Sirens place Taylor Girard on long-term injured reserve
A couple of roster moves for a team battling for a playoff spot.
On Wednesday, the New York Sirens announced that forward Taylor Girard has been placed on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury. In response, the team has activated defender Nicole Vallario from its reserve list, signing her to a 10-day contract.
The moves come as the Sirens signed forward Clair DeGeorge to a standard contract. She was released by the Toronto Sceptres in order to make way for her move to New York.
Girard suffered a lower-body injury during this past Sunday’s Takeover Tour game in Denver against the Minnesota Frost. The incident happened a little past the halfway mark of the second period. Girard went to throw a hit along the boards at Frost forward Britta Curl-Salemme. The Macomb, Mich. native lost her balance, awkwardly twisting her right knee as she fell to the ice.
Girard knew something was clearly amiss, signaling over to the bench for assistance. The stretcher was brought onto the ice, as the training staff was taking extra precaution with the veteran forward.
This isn’t the first time Girard has suffered a debilitating lower-body injury. In the league’s inaugural season, while with Boston, she twisted her leg, coincidentally against Minnesota. The resulting injury ended her season.
In 2025-26, the 27-year-old has appeared in 17 games, scoring seven goals and eight points, sitting second on the Sirens in goals behind rookie Kristyna Kaltounkova, and fifth in overall scoring.
Vallario is in her rookie season in the PWHL. She was signed by the Sirens after wrapping up her college career at St. Thomas. She ended up playing two games early on in the season, scoring her first PWHL goal on Nov. 29 against the Vancouver Goldeneyes. However, she was placed back on the reserve list in December, making way for Olivia Knowles.
Vallario returned to Switzerland, playing for EV Zug. In 15 games in the SWHL A, she has scored three goals and three assists for six points. She also represented her country at the 2026 Winter Olympics, helping Switzerland win the bronze medal for the second time in the program’s history.
New York (8-0-3-9) is currently sixth in the league, four points back of the Sceptres for the fourth and final playoff spot. The Sirens are set to face the Goldeneyes on Wednesday night.