Canadian Teams

A number of draftees and free agents have inked a PWHL contract. Although the rosters have started to take shape, its still too early to decide who is the front runner and who the dark horse may be.

Let's see how the Canadian-based PWHL teams are looking before training camp begins this week.

Bienvenue! 

Former PWHPA forward Kristen O’Neill agreed to a three-year deal with PWHL Montreal. She represented Canada in three IIHF Women’s World Championships, winning back-to-back golds and a silver in 2023. She spent her college career at Cornell University and captained the team her senior year. She graduated ranked tenth all-time in program scoring. 

Former Connecticut Whale forward Kennedy Marchment signed a two-year contract. She set franchise records for the Whale including back-to-back 30-point seasons and an 18-game point streak. Prior to her professional hockey career, Marchment played for St. Lawrence University. She was a top-10 for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award finalist back in 2017. In between college and the PHF, she spent three seasons in the SDHL. 

Jillian Dempsey is headed north to Montreal on a one-year deal. The Boston Pride captain looks to continue her legacy in the PWHL. She played in all eight seasons of the NWHL/PHF where she won three Isobel Cups and sits number one in all-time regular season points. Dempsey spent her entire career with the Boston Pride where she amassed 146 points, 70 goals, and 76 assists in 142 games. Dempsey also played at Harvard University and with the CWHL's Boston Blades where she won a Clarkson Cup.

Heading East to Toronto!

Maggie Connors made history when she signed her two-year contract. She was the first member of the draft class to sign with a team. Prior to joining the PWHL, she played five years at Princeton University. She was a top-three scorer throughout her four seasons on the ice. Connors represented Canada at the 2018 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship where she won bronze. 

Rebecca Leslie signed a one-year deal with Toronto where she will reunite with her former teammate Blayre Turnbull. The two played together on the Calgary Inferno where they won the Clarkson Cup. She captained the Boston University Terriers for a season and was named to the Hockey East All-Star team twice. During her senior year, she scored 24 goals and had 57 points. 

Team Canada’s forward Emma Maltais signed a three-year deal with Toronto. She has spent the last three seasons with Canada’s Women’s National Team. Maltais is a decorated athlete with 3 gold medals and one silver. She has competed in the Olympics and in multiple IIHF tournaments. Just like some of her teammates, Maltais has been a top ten Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award finalist twice. 

Jesse Compher agreed to a 2-year deal with PWHL Toronto. She won a National Championship with the University of Wisconsin. She scored 40 points in 41 games as a Badger. Before becoming a Badger, Compher spent four seasons with Boston University where she captained the 2020-21 team and earned a spot as a top-ten Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award finalist. She won an Olympic silver medal in 2022 and several silver and golds in three IIHF Women’s World Championships. 

Goaltender Kristen Campbell signed a three-year deal. She played for the University of North Dakota and then Wisconsin. She was named WCHA Goaltender of the Year in back-to-back years, as well as finishing top-ten as a Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award finalist. After graduating in 2020, Campbell joined the PWHPA. 

Second-overall pick Jocelyne Larocque has officially signed a three-year deal. Larocque has been a staple of Canada’s National Women’s Team for over a decade. She won two national championships with the University of Minnesota-Duluth.  Larocque played in the CWHL for five seasons and won a Clarkson Cup with the Brampton/Markham Thunder. She medaled in all three of her Olympic appearances. She spent the last four seasons with the PWHPA. 

Erica Howe is the first goaltender to sign with Toronto. She will call Toronto's crease home for the next year. She spent four seasons with the PWHPA where she posted a career .890 SV%. Howe spent five seasons with the CWHL's Brampton/Markham Thunder and one a Clarkson Cup. She won a gold medal with Canada at the U-18 Worlds.

Kali Flanagan finds herself on the blueline for the next two seasons. Flanagan won a gold medal at the PyeongChang Olympics. She attended Boston College where her and the Eagles won back-to-back Hockey East championships. Flanagan was named PHF's Defender of the Year after her 2022-23 campaign with the Boston Pride.

Brittany Howard is back in the Six for at least one more year. Howard has played with the PHF's Toronto Six, three seasons with the PWHPA, as well as the CWHL's Toronto Furies. She is coming off an Isobel Cup championship with the Toronto Six. Howard led the team in scoring with twenty-six points in twenty games. Howard attended Robert Morris University where she remains the all-time leading goal scorer.

