PWHL Montreal explained
PWHL Montreal is a professional women's ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec. They are one of the six charter franchises of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). They play home games at the Place Bell in Laval and the Verdun Auditorium in Verdun.
History
Founding and inaugural season
On August 29, 2023, it was announced that one of the PWHL's first six franchises would be located in Montréal.[3] On September 1, Daniele Sauvageau, the one-time coach for Canada's national team, was announced as the team's general manager.[4] Kori Cheverie, a former assistant coach with the Canadian national team and the first woman to have coached a Canadian men's hockey team, was named the team's inaugural coach on September 13.[5] [6] Montréal's first three players—Canadian national team members Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, and Ann-Renee Desbiens—were signed on September 5, 2023.[7] At the 2023 PWHL Draft on September 18, the team selected 15 players; their first pick, at sixth overall, was Canadian national team member Erin Ambrose.[8]
The team colours were officially announced on November 14, 2023 as burgundy, "sand", and "storm".[9] Later that month, it was revealed that the team would host the majority of its games at the Verdun Auditorium, with four games at Place Bell.[10] [11] On December 29, the team announced that Poulin would serve as team captain, with Stacey and Erin Ambrose serving as assistant captains.[12] Montréal's first ever game took place on January 2, 2024, against PWHL Ottawa; the 8,318 fans in attendance at Ottawa's TD Place Arena set a new attendance record for professional women's hockey.[13] Claire Dalton scored the first goal in franchise history. Although Montréal twice trailed in the game, Ann-Sophie Bettez scored in overtime to secure the team's first win by a score of 3–2. The team hosted its first home game on January 13, with PWHL Boston securing a 3–2 overtime win in front of a sold-out crowd at Verdun Auditorium.[14]
On February 16, 2024, Montréal played a match hosted by PWHL Toronto at Scotiabank Arena in a game dubbed "The Battle on Bay Street".[15] The game set a league and women’s hockey attendance record with a sell-out crowd of 19,285, beating the previous record of 18,013 at the 2013 IIHF Women's World Championship.[16] Two months later, on April 20, Montréal hosted Toronto in its first-ever home match at the Bell Centre, selling out the arena and setting another new attendance record at 21,105.[17] This game was known as "The Duel at the Top", with the two teams vying for first place in the standings.[18] Montréal managed to draw large crowds throughout the season.[19]
Montréal clinched a berth in the inaugural PWHL playoffs on March on April 24 with a 5–2 win over PWHL New York.[20] They faced Boston in the first round of the playoffs, and lost three straight games in overtime—including a triple-overtime affair in the second game of the series—to get eliminated from contention.[21] [22] After the season, Erin Ambrose was named the league's top defender for its inaugural year.[23]
Players and personnel
Current roster
[24] [25] [26] [27]
Team captains
Head coaches
First-round draft picks
See main article: List of PWHL Montreal draft picks.
Franchise milestones
Notes and References
- Web site: PWHL names six general managers as teams begin roster construction . Sportsnet . Rogers Media . 5 September 2023 . September 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230905132246/https://www.sportsnet.ca/women-hockey/article/pwhl-names-six-general-managers-as-teams-begin-roster-construction/ . live .
- Web site: Kennedy . Ian . Kori Cheverie To Coach PWHL Montreal . The Hockey News . September 13, 2023 . 13 September 2023 . September 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230921010939/https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/kori-cheverie-to-coach-pwhl-montreal . live .
- News: Wyshynski . Greg . 2023-08-29 . Six inaugural franchises revealed for new PWHL . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230901224830/https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/38282089/new-professional-women-hockey-league-reveals-six-franchises . 2023-09-01 . 2023-09-05 . . en.
- Web site: 2023-09-01 . PWHL names six general managers as teams begin roster construction . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230905132246/https://www.sportsnet.ca/women-hockey/article/pwhl-names-six-general-managers-as-teams-begin-roster-construction/ . 2023-09-05 . 2023-09-05 . . Rogers Media.
- News: Kennedy . Ian . 2023-09-13 . Kori Cheverie To Coach PWHL Montreal . . 2023-09-13 . September 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230921010939/https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/kori-cheverie-to-coach-pwhl-montreal . live .
- Web site: 2022-04-14 . Kori Cheverie to become 1st woman to coach a Canadian men's hockey team . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221228140227/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/kori-cheverie-assistant-coach-u18-1.6420947 . 2022-12-28 . 2023-09-17 . . The Canadian Press.
- Web site: 'Women's hockey is growing': Poulin, Desbiens and Stacey sign with PWHL's Montreal team . Laframboise . Kalina . globalnews.ca . September 7, 2023.
- News: Donkin . Karissa . 2023-09-19 . New beginnings and dreams coming true: 3 stories from the inaugural PWHL draft . CBC Sports . live . 2023-09-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230919150949/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/3-stories-inaugural-pwhl-draft-donkin-sept18-1.6970865 . 2023-09-19.
