May 12, 2023

Signing frenzies — An IIHF champion — Must-click women’s hockey links

The IX: Hockey Friday with The Ice Garden, May 12, 2023

Madison Packer practicing at the 2023 PHF All-Star Game. (Photo Credit: Lori Bolliger/ PHF)

It seems like this week the PHF decided to drop some major signing activity on all of us and really began to make free agency interesting. I’m Leighann Strollo from The Ice Garden here to give you the highlights.

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We’ve told you about the massive salary cap increase for the PHF already but it seems we’ve gotten more players who are cashing in this week with two-year deals, contract re-negotiations and the most fun of all, signing with new teams that we weren’t expecting.

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A trio of captains signed on May 10 in Toronto’s Shiann Darkangelo, Montreal’s Ann-Sophie Bettez and Metropolitan’s Madison Packer who revealed her salary of $92,500 annually for the next two seasons.

This was the same day Montreal announced three other signings, two of which are huge grabs from the Boston Pride who have been labeled a super team over the last few years. Montreal signed reigning goaltender of the year Corrine Schroeder as well as rookie of the year finalist Élizabeth Giguère.

If that wasn’t enough for one day, the Connecticut Whale added to their already impressive roster by announcing the new second-year terms to forward Taylor Girard’s contract. Her salary for the 2023-24 season will now be $110,000. Girard, Marchment and Bellamy make up 24% of the Whale’s salary cap already.

There have also been some pretty big signings in the SDHL, notably goaltender Andrea Brandli who is fresh off an impressive IIHF World Championship where she was between the pipes for her home country of Switzerland. I’ve long said there is far more goalie talent in women’s hockey than there are teams to play for so, while this feels like a loss to the rapidly developing North American leagues, it brings high quality talent across the globe and spreads the wealth.

Things are bound to get a lot crazier during signing season in what is shaping up to be the best offseason yet. You can keep track of all the PHF signings with The Ice Garden’s PHF Signing Tracker.

While it is the offseason and a lot of the women’s hockey community is focused on signings, there are a handful of other good stories and perspectives from around the sport. Here are my highlights:

Welcome to MoDo, Andrea Brändli

Müller marks a new era for the PHF

Color of hockey: Nash enjoys success in 1st season as LIU women’s coach

Marchment, Whale agree to new contract terms for year nine

Thailand wins women’s 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s Asia and Oceania Championship gold

Raphaëlle Tousignant becomes THE FIRST WOMAN EVER to make the mixed Para Hockey Team in Canada!

Investigation into Harvard women’s ice hockey nearing conclusion: Sources

La Force de Montréal Officially Sign Giguère and Schroeder

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