On Tuesday, all six PWHL teams announced their season opening rosters so we finally know the 23 players who will start the season representing Montreal’s first PWHL team.
Thirteen of the team’s 15 draft picks made the 23-player roster. The lone drafted players to not make the roster are defender Maude Poulin-Labelle, who was claimed by Toronto, and Swedish forward Lina Ljungblom. The 22-year-old is playing out her contract in Sweden. There are reports the contract ends after the season, and Montreal keeps her rights for another year. Labelle was the team’s 10th round pick
Joining the drafted players are the team’s three Foundational Signings, and seven undrafted players. The team did not make a waiver claim from the other team’s final cuts.
The team chose to carry three goaltenders: foundation signing Ann-Renée Desbiens, draft pick Elaine Chuli and free-agent camp invite Marlène Boissonnault.
The defence is built around first-round pick Erin Ambrose. Ambrose is one of the best defenders in the game, and signed a three-year contract to kick off her second stint in Montreal. She is joined by Czech Olympian Dominika Lásková, and Isobel Cup champion Kati Tabin in a group that expects to contribute offence while playing well in their own end.
The forward group is led by Marie-Philip Poulin, who is the hands-down favourite to be the team’s first captain if they decide to have one this season. She is joined by fellow foundational signing Laura Stacey, and draft picks Kristin O’Neill (round two) and Maureen Murphy (round three), who both signed three-year contracts.
Filling out the forward group are two of the best forwards in North American professional women’s hockey history: Ann-Sophie Bettez and Jillian Dempsey. The two have been leaders in the room and on the stat sheet for years. Other notable members of the forward group is former PHF MVP Kennedy Marchment and Olympic bronze medalist Tereza Vanišová.
The team is holding practices all week, despite there being an international break with the Rivalry Series between Canada and the United States and the Five Nations tournament in Sweden, where Czechia will take part.
2023-24 PWHL Montreal Roster
Goaltenders (3)
Ann-Renée Desbiens, 29, Foundational Signing [3-year contract]
Elaine Chuli, 29, Drafted 13th round (78th overall) [1-year contract]
Marlène Boissonnault, Undrafted [Terms not disclosed]
Defenders (7)
RD Erin Ambrose, 29, Drafted 1st round (6th overall) [3-year contract]
RD Dominika Lásková, 26, Drafted 4th round (19th overall) [2-year contract]
RD Catherine Daoust, 28, Undrafted [Terms not disclosed]
LD Kati Tabin, 26, Drafted 5th round (30th overall) [2-year contract]
LD Mariah Keopple, 23, Undrafted [1-year contract]
LD Madison Bizal, 23, Drafted 8th round (43rd overall) [Terms not disclosed]
LD Brigitte Laganière, 27, Undrafted [Terms not disclosed]
Forwards (13)
Marie-Philip Poulin, 32, Foundational Signing [3-year contract]
Laura Stacey, 29, Foundational Signing [3-year contract]
Kristin O’Neill, 25, Drafted 2nd round (7th overall) [3-year contract]
Maureen Murphy, 23, Drafted 3rd round (18th overall) [3-year contract]
Kennedy Marchment, 26, Drafted 6th round (31st overall) [2-year contract]
Tereza Vanišová, 27, Drafted 7th round (42nd overall) [2-year contract]
Gabrielle David, 24, Drafted 9th round (54th overall) [1-year contract]
Jillian Dempsey, 32, Drafted 11th round (66th overall) [1-year contract]
Claire Dalton, 23, Drafted 12th round (67th overall) [1-year contract]
Ann-Sophie Bettez, 36, Drafted 14th round (79th overall) [1-year contract]
Sarah Bujold, 27, Undrafted [1-year contract]
Leah Lum, 27, Undrafted* [Terms not disclosed]
Sarah Lefort, 29, Undrafted [Terms not disclosed]
*Lum played defence throughout camp because of injuries to Ambrose and Tabin, and her versatility is an asset for the team
Reserves
F Catherine Dubois, 28, Undrafted
F Mélodie Daoust, 31, Undrafted
F Alexandra Poznikoff, 26, Undrafted
Montreal’s first game will be in Ottawa on January 2. Their first home game will be January 13 at the Verdun Auditorium against Boston. Season tickets are available here now. Single game tickets will be available starting December 13. Seven home games will be at the Verdun Auditorium, four will be at Place Bell, and one is still to be announced.