- News: Kennedy . Ian . 2023-11-23 . PWHL Releases Jersey Designs . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231114154251/https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/pwhl-releases-jersey-designs . 2023-11-14 . 2023-11-14 . The Hockey News.
- News: 2023-11-28 . Montreal PWHL team begins season Jan. 2, home opener Jan. 13 in Verdun . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231129031758/https://montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/pwhl/montreal-pwhl-team-begins-season-jan-2-home-opener-jan-13-in-verdun . 2023-11-29 . 2024-01-05 . Montreal Gazette.
- News: Donkin . Karissa . 2023-11-30 . PWHL releases full 72-game schedule ahead of inaugural season . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240106104930/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/pwhl/pwhl-2024-schedule-details-1.7045387 . 2024-01-06 . 2024-01-14 . CBC Sports.
- News: Donkin . Karissa . 2023-12-29 . Marie-Philip Poulin, Brianne Jenner named captains of PWHL Montreal, Ottawa . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231231052420/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/pwhl/pwhl-montreal-ottawa-captains-1.7071370 . 2023-12-31 . 2024-01-05 . CBC Sports.
- News: Brennan . Don . 2024-01-02 . A Night to Remember: Montreal scores OT win in Ottawa's historic PWHL opener . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240104225658/https://ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/pwhl/a-night-to-remember-montreal-scores-ot-win-in-ottawas-historic-pwhl-opener . 2024-01-04 . 2024-01-05 . Ottawa Sun.
- News: Rainbird . Daniel . 2024-01-13 . Boston's Pelkey spoils Montreal's PWHL home opener in OT after Poulin's disallowed goal . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240114015711/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/pwhl/pwhl-boston-montreal-recap-jan-13-1.7082885 . 2024-01-14 . 2024-01-14 . CBC Sports . The Canadian Press.
- News: 2024-01-25 . Scotiabank Arena to host PWHL's 'Battle on Bay Street' between Toronto, Montreal . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240126050438/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/pwhl/pwhl-toronto-montreal-scotiabank-arena-1.7094871 . 2024-01-26 . 2024-01-26 . CBC Sports . . en.
- News: Ibrahim . Abdulhamid . 2024-02-16 . PWHL Toronto tops Montreal 3-0 in front of record-setting crowd at Scotiabank Arena . The Globe and Mail . Toronto . en . 2024-02-17 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240217174124/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/article-pwhl-toronto-tops-montreal-3-0-in-front-of-record-setting-crowd-at/ . 2024-02-17.
- Web site: PWHL-leading Toronto clinches playoff berth, wins in OT before record crowd in Montreal. Rainbird . Daniel . April 20, 2024 . April 20, 2024 . CBC Sports.
- Web site: Nurse OT winner breaks Montreal hearts as Toronto wins PWHL 'Duel at the Top'. Rowe . Daniel J. . April 20, 2024 . April 20, 2024 . CTV News.
- Web site: 2024-05-20 . PWHL Montreal draws high attendance in inaugural season . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240521154632/https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/05/20/pwhl-montreal-2024-attendance . 2024-05-21 . 2024-05-21 . . Leaders Group . en.
- News: 2024-04-24 . O'Neill scores, assists as PWHL Montreal clinches playoff berth in win over New York . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240426212942/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/pwhl/pwhl-new-york-montreal-recap-april-24-1.7184357 . 2024-04-26 . 2024-06-09 . . The Canadian Press.
- Web site: 2024-05-15 . Boston knocks Montreal out of playoffs in PWHL semifinal . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240515173559/https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/boston-knocks-montreal-out-of-playoffs-in-pwhl-semifinal . 2024-05-15 . 2024-05-15 . Montreal Gazette.
- Web site: Laprade . Pat . 2024-05-18 . Back To Work This Offseason For PWHL Montreal Players, In Many Ways . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240521154539/https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/back-to-work-this-offseason-for-pwhl-montreal-players-in-many-ways . 2024-05-21 . 2024-05-21 . . Roustan Media . en . Brantford, Ontario.
- News: 2024-06-11 . PWHL Awards: Erin Ambrose named top defender for 2024 season . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240612035358/https://montreal.citynews.ca/2024/06/11/pwhl-awards-erin-ambrose-named-top-defender-for-2024-season/ . 2024-06-12 . 2024-06-12 . CityNews Montreal.
- Web site: PWHL teams release final 23-player rosters ahead of Jan. 1 season opener . CBC. 15 December 2023.
- Web site: PWHL Montreal Roster 2024 Regular Season . PWHL-Professional Women's Ice Hockey League . 28 December 2023.
- Web site: Marie-Philip Poulin named captain of Montreal PWHL . Book . Jared . habseyesontheprize.com . December 29, 2023.
- Web site: Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Roster Updates . March 19, 2024.