2017–18 NWHL season explained

2017–18 NWHL season
League:	National Women's Hockey League
Sport:	Ice hockey
Draft:	2017 draft
Top Pick:	Katie Burt
Picked By:	Boston Pride
Season:	Regular season
Season Champs:	Metropolitan Riveters
Mvp:	Alexa Gruschow
Top Scorer:	Alexa Gruschow
Finals:	Isobel Cup
Finals Link:	Isobel Cup
Finals Champ:	Metropolitan Riveters
Finals Runner-Up:	Buffalo Beauts
Finals Mvp:	Katie Fitzgerald
Nextseason Year:	2018–19
Prevseason Year:	2016–17
Seasonslistnames:	NWHL

The 2017–18 NWHL season was the third season of the National Women's Hockey League. All four teams from the previous two seasons returned for this season: the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, and the Metropolitan Riveters.

League news and notes

• In October 2017, the Russian women's national team participated in exhibition series, called the 2017 Summit Series, going 5–0 against the Pride, Riveters, and Whale.^{[1] [2]} The Beauts played one game against the Chinese national team, which the Beauts won 4–2.^{[3] [4]}
• A Battle of the Sexes match was scheduled between the Buffalo Beauts and Buffalo Jr. Sabres 15U youth team for October 16 with the Jr. Sabres 15U winning 9–4.^{[3] [5]}
• On October 5, the New York Riveters partnered with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League. The Riveters, having played in Newark, New Jersey, the previous season, rebranded as the Metropolitan Riveters.^[6] As part of the partnership, the Riveters had their opening home game at the Prudential Center.
• On December 14, the NWHL announced that they are playing USA Hockey Women's National Team in Tampa Bay for two exhibition matches for January playing at the U.S. Women's National Team's training complex at Florida Hospital Center Ice.^[7]
• On December 21, the Buffalo Beauts were acquired by their landlord, Pegula Sports and Entertainment; Pegula owns several sports teams in the Buffalo area, including the NHL's Buffalo Sabres.^[8]

Head coaching and front office personnel changes

Head coaches

Regular season

News and notes

Brittany Ott of the Boston Pride and Amanda Leveille of the Buffalo Beauts served as team captains for the 3rd NWHL All-Star Game.^[10]

Standings

Final standings.^[11]

	16	13	3	0	64	30	26
	16	12	4	0	51	41	24
	16	4	8	4	33	48	12
	16	3	11	2	26	55	8

Awards and honors

• Alexa Gruschow, Metropolitan Riveters, 2018 NWHL Most Valuable Player^[12]
• Alexa Gruschow, Metropolitan Riveters, 2018 NWHL Scoring Champion^[12]
• Jillian Dempsey, Boston Pride, 2018 NWHL Denna Laing Perseverance Award^[12]
• Courtney Burke, Metropolitan Riveters, 2018 NWHL Defensive Player of the Year Award^[12]
• Amanda Leveille, Buffalo Beauts, 2018 NWHL Goaltender of the Year^[12]
• Hayley Scamurra, Buffalo Beauts, 2018 NWHL Rookie of the Year^[13]

Player of the Week

Day Awarded	Player	Team
October 30, 2017	Miye D’Oench^[14]	Metropolitan Riveters
November 6, 2017	Alexa Gruschow^[15]	Metropolitan Riveters
November 13, 2017	Taylor Accursi^[16]	Buffalo Beauts
November 20, 2017	Kelly Babstock^[17]	Connecticut Whale
December 4, 2017	Alyssa Gagliardi^[18]	Metropolitan Riveters
December 11, 2017	Kelly Nash^[19]	Metropolitan Riveters
December 18, 2017	Courtney Burke^[20]	Metropolitan Riveters
January 8, 2018	Kaylyn Schroka^[21]	Buffalo Beauts
January 22, 2018	Katie Fitzgerald^[22]	Metropolitan Riveters
January 29, 2018	Amanda Leveille Brittany Ott^[23]	Buffalo Beauts Boston Pride
February 5, 2018	Emily Fluke Hayley Scamurra^[24]	Connecticut Whale Buffalo Beauts
February 21, 2018	Maddie Elia^[25]	Buffalo Beauts
February 28, 2018	Emily Field Kourtney Kunichika^[26]	Boston Pride Buffalo Beauts
March 5, 2018	Dana Trivigno^[27]	Boston Pride
March 12, 2018	Sarah Edney Madison Packer^[28]	Buffalo Beauts Metropolitan Riveters

