Ottawa Charge expects second Russian player drafted in PWHL to be a 'superstar'
Article content
Naturally, Mike Hirshfeld expects much better luck with his picks — especially forward Anna Shokhina — than the Boston Fleet had with Ilona Markova last year.
Article content
Article content
'We had her as probably the fourth-most talented player in this draft,' the Charge GM said of the team's second-round pick during a recap of the evening's events at Ottawa's new Hard Rock Casino & Resort as Tuesday night turned into Wednesday morning. 'That's how highly we thought of her, so to get her at 13 was really exciting for us.
Article content
Article content
'We think she's going to be a superstar in this league and we're excited to get here and have her show her skills.'
Article content
Initially, Boston might have had similar aspirations for Markova, a skilled, then-22-year-old forward the team selected in the seventh round in 2024. But after attending training camp, she was released and returned to play in her homeland.
Article content
'Sometimes you swing (and miss) and we swung a couple times last year,' Fleet GM Danielle Marmer said. 'I think of Markova, for example, as one of those.'
Article content
So why does the Charge believe it hit one out of the park with Shokhina?
Article content
Largely because of the homework they've done on the 28-year-old, who had 30 goals and 73 points in 42 games with Dynamo-Neva St. Petersburg 'A' last season.
Article content
Also, the recommendation of Mel Davidson — the former head coach and GM of Canada's national team — who gave a thumbs up to both Shokhina and her former Dynamo linemate Fanuza Kadirova, the Charge's sixth and last pick on Tuesday.
Article content
'We put a lot of work in on both of them,' Hirshfeld said. 'Over the last month, we have talked to both of the players themselves. We have scouted some film that we found of them. We've talked to coaches and people who played in that league.
Article content
Article content
'We hired Mel as a consultant and she started working with us early in the new year. Mel has actually coached them as part of the IIHF international growth program, so she knows both the players really well.
Article content
'Fanuza is a very talented player, lots of skill, a goal scorer. We think she's going to have to deal with the physicality in this league and that's going to be a learning curve for her. But we think the upside, where we picked her in the sixth round, is incredibly high.'
Article content
'For us, it was definitely worth a shot bringing them both together,' he said. 'They're definitely not fluent, but they are learning English. But we're comfortable (with their overseas transition) because of the skill level and the talent level. Our organization has focused on international players for a long time, so we think they'll fit in really well in our culture.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
17 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
PWHL's Boston Fleet sign Kris Sparre as second head coach in franchise history
WELLESLEY, Mass. (AP) — The Boston Fleet have hired Kris Sparre as the second head coach in the PWHL franchise's history. Sparre, a 38-year-old veteran assistant with no experience in the women's game, replaces Courtney Kessel, who had a 27-19-8 record and a Walter Cup Finals appearance before leaving to take over at Princeton. Her departure leaves only two female head coaches among the PWHL's eight teams.
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
HOCKEY CANADA SEX ASSAULT TRIAL: What court heard about the accused
An Ontario judge is set to deliver her ruling Thursday in the case of five hockey players accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a London, Ont., hotel room seven years ago. Article content Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote have all pleaded not guilty to sexual assault in the June 2018 encounter, and McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault. Article content Article content Article content Prosecutors argue the woman did not voluntarily consent to any of the sexual acts that took place after several team members arrived in the room, nor did the accused players take reasonable steps to confirm that she did. Article content Here's a recap of the Crown's and defence lawyers' arguments about each player, as well as some of the key evidence. Article content Since the burden of proof is on the Crown, much of the evidence discussed was presented by the prosecutors. People accused of crimes are not required to testify or present evidence, and police statements can only be used as evidence for the person who made them. Article content Michael McLeod Article content Prosecutors allege McLeod was the one who 'orchestrated this whole sordid night,' offering sexual activities with the complainant — with whom he'd just had sex in his hotel room — to his entire team without her knowledge or consent. Article content Article content They argue he should be found guilty of being a party to the offence of sexual assault because he took steps to encourage others to sexually assault the complainant. Article content McLeod texted the team group chat shortly after 2 a.m., asking if anyone wanted to have a threesome, court heard, and offered oral sex from her to two teammates directly, one by text and the other in person. He also went out into the hallway to invite others into the room, court heard. Article content His actions were meant to give the impression that the woman was interested in taking part in sexual activity, the Crown argued. Article content McLeod also took two short videos of the complainant that he hoped would shield the group from criminal liability, the Crown said. In one, the woman says she's 'OK with this,' and in the other, that it was 'all consensual.' Article content In a 2018 interview with police, McLeod said he took the first video because he was 'kind of worried something like this might happen,' meaning the investigation. He did not tell the investigator about his text to the team group chat.
