PWHL Free Agency: The Rosters After Week 1

The Canadian teams were keeping busy in the first official week of free agency.

Last weekend, we saw some big names taken off the table, including Daryl Watts.

PWHL Free Agency Opens With Signing Flurry

A signing frenzy starts PWHL Free Agency.

The Ice GardenMichelle Jay

As a reminder, June 21 marked the opening of free agency, meaning that any unsigned players from last season are now on the table.

The three American teams were quiet this week, keeping their rosters unchanged.

Minnesota

Roster
Forwards: Denisa Křížová, Michela Cava, Liz Schepers, Britta Curl, Klára Hymlárová, Grace Zumwinkle, Taylor Heise, Kelly Pannek, Kendall Coyne Schofield

Defenders: Natalie Buchbinder, Maggie Flaherty, Sophie Jaques, Lee Stecklein

Goaltenders: Maddie Rooney, Nicole Hensley

New York

Roster
Forwards: Chloe Aurard, Jessie Eldridge, Abby Roque, Alex Carpenter

Defenders: Jaime Bourbonnais, Ella Shelton, Micah Zandee-Hart

Goaltenders: Abigail Levy, Corinne Schroeder

Boston

Roster
Forwards: Lexie Adzija, Hannah Brandt, Sophie Shirley, Loren Gabel ,Taylor Girard, Susanna Tapani, Theresa Schafzahl, Jamie Lee Rattray, Alina Müller, Hilary Knight

Defenders: Emily Brown, Sidney Morin, Jessica Digirolamo, Megan Keller

Goaltenders: Emma Söderberg, Aerin Frankel

Ottawa

The busiest team this past week, Ottawa took care of business, extending Shiann Darkangelo for another year and signing 2024 pick, Anna Meixner.

Despite being a 2024 draft pick, Meixner brings a veteran presence to the team, having played the last four years in the SDHL and for Team Austria.

The team was also busy picking up some new players, the biggest addition being Ottawa native Rebecca Leslie, a free agent who played for PWHL Toronto last season.

"She's a 200-foot player", Ottawa GM Mike Hirshfeld said in the press release.

Ottawa also signed Logan Angers and Alexa Vasko to one-year deals. Angers, an undrafted goaltender who played six seasons at Quinnipiac, brings size and a calm presence to the team. The signing adds a question mark as to whether Sandra Abstreiter will stay with the team, especially after drafting goaltender Gwyneth Philips in the third round.

Vasko was drafted by PWHL Toronto last season, putting up two goals in 24 games, and leading the team with a 52.5% face-off percentage. A strong penalty killer, Vasko could be a good addition to support Ottawa's special teams.

Roster
Forwards: Anna Meixner, Shiann Darkangelo, Alexa Vasko, Rebecca Leslie, Natalie Snodgrass, Tereza Vanišová, Hayley Scamurra, Gabbie Hughes, Brianne Jenner, Emily Clark

Defenders: Zoe Boyd, Aneta Tejralová, Savannah Harmon, Ashton Bell, Jincy Roese

Goaltenders: Logan Angers, Emerance Maschmeyer

Toronto

Last year's top team spent the week signing their 2024 draft picks.

Julia Gosling, Toronto's first-round pick, signed a two-year deal. Gosling had a career-best 22 goals last season while captaining the St. Lawrence University Saints and joined Team Canada for the IIHF World Championships where she put up 2 goals.

Toronto followed Ottawa's goalie signing with their own, inking Raygan Kirk to a two-year deal. Drafted in the seventh round, Kirk recently won a National Championship with Ohio State University. She also backstopped Team Canada to a U18 World Championship in 2019. With Erika Howe announcing her retirement and Jackson being un-signed, Kirk is a necessary addition to the team.

2024 Patty Kazmaier winner Izzy Daniel also signed for two years. Playing at Cornell University, Daniel led all ECAC skaters in points per game with 1.74 and won 2024 Ivy League Player of the Year and ECAC Player of the Year.

Adding to a strong list of defenders, Toronto signed Megan Carter to a two-year deal. A star on and off the ice, Carter captained her team at Northeastern University and graduated as valedictorian. Along with Raygan Kirk, Carter won the 2019 U18 World Championships with Team Canada.

Roster
Forwards: Izzy Daniel, Julia Gosling, Daryl Watts, Emma Woods, Hannah Miller, Victoria Bach, Natalie Spooner, Jesse Compher, Emma Maltais, Maggie Connors, Blayre Turnbull, Sarah Nurse

Defenders: Megan Carter, Allie Munroe, Kali Flanagan, Jocelyne Larocque, Renata Fast

Goaltenders: Raygan Kirk, Kristen Campbell

Montréal

Montréal capped off the week by signing Mikyla Grant-Mentis to a one-year extension.

The team picked up Grant-Mentis with seven games to go last season, and the forward put up two goals. She also produced in the playoffs, earning three assists in the six games.

Roster
Forwards: Mikyla Grant-Mentis, Lina Ljungblom, Maureen Murphy, Kennedy Marchment, Kristin O’Neill, Laura Stacey, Marie-Philip Poulin

Defenders: Cayla Barnes, Mariah Keopple, Amanda Boulier, Dominika Lásková, Kati Tabin, Erin Ambrose

Goaltenders: Elaine Chuli, Ann-Renée Desbiens