Montreal are 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.[3]
| PWHL Montréal LPHF Montréal (French) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Montreal, Quebec |
| League | Professional Women's Hockey League |
| Founded | 29 August, 2023 |
| Home arena | Verdun Auditorium Place Bell |
| Colours | Burgundy, sand and storm |
| Owner(s) | Mark Walter Group |
| General manager | Daniele Sauvageau[1] |
| Head coach | Kori Cheverie[2] |
| Captain | Marie-Philip Poulin |
| Website | montreal.thepwhl.com |
 Current season | |
History
On August 29, 2023, it was announced that one of the PWHL's first six franchises would be located in Montreal.[4] On September 1, Daniele Sauvageau, the one-time coach for Canada's national team, was announced as the team's general manager.[5] 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.[6][7]
Montréal's first three players—Canadian national team members Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, and Ann-Renee Desbiens—were signed on September 5, 2023.[8] 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.[9]
The team colours were officially announced on November 14, 2023 as burgundy, "sand", and "storm".[10] 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.[11][12] On December 29, the team announced that Poulin would serve as team captain, with Stacey and Erin Ambrose serving as assistant captains.[13]
Montréal's first ever game took place on January 2, 2024, against Ottawa; the 8,318 fans in attendance at Ottawa's TD Place Arena set a new attendance record for professional women's hockey.[14] 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.[14] The team hosted its first home game on January 13, with Boston securing a 3–2 overtime win in front of a sold-out crowd at Verdun Auditorium.[15]
On February 16, 2024, Montréal played a match hosted by Toronto at Scotiabank Arena in a game dubbed by the league as "The Battle on Bay Street".[16] The game set a league and women’s hockey attendance record with a sellout crowd of 19,285, beating the previous record of 18,013 at the 2013 IIHF Women's World Championship.[17] Two months later, on April 20, Montréal hosted Toronto in its first-ever home match at the Bell Centre (the home of the NHL's Canadiens), selling out the arena and setting another new attendance record (21,105).[18] This game was known as "The Duel at the Top."[19]
Team
Current roster
Reserves
- As of March 20, 2024[23]
| No. | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 |  | Liliane Perreault | F | R | 24 | 2024 | Toronto, Ontario |
| 3 | | Brooke Stacey | F | L | 27 | 2024 | Kahnawake, Quebec |
Draft history
Held on September 18, 2023, the inaugural PWHL draft used a "snake draft" format with the selection order reversing after each round; Montreal held the sixth and final pick in the first round.[24][25]
| Rd | Pick | Player | Nationality | Position | Previous team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Erin Ambrose | Canada | Defence | Team Sonnet (PWHPA) |
| 2 | 7 | Kristin O'Neill | Canada | Forward | Team Adidas (PWHPA) |
| 3 | 18 | Maureen Murphy |  United States | Forward | Northeastern (Hockey East) |
| 4 | 19 | Dominika Lásková |  Czech Republic | Defence | Toronto Six (PHF) |
| 5 | 30 | Kati Tabin | Canada | Defence | Toronto Six (PHF) |
| 6 | 31 | Kennedy Marchment | Canada | Forward | Connecticut Whale (PHF) |
| 7 | 42 | Tereza Vanisova | Czech Republic | Forward | Toronto Six (PHF) |
| 8 | 43 | Madison Bizal | United States | Defence | Ohio State (WCHA) |
| 9 | 54 | Gabrielle David | Canada | Forward | Clarkson (ECAC) |
| 10 | 55 | Maude Poulin-Labelle | Canada | Defence | Northeastern (Hockey East) |
| 11 | 66 | Jillian Dempsey | United States | Forward | Boston Pride (PHF) |
| 12 | 67 | Claire Dalton | Canada | Forward | Yale (ECAC) |
| 13 | 78 | Elaine Chuli | Canada | Goaltender | Toronto Six (PHF) |
| 14 | 79 | Ann-Sophie Bettez | Canada | Forward | Montreal Force (PHF) |
| 15 | 90 | Lina Ljungblom |  Sweden | Forward | MoDo Hockey (SDHL) |
Franchise milestones
| Milestone | Player | Date | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| First penalty | Marie-Philip Poulin for Holding | January 02, 2024 | PWHL Ottawa |
| First goal | Claire Dalton Assisted by Jillian Dempsey and Kennedy Marchment | January 02, 2024 | PWHL Ottawa |
| First win | Ann-Renée Desbiens | January 02, 2024 | PWHL Ottawa |
| First hat-trick | Marie-Philip Poulin | January 10, 2024 | PWHL New York |