Michela Cava to join the Six for 2021-22

After four seasons of playing internationally, Michela Cava is coming home to Canada. Cava’s signing with the Six was announced on Wednesday morning, making her the fifth free agent to sign with the Six in the upcoming 2021-22 Premier Hockey Federation season.

“First off, I’m very excited to sign a contract with the Six, being able to be back in Canada and close to family and friends for the first time in two years,” said Cava, who has played four seasons in the SDHL.

Cava is from Thunder Bay, Ontario and played Division I hockey for the University of Connecticut for two years, before transferring to the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Cava’s best season came in her senior year at UMD where she scored 38 points (19 G, 19 A) in 37 games.

The skilled forward had a brief stint with the Toronto Furies in 2016-17 where she played 24 games and scored six goals and eight assists. She took her talents to Sweden for the 2017-18 season, playing two seasons for MODO Hockey where she continued her high-scoring habits. Cava played for Brynäs IF in 2019-20, and then Luleå HF in 2020-21 where she recorded her highest-scoring season in the SDHL with 66 points (29 G, 37 A) in 36 games.

During her two seasons at Connecticut, Cava played in front of Current T6 goaltender, Elaine Chuli.

Cava is the twentieth player to sign with the Six for 2021-22, and the eighteenth Canadian player to sign with the team.

“There are many things I’m looking forward to for this upcoming season, but I’m most excited to be able to play back home in Canada,” said Cava via T6 press release.

Cava joins a forward group that includes returning players like Captain Shiann Darkangelo, League MVP Mikyla Grant-Mentis as well as Emma Woods and Brooke Boquist. Cava could feasibly slot into the lineup just about anywhere but we should expect her to be a featured weapon in the top-six. Her offensive game has grown by leaps and bounds since she was playing hockey in North America.

Cava has played as a centre for most of her career. Per the SDHL site, she won 61.64 percent of her faceoffs in 2021-22 — the sixth-highest percentage in the league. She’s a quick player with a scoring touch that makes her incredibly dangerous in front of the net and on the power play. Toronto has loaded up on offensive talent heading into the 2021-22 season and there may be no bigger new addition than the former SDHL star.

The idea of Cava potentially centering a line with Mikyla Grant-Mentis on it is something that should make Toronto fans very excited and other teams’ defenders very concerned.