It’s tough to have a bad offseason in a year that the league exists, when there’s still a lot of talent coming in via the draft. But some PWHL teams certainly had more work to do and more to improve than others.
There were big signings from Toronto, coaching changes in New York, controversy in Minnesota, draft picks defecting in Montreal, and more. Here’s a look at how PWHL teams fared this offseason. These rankings don’t predict on-ice success in 2024-25, but instead look at what each team was able to do this offseason.
1.Toronto
All Toronto did was go from strong to stronger. Added depth on the blueline where they needed it most, brought in the biggest free agents on the market in Daryl Watts and Emma Woods, added another power forward via the draft in Julia Gosling…what more could you ask for? Natalie Spooner’s status is the only question mark going into the season, but whenever they get her back, it’ll be the rich getting richer.
Related: Watts: ‘It’s a dream’ to return to Toronto
2. New York
New York made some major changes to their coaching staff by hiring Greg Fargo as their new head coach, a significant addition given Fargo’s NCAA success at Colgate. They then added Union College head coach and U.S. National Team assistant Josh Sciba as an assistant at New York. They rounded that out with Mount Royal assistant Lauren Williams. Their roster was also patched with scoring additions Sarah Fillier and Noora Tulus, and defensive punch with Maja Nylen Persson and Allyson Simpson. If Fargo can teach his team how to defend, the product on the ice in New York will take a big step from last year.
3. Ottawa
Some might say that the loss of Daryl Watts makes this a losing season for PWHL Ottawa, Ottawa improved almost everywhere and they addressed their biggest need for defensive depth. Ronja Savolainen, Danielle Serdachny and Anna Meixner automatically make Ottawa better. They also added depth via free agency in Rebecca Leslie and Alexa Vasko. Ottawa showed something else too: stability. Their staff stays the same, their location stays the same and their fan base stays strong. They are a good addition to have.
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4.Boston
Boston opted for quality over quantity in the draft and on paper it paid off, as they landed two elite additions in Hannah Bilka and Daniela Pejsova. Getting Taylor Girard and Loren Gabel back to 100% health should be enough to give them the scoring depth they need up front, but GM Danielle Marmer also took a chance on Ilona Markova, a young Russian forward who could prove to be a steal of the draft, or at worst a capable depth piece who needs time to develop and could be a big boost next year. Perhaps Boston’s biggest question this offseason is whether they return to Lowell or go to Boston. They have a good mix of veterans and youth that should keep them in the mix this season.
5. Montreal
Montreal had some positives, such as signing Swedish forward Lina Ljungblom to a three-year deal. They also added star defenseman Cayla Barnes to their blueline, signing her to a three-year deal as well. The real question marks for Montreal are how to fix their scoring depth and whether or not they can find solutions for draft picks Abby Boreen and Amanda Kessel. After Kessel was promoted to the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, that seems like a lost cause, but they still need to fix the Abby Boreen situation, something that may not be possible until Minnesota gets a GM. Montreal doesn’t deserve any negative points for either of those picks. Daniele Sauvageau took the players she believed were the best available. Montreal was let down by the system here.
Related: Kessel Stays With Pittsburgh Penguins, Takes Job As AHL Assistant General Manager
6.Minnesota
PWHL Minnesota wasted no time after their Walter Cup title fell into controversy when the league parted ways with future Hall of Famer Natalie Darwitz. That continued with the release of three more coaches, a divisive draft, and allegations surrounding the involvement of coach Ken Klee and captain Kendall Coyne Schofield in Darwitz’s firing. Minnesota went the entire free agency period without a general manager, and while they improved through the draft, they still had the worst draft class of the league’s six teams.
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