Fleet re-sign Susanna Tapani to one-year contract
One of the more important players in New England is sticking around for at least one more year.
On Tuesday, the Boston Fleet announced the team has re-signed forward Susanna Tapani on a one-year contract for the 2025-26 season.
“I’m really excited to be back in Boston for another season,” Tapani said in a release. “The city, the fans, and the organization have all been amazing, and it already feels like another home. I can’t wait to get back on the ice and compete with the team again.”
Tapani has been unquestionably one of the most important players on the Boston roster since the team acquired her from Minnesota for Sophie Jaques during the inaugural season. Since then, the Finnish star has scored big goals in key moments, providing a key scoring touch for a team that has struggled to put the puck in the back of the net.
After notching 13 points during the team’s first year, Tapani turned her game up in the second season, scoring 11 goals and seven assists for 18 points in 30 games, finishing third on the team in scoring and second in goals behind MVP finalist Hilary Knight.
With Knight signing with the expansion team in Seattle, Tapani’s role is only going to increase even further alongside Alina Muller and Hannah Bilka.
In 56 appearances in her PWHL career, the 32-year-old has scored 15 goals and 16 assists for 31 points. She also scored three goals and an assist in eight playoff games last year for Boston, including two overtime winners in the semifinals against Montreal.
Along with her PWHL career, Tapani has been a mainstay on the international stage. She’s played for the Finnish Senior National Team at the IIHF Women’s World Championship since 2011. During her time with Suomi, Tapani helped her country win the bronze medal at the Women’s Worlds seven times, including an infamous silver medal in 2019. At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Tapani and the Finns won bronze as well.
Tapani is one of eight players under contract with the Fleet. Boston has been hit hard this offseason, losing the likes of Knight and Sidney Morin over the past couple of weeks.