Defensive TacticsSecure Victory for Poulin, Stacey, and Desbiens.
Hey there! It's looks like the Montreal Victory, formerly known as the LPHF, has some big changes coming in the upcoming season. They've placed star players Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, and Ann-Renee Desbiens on the protected list for the LPHF expansion draft, set for June 9.
Here's the lowdown:
Each existing team can protect three players for the expansion draft or the exclusive signing period, which runs from June 4 to 8. Seattle and Vancouver will be allowed to sign up to five unprotected players or those whose contracts are expiring. After losing two players, the remaining teams can protect another player, maximum of four. A player needs to have a contract for the 2025-2026 season or beyond to be considered protected.
The Victory is the only team that hasn't protected a defenseman, meaning they might be vulnerable on the blue line. Barring a shocking turn of events, Erin Ambrose, who was named the league's top defenseman in 2024, and Cayla Barnes, the team's first pick in the last LPHF draft, are strong candidates for a move to one of the new teams. Ambrose has openly expressed her emotions about potentially playing her last game with the team, and Barnes mentioned liking the idea of being closer to her family in the future.
Several other players might also find themselves on new teams. Jennifer Gardiner, the third-leading scorer and second-leading rookie scorer for the Victory with 18 points, could be picked up by Vancouver, her hometown team. The names of Abby Boreen and Kristin O'Neill (whose performance was subpar last season) might also catch the eye of the new clubs.
The departure of one or more of these players could prove especially damaging for the team, considering their difficulty generating offense during the previous season. Several key players from the Victory will remain unprotected.
Elsewhere in the league, notable absences from the protected lists include Hilary Knight, who topped the LPHF scoring list last season with 29 points. Sarah Nurse of Toronto Sceptres and Emerance Maschmeyer of Ottawa Charge are also available.
For Montreal, the stakes are high, and it remains to be seen whether they can make shrewd roster decisions to fill the gaps on defense and maintain a competitive edge in the league. But one thing's for sure - next season is bound to be a thrilling ride!
The Montreal Victory, with their notable absence of a protected defenseman, might find themselves in a vulnerable position on the blue line, potentially leading to Erin Ambrose and Cayla Barnes joining the new teams, Seattle or Vancouver. With Jennifer Gardiner, a top scorer for the Victory, being a native of Vancouver, she could be a prime target for her hometown team during the LPHF expansion draft. The departure of several key players from Montreal could prove detrimental, particularly considering their struggles to generate offense in the previous season.