Draft

The 2017 NWHL draft was the third in the history of the National Women's Hockey League and took place on August 17, 2017, in Brooklyn. Goaltender Katie Burt of Boston College was selected first overall by the Boston Pride.^[29] It marked the first time that the Boston Pride held the first pick overall in the draft, which the franchise obtained from the Connecticut Whale in the trade that sent Zoe Hickel to the Whale on February 7, 2017.^[30]

		Player (Pos)	Team	Nationality	Former team
1	1	Katie Burt^[31] (G)	Boston Pride		Boston College Eagles (Hockey East)
1	2	Kennedy Marchment (F)	Buffalo Beauts		St. Lawrence (ECAC)
1	3	Taylar Cianfrano (F)	New York Riveters		Quinnipiac Bobcats (ECAC)
1	4	Kenzie Kent (F)	Boston Pride		Boston College (HEA)
2	5	Sam Donovan^[32] (F)	Connecticut Whale		Brown Bears (ECAC)
2	6	Savannah Harmon (D)	Buffalo Beauts		Clarkson (ECAC)
2	7	Victoria Bach (F)	New York Riveters		Boston University (HEA)
2	8	Mallory Souliotis (D)	Boston Pride		Yale (ECAC)
3	9	Eden Murray (F)	Connecticut Whale		Yale Bulldogs (ECAC)
3	10	Brittany Howard (F)	Buffalo Beauts		Robert Morris (CHA)
3	11	McKenna Brand (F)	New York Riveters		Northeastern Huskies (HEA)
3	12	Lexie Laing (F)	Boston Pride		Harvard Crimson (ECAC)
4	13	Denisa Křížová (F)	Connecticut Whale		Northeastern (HEA)
4	14	Annika Zalewski (F)	Buffalo Beauts		Colgate Raiders (ECAC)
4	15	Toni Ann Miano (D)	New York Riveters		Boston College (HEA)
4	16	Lauren Kelly (D)	Boston Pride		Northeastern (HEA)
5	17	Nina Rodgers (F)	Connecticut Whale		Boston University (HEA)
5	18	Amy Schlager (D)	Buffalo Beauts		New Hampshire Wildcats (HEA)
5	19	Rebecca Leslie (F)	New York Riveters		Boston University (HEA)
5	20	Julia Fedeski (D)	Boston Pride		New Hampshire Wildcats (HEA)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Russian Women’s National Team to Play Two Games Each Against the Boston Pride, Connecticut Whale and New York Riveters . June 7, 2017 . NWHLZone.com . June 8, 2017 . June 13, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170613161622/http://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/801159?referrer_id=2739439 . live .
2. Web site: Riveters Blanked in Final Preseason Tuneup . NWHL . October 22, 2017 . November 20, 2017 . January 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230124115800/http://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/847393?referrer_id=2748687 . live .
3. Web site: 2017 NWHL PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE SET . NWHL . September 15, 2017 . October 3, 2017 . October 4, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171004084752/http://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/833799?referrer_id=2739439 . live .
4. Web site: Defending Isobel Cup Champs Start Preseason With an International Win . NWHL . October 9, 2017 . November 20, 2017 . December 1, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171201041729/http://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/842652?referrer_id=2748687 . live .
5. Web site: Beauts Wrap Preseason in Buffalo Showdown . NWHL . October 16, 2017 . November 20, 2017 . December 1, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171201035655/http://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/845282?referrer_id=2748687 . live .
6. Web site: NEW JERSEY DEVILS ENTER FIRST OF ITS KIND AGREEMENT AND FORM MULTI-YEAR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NWHL’S RIVETERS . NWHL . October 5, 2017 . October 6, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171006085413/http://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/841027?referrer_id=2739439 . October 6, 2017 . dead .
7. Web site: TEAM NWHL TO PLAY U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM IN FLORIDA ON JAN. 13 & 15 . NWHL Staff . December 14, 2017 . . March 26, 2018 . March 27, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084238/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/866670 . dead .
8. Web site: Pegulas add the Buffalo Beauts to their hockey holdings . Amy Moritz . December 21, 2017 . . December 21, 2017 . December 21, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171221171644/http://buffalonews.com/2017/12/21/pegulas-add-the-buffalo-beauts-to-their-hockey-holdings/ . live .
9. Web site: NWHL Coaching Landscape Changing . victorypress.org . June 1, 2017 . August 26, 2018 . August 9, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180809152859/https://victorypress.org/2018/06/01/nwhl-coaching-landscape-changing/ . live .
10. Web site: Media Guide for the 2018 NWHL All-Star Game. NWHL.zone. 14 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180215023350/http://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/885343?referrer_id=2739439. 15 February 2018. dead.
11. Web site: NWHL 2017–2018 standings . Elite Prospects . September 3, 2020 . May 31, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210531094420/https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/nwhl-w/2017-2018 . live .
12. Web site: 2018 #NWHLAWARDS RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED . NWHL.zone . March 20, 2018 . March 21, 2018 . March 22, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180322020604/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/899669?referrer_id=2739439 . dead .
