It’s summertime and with training camps only starting in November - which is in three months - news is slow in the PWHL.
That being said, for some players, July is also the right time to make decisions, as PWHL training camp invitations are made and training camps in Europe and U Sports start earlier than in the PWHL. So, here’s news regarding the future of certain players.
Invites Accepted
Forward Alexandra Labelle has accepted PWHL Montreal’s invitation to be at their camp next fall. The 28-year-old played for PWHL New York last season, scoring one goal and two assists in 24 games. She was drafted 88th overall by New York in 2023.
Montreal also extended invitations to many French-Canadian players, including Gabrielle David, Rosalie Begin-Cyr, and Audrey-Ann Veillette.
David, 25, is expected to be at Montreal’s camp. In her rookie season with PWHL Montreal, she had six points in 23 games. She had signed a one-year contract last season after being drafted 54th overall by Montreal.
Veillette in Ottawa, Begin-Cyr in Switzerland
Veillette also received an invitation from PWHL Ottawa, and has, instead, accepted that offer. The 23-year-old didn’t play last season, after getting injured training. Nevertheless, she was drafted by Ottawa 89th overall, but was cut at the end of the training camp. She was signed to a reserve deal late in the season, but only practised with the team. A pure goal scorer, Veillette, in her last full season in 2022-23, scored 26 goals in 22 games with the Montreal Carabins, the highest total in U Sports that year, breaking the university record.
Begin-Cyr, 26, also chose not to accept Montreal’s invitation and instead has signed a one-year contract with Neuchatel Hockey Academy Dames in the Swiss Women Hockey League A (SWHL A). After signing a contract with the Montreal Force before the PHF got shut down, she decided to return to Concordia for a sixth year. Unfortunately, she injured her hand during a preseason game and wasn’t able to put up the same numbers she had done the previous season, when she had 29 points in 23 games. She did better in the RSEQ playoffs with four goals and six assists in six games. She declared herself for the draft, but wasn’t picked. She’s a two-time U Sports champion.
Samantha Isbell is another player who accepted Ottawa’s invitation to their training camp. Isbell started last season in Boston as a reserve player, playing only three games before being signed to a one-year, Standard Player Agreement with Ottawa. Usually playing forward, the 26-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ontario, was asked to play defence when she arrived in Ottawa, where she was scoreless in seven games.
Laganiere and Deaudelin retire
Finally, two former Montreal Force defence players are calling it quits. Brigitte Laganiere, who played with PWHL Montreal last year, confirmed 10 days ago that she will work with College Bourget, a prep school in the province of Quebec. She will have many roles with the school, including some coaching. Melodie Daoust is the head coach of that program.
According to what The Hockey News has learned, Laganiere will not accept any training camp invitation and will call it a career. After winning the U Sports national title with Concordia in 2022, Laganiere, who will turn 28 on August 1, played one year with the Montreal Force in the PHF. Last year with PWHL Montreal, she had one assist in 17 games, with limited playing time.
Christine Deaudelin is also calling it quits. After being Ottawa Gee-Gees’s captain in her last season in U Sports, she played one year with the Montreal Force, having nine points in 23 games. After being cut from the PWHL New York camp last season, the 27-year-old signed with the ZSC Lions Frauen in the SWHL A. She had three goals and three assists in nine games. It was confirmed to The Hockey News that Deaudelin will not re-sign in Europe, simply retiring from the game. She’s leaving on a high note, as the Lions won the SWHL championship last season.
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