PHF

Shannon Turner back for one last, last chance at Isobel Cup

Guess who’s back, back again? One last Cup chase for Turner

Guess who back, back again?

The Ice Garden has confirmed with sources that Shannon Turner (neé Doyle) is re-signing with the Connecticut Whale. You can also check out the team store for further proof!

Turner had all but officially retired following the Whale’s semifinal loss on May 23. Heading into the playoffs - into the season even - the defender had made it known she was most likely hanging up her skates after her seventh season in the league. She never officially announced her retirement even though on May 16, she said there was no comeback after the Whale posted a video of her. But now, it seems she’ll be back, joining a CVS receipt length list of players who retired only to re-sign right away.

Shannon Doyle: On the playoffs, the Pod, and leaving the game in a far better place

Whenever the Whale announce it, Turner will be the fifth player signed in Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) for every season of its existence. She’ll join Madison Packer, Jillian Dempsey, Kaleigh Fratkin, and Elena Orlando in that elusive club.

“They pulled me back in,” Turner replied via text when asked if it was true. The 29-year-old Canadian-born defender enters this season with not only a new nameplate on her jersey after getting married this offseason, but also 89 regular-season games of experience (7 goals, 38 points), eight playoff games (two assists), and oodles of blocked shots.

She has seen it all during her time with Connecticut, which has now become her home - from that inaugural season where the Whale started 10-0-0 (when she was a practice player basically playing for free) to this past season where she and her teammates played an Isobel Cup semifinal game on NBCSN. She’s a two-time All-Star, she’s rocked the C on her jersey for the past two seasons as team captain, and has been the face of the franchise.

Now she rejoins a team, and a blue line, that is stacked and ready to make a big splash (sorry couldn’t resist). Also expected to be a part of that blueline are Tori Howran, Allie Munroe, Hanna Beattie, Hannah Bates, Taylor Marchin, and Rebecca Morse.

Other signings we expect to hear from the Whale in the coming days include goaltender Jess Strack, as well as forwards Amanda Conway, Janka Hlinka, and Emily Fluke.

Bottom line: if you’re a fan of the Connecticut Whale, you could be in store for a magical season.

Reflecting on the career of Shannon Doyle