Loaded Boston ready to go
Roster stacked with super talent
Boston has been a hub for women’s hockey for decades: The Massport Jets of the 1970s, a groundbreaking team in the US; the undefeated Northeastern team of 1987-88; Harvard’s late 1990s training ground for Olympians and today’s influential coaches; Boston College’s undefeated regular season of 2015-16; the Boston Pride’s three PHF titles; and, most recently, Northeastern’s run of six consecutive Hockey East titles.
Given that history, it is no wonder that Boston’s team in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, which begins play Wednesday against Minnesota at Lowell’s Tsongas Center (7 p.m.), possesses some of the best talent the new league has to offer.
“We couldn’t be more excited for where we’re at with the group that we have,” said Boston general manager Danielle Marmer.
Boston’s group of forwards is the key reason for the excitement. The group includes Loren Gabel (last year’s PHF MVP), Canadian national team member Jamie Lee Rattray, and 2023 PHF champion Shiann Darkangelo.
But the player many are waiting to see is one of Boston’s most legendary college hockey players. Alina Müller, who set a record for points (254) during her five-year career at Northeastern, was the team’s first draft pick. She has been representing Switzerland in the international game since she was a teenager, so she is used to the pace of the world’s best.
But one element of Müller’s game that needs to evolve is her physicality.
During the PWHL’s preseason tournament in Utica, N.Y., it appeared that the officials will allow for a bit more physical contact than the college game has, and that is something Boston’s staff is addressing with their younger players, especially Müller.
“I think it’s great that they’re going to allow us to play physical along the walls,” said Boston coach Courtney Kessel. “We’re putting that into our practices so that our players are ready. Alina is ready to accept the challenge.”
As the younger players adjust to the league’s evolving style of play, a trio of players who were key to the PHF Boston Pride’s inaugural-year success will provide valuable experience. Hilary Knight, Amanda Pelkey, and Gigi Marvin were all members of the Pride when they won the 2016 Isobel Cup. Knight is a four-time Olympian and was one of PWHL Boston’s first three signings. Pelkey was a PHF All-Star and a member of the gold medal-winning 2018 US Olympic team.
Marvin is a three-time Olympian who also was a member of the CWHL Boston Blades’ 2013 championship-winning squad. The 35-year-old’s return to Boston gives the team someone who can provide guidance as the younger players adapt.
“Gigi is such a professional and has so much experience internationally,” said Kessel. “She just really leads by example for those younger players and even some of the older players. When Gigi walks in, I think she gets that automatic respect and I think it’s earned and deserved.”
Marvin was the PHF (then NWHL’s) 2016 Defensive Player of the Year as a forward, a theme that PWHL Boston will continue with its defense.
“We’re expecting some offensive defenseman out of our defense, and I think it’s great to see,” said Kessel. “I was an offensive defenseman, so I love to see that. Break the puck out, use our speed as defenders, pushing the pace of the game, and allow our forwards to do what they do best, and that’s score some goals.”
Sophie Jaques, the 2023 Patty
Kazmaier Award winner, is the perfect example of Kessel’s two-way defensive philosophy. With Ohio State last season, Jaques had 48 points (24 goals, 24 assists) and was the WCHA Defender of the Year for the second consecutive year. (Appropriately for Boston, she has a degree in civil engineering with a focus on public transportation; MBTA, are you listening?)
Megan Keller was one of the team’s initial free agent signings, and for good reason. The BC product led all defenders in scoring during her senior season with the Eagles, and her awareness on the blue line has led to many national team appearances, including two Olympics. Two other defenders to watch include Pride and Blades veteran Kaleigh Fratkin and Sidney Morin, a 2018 Olympian who was a steal off of waivers.
Boston’s defense can afford to be more offensively-minded given the trio of goalies on the roster. Northeastern recordholder and 2021 Patty Kazmaier Award winner Aerin Frankel, currently on an upward trajectory within the US national team program, looks to be the team’s top netminder.
Her backups will vie for starts as well. Emma Söderberg is the Swedish national team’s go-to, and had a stellar NCAA career with Minnesota-Duluth, setting both career (23) and single-season (12) records for shutouts.
Cami Kronish is Boston’s third goalie, but could easily be a starter on any other team. She was the Most Outstanding Player of last year’s Frozen Four with 31 saves while backstopping Wisconsin to the national title.
PWHL Boston may be chockfull of talent, but that also can be said of the five other teams in the league. Thanks to the team’s depth and a solid relationship between front office and coaching staff, Boston could rise above the rest.