13. Web site: Beauts' Scamurra named NWHL Rookie of the Year . . March 20, 2018 . March 21, 2018 . March 22, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180322015418/http://buffalonews.com/2018/03/20/beauts-scamurra-named-nwhl-rookie-of-the-year/ . live .
14. Web site: NWHL Player of the Week: Miye D’Oench . nwhl.zone . 26 March 2018 . 27 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084237/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/850180?referrer_id=3708538 . dead .
15. Web site: NWHL Player of the Week: Alexa Gruschow . nwhl.zone . 26 March 2018 . 27 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327023637/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/852936?referrer_id=3708538 . dead .
16. Web site: NWHL Player of the Week: Taylor Accursi . nwhl.zone . 26 March 2018 . 27 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084127/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/855697?referrer_id=3708538 . dead .
17. Web site: NWHL Player of the Week: Kelly Babstock . nwhl.zone . 26 March 2018 . 27 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327023650/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/858584?referrer_id=3708538 . dead .
18. Web site: NWHL Player of the Week: Alyssa Gagliardi . nwhl.zone . 26 March 2018 . 27 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084129/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/862892?referrer_id=3708538 . dead .
19. Web site: NWHL Player of the Week: Kelly Nash . nwhl.zone . 26 March 2018 . 27 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084305/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/865519?referrer_id=3708538 . dead .
20. Web site: NWHL Player of the Week: Courtney Burke . nwhl.zone . 26 March 2018 . 27 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084204/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/867777?referrer_id=3708538 . dead .
21. Web site: NWHL Player of the Week: Kaylyn Schroka . nwhl.zone . 26 March 2018 . 27 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327023633/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/873084?referrer_id=3708538 . dead .
22. Web site: NWHL Player of the Week: Katie Fitzgerald . nwhl.zone . 26 March 2018 . 27 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084234/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/878402?referrer_id=3708538 . dead .
23. Web site: NWHL Players of The Week: Amanda Leveille and Brittany Ott . nwhl.zone . 26 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327023635/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/880741?referrer_id=3708538 . 27 March 2018 . dead .
24. Web site: NWHL Players of The Week: Emily Fluke and Hayley Scamurra . nwhl.zone . 26 March 2018 . 26 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180326141919/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/883374?referrer_id=2748687 . dead .
25. Web site: NWHL Player of the Week: Maddie Elia . nwhl.zone . 14 March 2018 . 15 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180315203443/http://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/889222?referrer_id=3708538 . live .
26. Web site: NWHL Players of The Week: Emily Field and Kourtney Kunichika . nwhl.zone . 26 March 2018 . 26 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180326142220/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/892310?referrer_id=2748687 . dead .
27. Web site: NWHL Player of The Week: Dana Trivigno . nwhl.zone . 14 March 2018 . 15 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180315133330/http://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/893659?referrer_id=3708538 . live .
28. Web site: NWHL Players of The Week: Madison Packer and Sarah Edney . nwhl.zone . 14 March 2018 . 15 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180315133329/http://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/896673?referrer_id=2739439 . live .
29. Web site: BOSTON COLLEGE’S KATIE BURT TOPS 2017 NWHL DRAFT. nwhl.zone. August 19, 2017. August 20, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170820073847/http://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/824400?referrer_id=2739439. live.
30. Web site: TRADE: Connecticut Acquires Zoe Hickel. nwhl.zone. August 19, 2017. August 20, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170820034148/http://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/754686-trade-connecticut-acquires-zoe-hickel. live.
31. Web site: Boston College’s Burt taken No. 1 overall in 2017 NWHL Draft. USCHO. August 17, 2017. August 20, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170820034309/http://www.uscho.com/2017/08/17/boston-colleges-katie-burt-taken-no-1-overall-in-2017-nwhl-draft/. live.
32. Web site: Whale selects four forwards in 2017 NWHL draft. Collinsville Press. August 17, 2017. August 20, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170820035207/http://collinsvillepress.com/2017/08/whale-selects-four-forwards-in-2017-nwhl-draft/14821/. live.