New York selects Princeton and Canadian National Team forward Sarah Fillier with first pick in PWHL draft

After earning numerous accolades in women’s hockey and a degree in psychiatry from Princeton, Sarah Fillier is fully focused on her next career challenge: making a difference on a PWHL team in New York that has struggled on and off the court. ice.

A New York team lacking identity, offense and wins in its inaugural season used the No. 1 pick to select the 24-year-old Canadian national team forward – and dubbed ‘a generational talent’ by league scouts – with the No. 1 pick. at the Professional Women’s Hockey League draft on Monday evening.

“I think it’s exciting. If you look at the talent in New York, I think they’ve built a really strong foundation,” Fillier said. “It’s an incredible sports town and the fans have been incredible all season. And I went to school right next door, so it’s kind of like coming home.

A Toronto native, Fillier was a three-time finalist for Patty Kazmaier College Player of the Year and finished her four-year career at Princeton ranking sixth on the school’s list with 93 goals and fourth with 193 points in 120 matches. On the international stage, she won gold at the 2022 Beijing Games, where she finished second in the tournament with eight goals, and was also a member of three Canadian teams at the world championships.

In New York, she joins a team in transition under new Colgate University coach Greg Fargo, who needs offensive talent beyond veteran Alex Carpenter, and a franchise that has struggled to attract fans after splitting home games between three sites.

“I am excited to help build this strong foundation,” said Fillier. “And Greg Fargo has been a tremendous coach. I played against him for four years in the ECAC, and he is always a difficult coach to face. So it’s exciting that I’m part of his team now.

A year after U.S. national team player Taylor Heise was taken first in the inaugural PWHL draft, Fillier topped a list of three Canadians selected. Colgate’s Danielle Serdachny was selected second by Ottawa, followed by defenseman Claire Thompson, who finished third ahead of defending champion Minnesota.

Thompson returns to hockey after taking last season off to focus on his sophomore year at NYU.

“They always say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. And so not being able to play this year has really reinvigorated my love for hockey,” said Thompson, who joins an elite Minnesota blue line that already includes All-American veteran Lee Stecklein and forward Sophie Jaques. year of college hockey in 2023.

Minnesota’s picks were made by coach Ken Klee, who oversaw the draft after the PWHL stripped general manager Natalie Darwitz of her title on Saturday.

The first Americans selected were forward Hannah Bilka, fourth in Boston, followed by defender Cayla Barnes in Montreal. Bilka, a Texas native, and Barnes, a California native, helped Ohio State win a national championship in March.

It’s a homecoming for Bilka, who spent her first four college seasons at Boston College before transferring to Ohio State.

“I came to Ohio State to win a national championship and we got the job done,” she said. “So I couldn’t have written the script better. And that tops it off.

The Buckeyes’ draft release party was held in St. Paul, Minnesota. A total of eight Ohio State players were selected in a draft capped by Buckeyes guard Raygan Kirk being selected by Toronto with the 42nd and final pick.

Meanwhile, Ohio State defender Lauren Bernard, selected 24th by Toronto, heard her name called from the stage by Buckeyes coach Nadine Muzerall.

Fargo’s senior class at Colgate had five players selected in the six-team, seven-round draft.

Toronto closed out the first round with Canadian national team forward Julia Gosling reunited with Team Canada general manager Gina Kingsbury and coach Troy Ryan.

New York opened the second round by trading its pick to Boston, which used the No. 7 selection to choose Europe’s No. 1 defender — Czech Republic’s Daniela Pejsova.

“It’s an honor to be here and experience this in real life. Yes, I’m having a good time,” said Pejsova, 21, who played professionally in Sweden. ” It’s incredible. I can’t believe it’s true.

Overall, the United States led the way with 20 Americans selected against 12 Canadians, plus Dara Greig, who has dual citizenship. Nine European players were selected, including the first Russian, Ilona Markova, 22, who plays in the Russian women’s professional league and was selected 37th by Boston.

Veteran U.S. national team forward Amanda Kessel was only selected 41st overall by Montreal. Kessel is a three-time Olympian who took time off last year to focus on her work as a special assistant with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In an unusual twist, forward Abby Boreen was selected 17th overall by Montreal after spending last season winning a title with Minnesota. Boreen was in this situation because she signed a reserve contract with Minnesota after not declaring for the draft last year.

A PWHL hockey operations scouting report praised Fillier for her speed and playmaking ability, while noting: “Her game sense makes her a threat to create points in a variety of ways and will immediately improve the game power of a team.

New York lacked an offensive presence beyond Carpenter, who finished tied for second in the league with 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists). Defender Ella Shelton was the only other New York player to total 15 points, finishing with 21, including seven goals.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey