The 2017–18 NWHL season was the third season of the National Women's Hockey League. All four teams from the previous two seasons returned for this season: the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, and the Metropolitan Riveters.
League news and notes In October 2017, the Russian women's national team participated in exhibition series, called the 2017 Summit Series, going 5–0 against the Pride, Riveters, and Whale. The Beauts played one game against the Chinese national team, which the Beauts won 4–2. A Battle of the Sexes match was scheduled between the Buffalo Beauts and Buffalo Jr. Sabres 15U youth team for October 16 with the Jr. Sabres 15U winning 9–4. On October 5, the New York Riveters partnered with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League. The Riveters, having played in Newark, New Jersey, the previous season, rebranded as the Metropolitan Riveters. As part of the partnership, the Riveters had their opening home game at the Prudential Center. On December 14, the NWHL announced that they are playing USA Hockey Women's National Team in Tampa Bay for two exhibition matches for January playing at the U.S. Women's National Team's training complex at Florida Hospital Center Ice. On December 21, the Buffalo Beauts were acquired by their landlord, Pegula Sports and Entertainment; Pegula owns several sports teams in the Buffalo area, including the NHL's Buffalo Sabres.
Head coaching and front office personnel changes Head coaches Team 2016–17 head coach 2017–18 replacement Notes Boston Pride Bobby Jay Thomas Pöck Former NHL player and Austrian-born Pöck became the first European coach in NWHL history.
Regular season News and notes
Brittany Ott of the Boston Pride and Amanda Leveille of the Buffalo Beauts served as team captains for the 3rd NWHL All-Star Game.
Standings Final standings. Metropolitan Riveters 161330643026 Buffalo Beauts 161240514124 Boston Pride 16484334812 Connecticut Whale 16311226558
Playoffs
Awards and honors Alexa Gruschow, Metropolitan Riveters, 2018 NWHL Most Valuable Player Alexa Gruschow, Metropolitan Riveters, 2018 NWHL Scoring Champion Jillian Dempsey, Boston Pride, 2018 NWHL Denna Laing Perseverance Award Courtney Burke, Metropolitan Riveters, 2018 NWHL Defensive Player of the Year Award Amanda Leveille, Buffalo Beauts, 2018 NWHL Goaltender of the Year Hayley Scamurra, Buffalo Beauts, 2018 NWHL Rookie of the Year
Player of the Week Day Awarded Player TeamOctober 30, 2017 Miye D'OenchMetropolitan RivetersNovember 6, 2017 Alexa GruschowMetropolitan RivetersNovember 13, 2017 Taylor AccursiBuffalo BeautsNovember 20, 2017 Kelly BabstockConnecticut WhaleDecember 4, 2017 Alyssa GagliardiMetropolitan RivetersDecember 11, 2017 Kelly NashMetropolitan RivetersDecember 18, 2017 Courtney BurkeMetropolitan RivetersJanuary 8, 2018 Kaylyn SchrokaBuffalo BeautsJanuary 22, 2018 Katie FitzgeraldMetropolitan RivetersJanuary 29, 2018 Amanda LeveilleBrittany OttBuffalo BeautsBoston PrideFebruary 5, 2018 Emily FlukeHayley ScamurraConnecticut WhaleBuffalo BeautsFebruary 21, 2018 Maddie EliaBuffalo BeautsFebruary 28, 2018 Emily FieldKourtney KunichikaBoston PrideBuffalo BeautsMarch 5, 2018 Dana Trivigno Boston PrideMarch 12, 2018 Sarah EdneyMadison PackerBuffalo BeautsMetropolitan Riveters
Draft The 2017 NWHL draft was the third in the history of the National Women's Hockey League and took place on August 17, 2017, in Brooklyn. Goaltender Katie Burt of Boston College was selected first overall by the Boston Pride. It marked the first time that the Boston Pride held the first pick overall in the draft, which the franchise obtained from the Connecticut Whale in the trade that sent Zoe Hickel to the Whale on February 7, 2017.
Player (Pos) Team Nationality Former team 1 1 Katie Burt (G) Boston Pride Boston College Eagles (Hockey East) 1 2 Kennedy Marchment (F) Buffalo Beauts St. Lawrence (ECAC) 1 3 Taylar Cianfrano (F) New York Riveters Quinnipiac Bobcats (ECAC) 1 4 Kenzie Kent (F) Boston Pride Boston College (HEA) 2 5 Sam Donovan (F) Connecticut Whale Brown Bears (ECAC) 2 6 Savannah Harmon (D) Buffalo Beauts Clarkson (ECAC) 2 7 Victoria Bach (F) New York Riveters Boston University (HEA) 2 8 Mallory Souliotis (D) Boston Pride Yale (ECAC) 3 9 Eden Murray (F) Connecticut Whale Yale Bulldogs (ECAC) 3 10 Brittany Howard (F) Buffalo Beauts Robert Morris (CHA) 3 11 McKenna Brand (F) New York Riveters Northeastern Huskies (HEA) 3 12 Lexie Laing (F) Boston Pride Harvard Crimson (ECAC) 4 13 Denisa Křížová (F) Connecticut Whale Northeastern (HEA) 4 14 Annika Zalewski (F) Buffalo Beauts Colgate Raiders (ECAC) 4 15 Toni Ann Miano (D) New York Riveters Boston College (HEA) 4 16 Lauren Kelly (D) Boston Pride Northeastern (HEA) 5 17 Nina Rodgers (F) Connecticut Whale Boston University (HEA) 5 18 Amy Schlager (D) Buffalo Beauts New Hampshire Wildcats (HEA) 5 19 Rebecca Leslie (F) New York Riveters Boston University (HEA) 5 20 Julia Fedeski (D) Boston Pride New Hampshire Wildcats (HEA)
References
External links