Mellissa Channell Explained

Birth Date:16 December 1994
Birth Place:Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Position:Defence
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:5
Height In:4
Weight Lb:130
League:PWHL
Team:PWHL Minnesota
Former Teams:Toronto Furies
Sex:f
Career Start:2013

Mellissa Channell (born December 16, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for PWHL Minnesota of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). She previously played for the Toronto Furies of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL). She played college ice hockey at Wisconsin.

Early life

Channell was born and raised in Canada before moving to Michigan to play hockey. She played two years with the Detroit Little Caesars U-16 program, and one year with the Little Caesar's U-19 team that won the state championship her freshman year of high school.[1] She then played for the Burlington Barracudas of the Provincial Women's Hockey League for two seasons, where she recorded seven goals and 30 assists in 57 games.[2]

College career

Channell began her collegiate career with the Wisconsin Badgers during the 2013–14 season. During her freshman year, she appeared in all 38 games and recorded two goals and ten assists. During the 2014–15 season, in her sophomore year, she recorded three goals and 17 assists in 36 games. During the 2015–16 season, in her junior year, she recorded three goals and 12 assists in 37 games. During the 2016–17 season, in her senior year, she recorded three goals and 14 assists in 36 games.[2] On March 17, 2017, during the 2017 NCAA Frozen Four semifinal game against Boston College, she scored the game-winning goal with 17 seconds remaining to send Wisconsin to the championship game.[3]

Professional career

Channell was drafted 11th overall by the Connecticut Whale in the 2016 NWHL Draft.[4] After not signing with the Whale, she was drafted 14th overall by the Toronto Furies in the 2018 CWHL Draft.[5] During the 2018–19 season, she recorded 12 assists in 28 games. She then played four seasons in the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA).[6]

On September 18, 2023, Channell was drafted in the tenth round, 59th overall, by PWHL Toronto in the 2023 PWHL draft.[7] After being placed on waivers by Toronto, she signed a one-year contract with PWHL Minnesota on December 22, 2023.[8] During the 2023–24 season, she recorded two assists in 24 regular season games and five assists in ten playoff games. During game five of the Walter Cup finals against PWHL Boston, she recorded three assists in the game to help Minnesota win the inaugural Walter Cup.[9] [10] She became the first PWHL player to record three assists in a postseason game. Her three assists in the game exceeded her regular-season point total.[11]

Personal life

Channell is the daughter of former professional ice hockey player and current scout Craig Channell.[12]

Career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2011–12Burlington Jr. BarracudasProv. WHL29 1 19 20 126 1 45 4
2012–13Burlington Jr. BarracudasProv. WHL28 6 11 1728 2 0 2 22
2013–14University of WisconsinWCHA382101218
2014–15University of Wisconsin WCHA363172022
2015–16University of Wisconsin WCHA373121530
2016–17University of Wisconsin WCHA363141720
2018–19Toronto FuriesCWHL28012121630112
2021–22 Minnesota PWHPA3 1 1 2 0
2022–23 Team Harvey's PWHPA14 0 0 0 0
2023–24PWHL MinnesotaPWHL240220100552
CWHL totals28012121630112
PWHL totals240220100552

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Get to Know the 2024 PWHL Minnesota Players . thehockeywriters.com . Mariah . Stark . January 12, 2024 . May 30, 2024.
  2. Web site: Mellissa Channell Bio . uwbadgers.com . May 30, 2024.
  3. Web site: Channell lifts No. 1 Badgers to NCAA title game . uwbadgers.com . March 17, 2017 . May 30, 2024.
  4. Web site: 2016 NWHL Junior Entry Draft Recap . victorypress.org . June 22, 2016 . May 30, 2024.
  5. Web site: CWHL All-Star Series: Mellissa Channell . womenshockeylife.com . Mark . Staffieri . February 18, 2019 . May 30, 2024.
  6. Web site: PWHL Draft Recap: Toronto . victorypress.org . Melissa . Burgess . September 24, 2023 . May 30, 2024.
  7. Web site: Seven Oakville players selected in the 2023 PWHL Draft . oakvillenews.org . Lukas . Bernasiewicz . September 19, 2023 . May 30, 2024.
  8. Web site: Mellissa Channell Called An Asset In The Locker Room For Minnesota . . Ian . Kennedy . December 22, 2023 . May 30, 2024.
  9. Web site: PWHL Minnesota lifts Walter Cup as league's first champion with Game 5 win over Boston . . Rachel . Blount . May 29, 2024 . May 29, 2024.
  10. Web site: PWHL Minnesota wins first-ever Walter Cup championship . . Hailey . Salvian . May 29, 2024 . May 29, 2024.
  11. Web site: Minnesota Claims First-Ever Walter Cup, Heise Voted Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP . thepwhl.com . May 29, 2024 . May 30, 2024.
  12. Web site: Monday's hockey: Pro women's league kicks off; Kraken win Winter Classic . . January 4, 2024 . May 30, 2024.