Each PWHL Team’s New Year’s Wish

With the new year comes a feeling of turning the page to a new chapter. In reality it’s just numbers on a calendar changing but, in our minds, it can be a powerful force. We as humans will look to almost anything to get out of a slump or a spiral. There are no people better than athletes to find motivation out of literally nothing.

So, for management and players alike, the turn into 2025 is going be to see as a chance to forget the past and look forward. With the season not even 33% of the way done, this is the mentality to have.

Got off to a bad start? Doesn’t matter, still more than two thirds of the season to go. Got off to a good start? Doesn’t matter, still more than two thirds of the season to go.

With the PWHL going from 24-games to 30-games the season has turned into even more of a marathon than previously. Six extra games mean 18 more points on the table for teams to earn. The real race to playoffs begins now and the teams that will succeed are going to be using the new year as a push off.

While the players on the ice are looking for anything to make their season go great, the management of each respective PWHL team are going to be wishing upon the Times Square Ball Drop for some luck to come their way. With no shooting stars in the sky the Ball Drop will have to do. While mind reading might exist, I don’t have that ability so instead I’ll be taking some educated guesses as to what each General Manager and Head Coach is going to be wishing for come 2025.

Boston Fleet

Daniela Pejšová Gets Healthy

The young Czech blueliner was drafted seventh overall in the 2024 PWHL Draft after Boston traded up to get her. It’s no secret why Boston would move up in the draft for her. Despite being one of the youngest players in the league Pejšová’s ceiling is sky high as she presents an intriguing package of high skill and a large frame to make her a force on all 200ft of ice.

She was a top 4 blueliner in Luleå HF’s 2022 and 2023 SDHL championship wins as well. She’s everything Boston needed in a blueliner with the only problem being she got hurt before the season started. While Boston has started to turn their season around some, they still have the worst shooting stats in the league. They’re last in Shots For/60 (23.8) and are fourth in Shots Against/60 (30.4) with Toronto/Ottawa below them in SA/60. Probably not a good thing the two teams considered to be off to a rough start are your companions in that stat.