It's been an eventful PWHL offseason to date, and the latest phase of the offseason has been teams sending out camp invites. Here's a look at what we're hearing and seeing from across the PWHL this week.
Camp Invites Pouring In
As reported by Matt Porter of the Boston Globe, Boston icon Jillian Dempsey will be in Boston on a camp invitation, as will former World Championship and Olympic All-Star Klara Peslarova. Either one would be a welcomed boost in Boston. Peslarova could find herself challenging Emma Soderberg if Soderberg gets off to a slow start. Speaking of goaltenders, it sounds like former PWHL Ottawa backup Sandra Abstreiter is heading to Montreal to challenge for a contract as the team's third goalie. Other players, like Montreal's Gabrielle David and Minnesota's Claire Butorac look like they'll go back to camp with their 2024 team in hopes of earning another season. From a team perspective, it sounds as though the bulk of PWHL New York's camp invites will be returning players. The added depth New York acquired in the draft will fill most of their roster beyond already contracted players, leaving a handful of returnees to fight for the final spots in camp.
Opting Out Of Opting In
It sounds like most of the players who were signed to compete in the SDHL this season but held opt out clauses for the PWHL won't be opting out. Most the PWHL's teams have reached out to players who were signed overseas but with opt out clauses in their contracts to potentially play in the PWHL, but those players have predominantly been choosing to stay in Europe rather than test their luck at camp. The SDHL is widely considered the second best league in the world, and some of the players who were being asked to choose between a camp invite or staying in Europe, have chosen to continue their development, rather than spend most of their night's on the bench. The SDHL is serving like a development league in many ways.
Summer Leagues In Full Swing
Living Sisu Hockey League and Da Beauty League are in full swing this season. We'll use the word "league" lightly because the PWHL / PWHLPA's collective bargaining agreement prohibits players from competing in competitive leagues. These two leagues however, are for charity, with each raising money with proceeds going to support various groups. To ensure this was clear, the Living Sisu Hockey League even stopped keeping stats this year. Living Sisu features players like Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, Savannah Harmon, Erin Ambrose, Kristin O'Neill, Maureen Murphy, and Jade Downie-Landry. Da Beauty League features players like Grace Zumwinkle, Kelly Pannek, Rory Guilday, Abby Boreen, Lee Stecklein, Liz Schepers, Natalie Snodgrass, Nicole Hensley and others. A third summer league, Celly League in Minnesota, is also back on the ice, although without pros like last season. The league features many of Minnesota's top NCAA players.
More Minnesota
The developments in the Minnesota story have continued to come. The PWHL provided a statement regarding concerns about head coach Ken Klee. They wrote:
“The PWHL is committed to fostering a culture and workplace environment that is inclusive, respectful, and free from misconduct. From the beginning of the league, personnel have been assessed through various means, including external professional reviews, an anonymous tip line, and internal evaluations. We hold ourselves to the highest standards. All reports are taken seriously, and we will continue to investigate, assess, and act accordingly based on our findings.” The league also put out a job posting this week for a new general manager to guide PWHL Minnesota. There remains many moving parts in order to ready PWHL Minnesota and their fan base for the coming season. One portion of the story that has gone untouched thus far this week is Jake Bobrowski. Reportedly Bobrowski was one of three finalists for the University of Minnesota-Duluth head coaching position alongside Augsburg head coach Michelle McAteer, and Laura Schuler, who ultimately got the job. Bobrowski was described by sources who have talked to The Hockey News for this ongoing story as an individual who worked "building (players) back up" when issues arose in Minnesota.
Start Date?
It's believe the PWHL season is scheduled to begin either November 30 or December 1. If not those days, it shouldn't be too far off those dates, likely dependent on facility availability. That means fans only have four months left before teams hit the ice again.
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