Professional women’s hockey league | Ten Quebecers to follow in the draft

The teams of the new Professional Women’s Hockey League will each add 15 players to their roster this Monday as part of the circuit’s first draft. We can expect that several Quebecers will be among the 90 athletes selected, among the 268 who are eligible. The Press presents 10 of them to you.

Elizabeth Giguère

Attacker

2022-23 Team: Boston Pride (PHF)

The Quebec native is currently participating in the selection camp for the Canadian senior team, a team with which she played a few matches last year as part of the Rivalry Series against the United States. One of the most productive attackers in the PHF, she was expected to be one of the headliners of the Montreal Force in 2023-2024. She should hear her name called during the first half of the draft.

Mélodie Daoust

Attacker

Team in 2022-2023: Team Scotiabank (PWHPA)

This triple Olympic medalist and long-time member of the national team is a well-known figure among Quebecers. Just two years ago, she won the World Championship MVP award. However, injuries forced her to miss international matches last season, notably at the Beijing Olympic Games and the World Championships. Seeing that she was not invited to the Canadian team selection camp, one could wonder if, at 31, she had not hung up her skates. However, here she is on the LPHF eligibility list. She would magnificently complete a trio of Quebec stars in Montreal with Marie-Philip Poulin and Ann-Renée Desbiens.

Ann-Sophie Bettez

Attacker

Team in 2022-2023: Montreal Force (PHF)

In her mid-thirties, she demonstrated last season that she still had a lot of hockey in her. Captain of the Montreal Force, she finished 9^e rank of PHF scorers, with 22 points in 23 games. Canadiennes fans also remember his 48 points in 50 games in 2018-2019, the final campaign of the defunct Canadian League.

Jade Downie-Landry

Attacker

Team in 2022-2023: Montreal Force (PHF)

After dominating the Canadian university circuit in 2021-2022, Jade Downie-Landry made a perfect transition to professional hockey last year. Top scorer for the Montreal Force and eighth point scorer on the circuit, she will certainly find a buyer, even if the PHF players risk losing ranks behind the members of the national selections.

Gabrielle David

Attacker

2022-23 Team: Clarkson University Golden Knights

This Drummondville native concluded a prolific university career in the United States with 52 points in 42 games in her final campaign at Clarkson. She was involved with the PHF’s Boston Pride before the league was purchased and disbanded over the summer. With Poulin, Desbiens and Giguère, she is one of the rare Quebecers invited to the selection camp for the Canadian senior team.

Maude Poulin-Labelle

Defender

2022-23 Team: Northeastern University Huskies

Like Gabrielle David, she has just come out of the American university ranks, where she did very well, first at Vermont then at Northeastern. She too was to begin her professional career in the PHF, in Connecticut. A simulated draft from the Athletic site sees her leaving in the seventh round.

Audrey-Anne Veillette

Attacker

Team in 2022-2023: University of Montreal Carabins

Candidate for the title of MVP of the Canadian university circuit last season, she finished second in points in the country. Born in 2000, she is one of the youngest players eligible for the draft. Given his career with the Carabins, we immediately associate him with the Montreal team and its general director Danièle Sauvageau.

Lauriane Rougeau

Defender

Team in 2022-2023: Team Harvey’s (PWHPA)

We are entering the more volatile portion of our list. At 33, Lauriane Rougeau is one of the oldest eligible players. Left out of the national team two years ago, this double Olympic medalist has not said her last word. A friendship of almost 20 years links her to Marie-Philip Poulin, concession player for the Montreal team. A position in the metropolis would be natural for this former Canadian who, if not drafted, could also sign a contract as a free agent.

Rosalie Demers

Attacker

Team in 2022-2023: Team Harvey’s (PWHPA)

Application from left field, here. This alumnus of Colgate University, in the NCAA, spent the last season alongside the future big stars of the LPHF. She hasn’t particularly shined offensively, but her pedigree could intrigue a new league team.

Alexandra Labelle

Attacker

Team in 2022-2023: Montreal Force (PHF)

Another ex of the University of Montreal Carabins, and another player well known to former players of the Professional Players Association (PWHPA), whom she worked with for two seasons. A member of the Montreal Force last season, she finished third in points, behind Jade Downie-Landry and Ann-Sophie Bettez.