Allie Munroe joins the blueline on a one-year deal. Munroe played two seasons with the PHF's Connecticut Whale. She brings an offensive edge to her game as well. Last season she finished with sixteen points in twenty-four games. Prior to the PHF, Munroe played in the SDHL. As a senior, Munroe captained the Syracuse University Orange.

2023-24 PWHL Signing Tracker

Keep up-to-date with TIG’s PWHL signing tracker and watch all six teams come together ahead of the league’s inaugural season.

The Ice GardenTeam TIG

Off to Canada’s Capital!

Hayley Scamurra joins PWHL Ottawa for two seasons. She brings years of U.S. National Team experience along with time spent in the PHF and a collegiate career. Scamurra earned a silver medal in the 2022 Olympics. She graduated from Northeastern University and went back home to western New York to start her professional hockey career with the Buffalo Beauts. After winning an Isobel Cup being named Newcomer of the Year, and being the league’s top scorer, she moved on to play in the PWHPA.

Ashton Bell kicks off her professional hockey career with a three-year contract. Bell was the best offensive defender the University of Minnesota-Duluth has ever seen. She earned 33 points in her final season. Bell started out as a forward but transitioned to a blueliner as a junior. Bell was named WCHA Defender of the Year as a senior. Bell brought home the gold after competing in the 2022 Olympics. 

Daryl Watts signed a one-year contract with PWHL Ottawa. Watts played for the PHF’s Toronto Six and started her professional career off with seven points in 12 games. Watts’ contributions helped the Six win an Isobel Cup. Watts split her collegiate career between Boston College and the University of Wisconsin. She made history by being the first-ever freshman to win the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. Watts went on to win a National Championship with the Badgers. Watts’ 297 points put her at second in all-time NCAA scoring. 

Kristin Della Rovere signed her first professional hockey contract for one-year in Ottawa. Della Rovere just wrapped up her college career at Harvard University. She was captain of the Crimson for the 2022-23 season. Della Rovere’s dominance at the faceoff dot put her at the top of the leaderboard with 529 wins at the dot. Della Rovere tallied career-best 40 points over the 2021-22 season which earned her ECAC Hockey First-Team All-League recognition. 

Amanda Boulier joins PWHL Ottawa for one year. She goes down in PHF history as one of the best defenders of all time. Boulier tallied 67 points in 94 games. Prior to six NWHL/PHF seasons, she attended St. Lawrence University. 

Free agent Becca Gilmore signed a one year deal. Gilmore was the first free agent to ink a PWHL contract. You can find Gilmore on the ice for the United States in the Rivalry Series. Gilmore was a top scorer at Harvard University. After being named Player of the Year during her final season, she went on to start her professional career with the PHF’s Boston Pride. 

Czechia native Aneta Tejralová signed a one-year contract. She has been competing internationally since she was 15. Tejralová has earned a number of medals across the IIHF World Championships. She played last season with the Boston Pride and recorded nine points in 24 games. 

Katerina Mrázová will join Czechia teammate Tejraolvá in Ottawa for a year. Mrázová has spent years playing for the national team and also competed in the 2022 Olympics. Mrázová played at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and made the jump to the pros with three seasons in the SDHL and two with the PHF. 

Savannah Harmon has been locked down on the blueline for three years. Harmon returns to the U.S. National Team in the 2023-24 Rivalry series. She has competed at the Olympics where she won silver back in 2022. Harmon won back-to-back championships with Clarkson University and was named a top-1- finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. She made the jump to the pros in 2018-19 with the Buffalo Beauts before joining the PWHPA. 

Sandra Abstreiter signed a one-year contract. The German goaltender has represented her country at the IIHF Women's World Championship in 2021, 2022, and 2023. She posted a .929 SV% and won three out of the five games. Abstreiter spent the 2022-23 season at Providence College. She finished the season with a 19-10-4 record, 1.88 goals against average, six shutouts, and a .926 SV%. Abstreiter was a semifinalist for the NCAA Women's Hockey Goalie of the Year.

Wrapping up 

Rosters are filling out as training camp inches closer. The Ice Garden has a live tracker where you can stay up to date with the signings minute by minute.