NWHL rosters announced for playoffs

The NWHL just announced its rosters for the 2021 Isobel Cup Playoffs, which begin on March 26 at Warrior Ice Arena in Boston. Each of the four teams is allowed a maximum of 21 players, each of whom must have been contracted earlier in the season and eligible for competition in Lake Placid. Furthermore, any “replacement players” must be approved by interim commissioner Tyler Tumminia.

Without any further adieu, let’s look at each team’s approved roster for Boston.

Boston Pride

Goaltenders: Victoria Hanson, Lovisa Selander

Defenders: Paige Capistran, Kaleigh Fratkin, Lauren Kelly, Briana Mastel, Jenna Rheault, Mallory Souliotis, Taylor Turnquist

Forwards - McKenna Brand, Sammy Davis, Jillian Dempsey, Lexie Laing, Meghara McManus, Mary Parker, Christina Putigna, Meg Rickard, Tori Sullivan, Carlee Turner, Tereza Vanisova, Taylor Wenczkowski

Notes: No surprises here. It’s worth noting that Mary Parker is on the team. She left Lake Placid prematurely before things spiraled out of control with the COVID outbreak and the league shutting everything down. To the surprise of no one, Jillian Dempsey is also in the mix. She was playing through an apparent shoulder injury in Lake Placid.

Connecticut Whale

Goaltenders: Abbie Ives, Brooke Wolejko

Defenders: Hanna Beattie, Shannon Doyle, Laurel Hill, Tori Howran, Maggie LaGue, Taylor Marchin, Elena Orlando

Forwards: Kaycie Anderson, Maddie Bishop, Amanda Conway, Kayla Friesen, Nicole Guagliardo, Grace Klienbach, Mackenzie Lancaster, Katelynn Russ, Melissa Samoskevitch, Sarah Schweinfeier, Emma Vlasic, Alyssa Wohlfeiler

Notes: Unfortunately for the Whale, Janine Weber will not be with the team in Boston. Weber went down with an injury in Lake Placid but it is unclear if that is why she won’t be joining Connecticut for the playoffs. Melissa Samoskevich steps into her spot on the roster. Kayla Friesen, who was “unavailable” for the Whale’s final game in Lake Placid, are back in the lineup.

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Minnesota Whitecaps

Goaltenders: Amanda Leveille, Allie Morse

Defenders: Rose Alleva, Amanda Boulier, Winny Brodt Brown, Sara Bustad, Lisa Martinson, Chelsey Rosenthal, Maddie Rowe, Emma Stauber

Forwards: Stephanie Anderson, Lynn Astrup, Jonna Curtis, Meghan Lorence, Haley Mack, Meaghan Pezon, Audra Richards, Nina Rodgers, Haylea Schmid, Allie Thunstrom, Brooke White-Lancette

Notes: The big news here is that the Whitecaps will have Boulier, not Baldwin, on the blue line. Minnesota would obviously love to have both All-Star defenders but it looks like they’ll only be bringing one to Boston. Rose Alleva, who skated in just two games and saw very little ice time, is also on the roster.

Toronto Six

Goaltenders: Elaine Chuli, Samantha Ridgewell

Defenders: Kristen Barbara, Lindsay Eastwood, Emma Greco, Megan Quinn, Sarah Steele

Forwards: Julie Allen, Brooke Boquist, Taytum Clairmont, Sarah-Eve Coutu-Godbout, Amy Curlew, Shiann Darkangelo, Emily Fluke, Mikyla Grant-Mentis, Mackenzie MacNeil, Natalie Marcuzzi, Breanne Wilson-Bennett, Emma Woods, Taylor Woods

Notes: Brooke Boquist, Emily Woods, and Kristen Barbara are all back in the mix after being listed as “unavailable” during Lake Placid. We have come to understand that the label “unavailable” was more often than not the NWHL’s version of a COVID list. As was the case in Lake Placid, the Six are rolling with five defenders.

On paper, the Six look like they are at 100 percent. Of course, a lot can change between now and March 26 but the top seed looks like it could be in top form in Boston.