2024-25 PWHL Preview: Boston Fleet

At long last, the PWHL regular season is almost upon us, which means it’s preview time! Today I'll be looking at the Boston Fleet, who are shaping up to be a more well-rounded team as they aim to avenge last season’s Walter Cup Final Game 5 loss.

Current Roster and Coaching Staff

With training camps still underway, the Fleet’s roster is not yet complete. That said, only five slots remain between the main roster and reserves, so things are pretty settled. Here’s a look at where the roster stands today:

Forwards (11)

• Lexie Adzija
• Hannah Bilka
• Hannah Brandt
• Loren Gabel
• Taylor Girard
• Hilary Knight
• Alina Müller
• Jamie Lee Rattray
• Theresa Schafzahl
• Sophie Shirley
• Susanna Tapani

Defenders (8):

• Sydney Bard
• Emily Brown
• Jessica DiGirolamo
• Hadley Hartmetz
• Emma Greco
• Megan Keller
• Sidney Morin
• Daniela Pejšová

Goaltenders (2):

• Aerin Frankel
• Emma Söderberg

Boston technically only has room for two more full-time skaters, likely a forward and a goaltender. However, Hadley Hartmetz will be starting the season on IR and there is no timeline for her return, so the Fleet can sign another player until then. Upon her return, things may get interesting. It’s unconventional to have eight defenders and only 12 forwards on a roster, so we may see a defender get released or bumped down to the reserves to make way for another forward.

The Fleet also have all three reserve slots still open for a total of five slots for the full season (and six for now with the Hartmetz situation). The PWHL waiver period begins November 26 at 5 p.m. ET, and rosters must be finalized by November 27 at 5 p.m. ET. In the meantime, here's a look at who remains in camp:

• Forwards
  • Kelly Babstock
  • Jillian Dempsey
  • Ilona Markova
  • Shay Maloney
  • Amanda Pelkey
• Defenders
  • Maude Poulin-Labelle
• Goaltenders
  • Cami Kronish
  • Klará Peslarová

Until Hartmetz is healthy, only two players need to be cut. One will undoubtedly be a goaltender, while the other will likely be a forward. Peslarová got more preseason minutes, although she did not fare great when she took over for Kronish halfway through the second preseason game (which was pre-planned). Still, she brings more overall experience and sustained success to the table, so I still believe it is her spot to lose. On the other hand, Kronish proved her worth as a third goaltender last season and has more experience with limited minutes, so it wouldn't be a complete shock if the Fleet opt to go with familiarity.

As for the forward, it’s more difficult to say, but Markova is the only skater who did not get into a preseason game. It’s unclear why that was, but if there were no extenuating circumstances such as injury or visa issues, that’s not a good sign for her. As for the others, Dempsey and Maloney were the only two to appear in both preseason games, but that may not mean much since Pelkey and Babstock are returners so the coaching staff knows how they may fit in. That said, Dempsey was promoted from the fourth to the second line and Maloney was bumped up from fourth to third after she potted an empty netter in game one, so things are trending well for them.

Coaching Staff

Returning

• Courtney Kessel, Head Coach
• Pernilla Winberg, Associate Coach
• Stefanie McKeough, Associate Coach

New Faces

• Courtney Kennedy, Skills Coach
• Lenny Mosca, Goalie Coach
• Shawn Roche, Video Coach

Not Returning

• Cierra San Roman, Video Coordinator (now Director of Video and Analytics with Princeton Women’s Ice Hockey)

The Fleet expanded their coaching staff significantly this season, bringing in three new coaches to support the returning staff. Kennedy is a former Olympian who spent the past 17 seasons as an associate coach with Boston College women’s hockey and has also worked with the U.S. national team. Meanwhile, Mosca arrives after two seasons as the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth men’s hockey goalie coach and brings a long track record of evaluating and training goalies. Finally, Roche joins the Fleet after spending six seasons as the video coach and director of men’s hockey operations at Quinnipiac University and previously worked as the New York Rangers’ video coordinator and assistant video coach.

Storyline for the Season

Will they generate enough offense?

The biggest storyline coming into the season for the Fleet is whether they have fixed their offense. They finished last offensively in the league with just 2.08 goals per game last season. Thanks to a solid defensive structure and outstanding goaltending, they still came within one game of claiming the Walter Cup. However, they only made the playoffs by the skin of their teeth, so unless they want to play with fire again, they must find a way to score more. To accomplish that, they brought in a few play-driving forwards, which should lead to more opportunities and help players who had down years bounce back. They also added several transitional defenders to drive play from the backend, which was a struggle last season.

Location

The Boston Fleet’s primary venue remains the Tsongas Center in Lowell, MA. It is still not ideal to be about 40-90 minutes (depending on traffic) away from Boston, and if they moved into the city, they likely would've had an easier time getting people to games, especially weeknight ones. However, it's not all doom and gloom. The fanbase was passionate and grew significantly as the season wore on, with many fans coming from north of Boston who may not otherwise have made it. Plus, season ticket memberships soared this offseason, so things are trending well despite the team not moving to a more accessible location.

Key Arrival

Hannah Bilka

Bilka was precisely the player the Fleet needed this offseason. They did not have enough elite playdrivers, and Bilka’s speed, hockey IQ, and crafty playmaking ability are among the best in the world. She’s also not afraid to put the puck in the net when the opportunity is there. She was on the first line in both preseason games and immediately made her presence felt. In the first game, Alina Müller centered Bilka and Hilary Knight, who quickly connected for a goal. Those three complement each other well on paper, so if that line sticks together and keeps building chemistry, it will be massive for the Fleet. 

Key Departure

Gigi Marvin 

Only six players from last year’s roster did not return for this season. Jess Healey, Taylor Wenczkowski, and Gigi Marvin officially announced their retirements, while Abby Cook, Kaleigh Fratkin, and Nicole Kosta went unsigned. The only two who saw significant minutes were Marvin and Fratkin, and while it is perhaps more surprising to see Fratkin not return, the Fleet may feel the loss of Marvin more.

The Fleet heavily focused on finding transitional defenders this offseason, and while Fratkin was once known for putting up points, that was not her role in the PWHL. Instead, she focused on bringing a physical defensive game, which is important in this league. However, it landed her in the box a lot and her 26 penalty minutes were good for third in the league. With the new “No Escape” rule that forces players out on the ice when a penalty was committed to stay out there, that’s not something the Fleet need to worry about this season.

Meanwhile, Marvin may have lost a step from her peak, but she was still an extremely versatile player who brought a lot of intangibles. She was not the fastest or flashiest, but she could be deployed anywhere, even on defense, and appeared on both special teams. Combine that with her experience and leadership, and she's not a player who's as easily replaced as it may seem on paper.

Prediction

Tough to play against.

The Fleet struggled mightily with consistency last regular season, but if this roster performs anything close to their potential, that shouldn’t be a problem again. The defense is much more versatile and the new additions will give the coaches more flexibility to find offensive lines that get the best out of everyone. Add to that a punishing physical game and goaltending that always gives them a chance to win, and you have a roster that will be very difficult to play against. If they play to their potential, they'll have a good chance to finish in the top half of the league standings and make another run at the Walter Cup. However, I also said that before last season and only the latter half came true after the team came together in the nick of time. Every team in the league appears to have gotten better this offseason, so the Fleet will need to gel together faster and play consistently to their potential this season because another magical late-season run probably isn't in the cards.

The puck drops on the Boston Fleet's season on November 30 when they travel to Toronto to take on the Sceptres at 2 p.m. ET.