Premier Hockey Federation’s new expansion team in Montreal signs seven players
Seven players have inked contracts to play for the Premier Hockey Federation’s Montreal expansion team, the league announced on Monday.
The PHF in association with the new Montreal expansion team, has announced the first 7 players who have officially signed.
Ann-Sophie Bettez, Kim Deschênes, Jade Downie-Landry, Alexandra Labelle, Sarah Lefort, Kristina Shanahan, & Brigitte Laganière
✍️ https://t.co/U6iZ2RG3XA pic.twitter.com/Pt5egBnaQT
The Montreal expansion team will make its debut in 2022-23, becoming the seventh team in the league alongside the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, Minnesota Whitecaps, and Toronto Six.
Montreal’s franchise, known as the Montreal Stars from 2007 to 2015 and Les Canadiennes de Montreal from 2015 to 2019, won the Canadian Women’s Hockey League Championship twice before the league disbanded in 2019.
The players who signed to be on Montreal’s inaugural roster are forwards Ann-Sophie Bettez, Kim Deschênes, Jade Downie-Landry, Alexandra Labelle, Sarah Lefort, and Kristina Shanahan, and defender Brigitte Laganière. All seven players have opted to keep the salary and terms of their respective contracts private.
Both Bettez and Deschênes played with the Stars and the Canadiennes and were a part of their CWHL Championship-winning team in 2017. Downie-Landry, Labelle, Lefort, Shanahan, and Laganière are turning pro after concluding CIS and NCAA careers.
“This is a very exciting step forward for the start of the PHF in Montreal and throughout the province of Quebec,” said Kevin Raphaël, team president. “This group is a great mix of exuberant youngsters and experienced veterans, players with character who have led their previous teams to success. It’s the start of a team that will be ready to work hard every week to win games and be a role model for the next generation. We’re not just building a hockey team, we’re building a family, and I’m extremely proud of that.”