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
A timeline of sexual assault allegations against former Hockey Canada junior players
Five former members of Canada's 2018 World Junior hockey team who have been charged with sexual assault have elected to have a trial by jury, their lawyers said. Here's a timeline of events that led to former Canada world junior hockey team players Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote being charged with sexual assault. Jan. 5, 2018 — Canada's world junior hockey team defeats Sweden in the gold-medal final in Buffalo, N.Y. June 18, 2018 — Hockey Canada Foundation Gala & Golf event begins in London. June 19, 2018 — A woman's stepfather informs Hockey Canada she alleges she was sexually assaulted by eight players, including members of the world junior team, while intoxicated the previous night following the event. Hockey Canada says it spoke with its insurance provider and then informed London police, which opened an investigation. Hockey Canada subsequently opened its own third-party investigation using a Toronto law firm. June 2018 — Hockey Canada says it informed Sport Canada of the alleged incident. February 2019 — Hockey Canada says London police informed the federation its criminal investigation was closed. September 2020 — Hockey Canada says it closed its investigation. April 2022 — The woman files a statement of claim seeking $3.55 million in damages from Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League and the eight unnamed players. May 2022 — Hockey Canada settles the lawsuit with the woman for an undisclosed amount out of court. May 2022 — Hockey Canada CEO Tom Renney calls then-Minister of Sport Pascale St-Onge, whose file includes Hockey Canada, to tell her TSN will be breaking the story in the coming days. St-Onge says the conversation is the first time she's heard of the alleged incident or settlement. May 26, 2022 — TSN reports the details of the alleged assault and settlement. June 2, 2022 — St-Onge orders a forensic audit of Hockey Canada to ensure no public funds were used as part of the settlement. June 20, 2022 — Renney and then-Hockey Canada president Scott Smith are grilled by MPs during a Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage meeting about the organization's response to the situation. Smith and Renney testify the 19 players present in London were 'strongly encouraged' to speak with third-party investigators, but not mandated to do so. Hockey Canada adds it does not know the identities of the eight players in question. Smith testifies Hockey Canada has reported three sexual assault complaints in recent years, including the London incident, but won't discuss the other two in front of the committee. June 22, 2022 — St-Onge announces a freeze to Hockey Canada's federal funding until the organization discloses recommendations made by the third-party law firm and becomes a signatory to the Office of the Integrity Commissioner, a new government agency with the power to investigate abuse complaints and levy sanctions. June 22, 2022 — The House of Commons unanimously approves a Bloc Québécois motion to pursue an independent investigation that will look into how Hockey Canada dealt with the allegations. June 28, 2022 — Scotiabank announces it is pausing sponsorship of Hockey Canada. Retail giant Canadian Tire and telecommunications company Telus follow suit later in the day. Tim Hortons and Imperial Oil, under its Esso brand, join a growing list of companies to pull sponsorship dollars the next day. In October, Nike suspends its partnership and Bauer pauses its role as the official equipment provider. June 30, 2022 — Renney retires as CEO of Hockey Canada after announcing a succession plan in April that tabbed Smith to take over on July 1. July 14, 2022 — Hockey Canada says in an open letter to Canadians it is reopening a third-party investigation into the alleged 2018 assault. The sport's national federation adds participation by the players in question will be mandatory, and that anyone who declines will be banned from all activities and programs. Hockey Canada says it now requires players, coaches, team staff and volunteers associated with its high-performance program to participate in mandatory sexual violence and consent training. It will also conduct a third-party review of the organization's governance, and commits to become a full signatory to the Office of the Integrity Commissioner. Hockey Canada adds it will also create an 'independent and confidential complaint mechanism' to provide victims and survivors tools and support to come forward. July 18, 2022 — The Canadian Press is first to report Hockey Canada has maintained a fund that draws on minor hockey membership fees to pay for uninsured liabilities, including sexual abuse claims. The detail is included in a July 2021 affidavit sworn by Glen McCurdie, who was then Hockey Canada's vice-president of insurance and risk management, as part of a lawsuit launched by an injured player in Ontario. July 19, 2022 — Hockey Canada confirms the existence of the 'National Equity Fund' in a statement, adding it covers a 'broad range of expenses related to safety, wellness and equity initiatives' across the organization. 'The fund is also used to pay for the organization's insurance premiums and to cover any claims not otherwise covered by insurance policies, including those related to physical injury, harassment, and sexual misconduct,' the statement read. Hockey Canada says the fund was 'established in a manner consistent with reserve funds maintained by other large national organizations.' July 19, 2022 — Then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blasts Hockey Canada's leadership over the 'National Equity Fund' being used to settle sexual abuse claims. 'I think right now it's hard for anyone in Canada to have faith or trust in anyone at Hockey Canada,' Trudeau tells reporters on Bowen Island, B.C. 'What we're learning … is absolutely unacceptable.' July 20, 2022 — Hockey Canada says it will no longer use its 'National Equity Fund' to settle sexual assault claims. July 20, 2022 — Police in London order an internal review of their investigation into the alleged 2018 sexual assault, saying the original investigation, which concluded without charges, was 'lengthy and detailed.' July 22, 2022 — Then-London police chief Steve Williams announces his force is reopening its investigation into the alleged 2018 sexual assault. July 22, 2022 — Hockey Canada says members of its 2003 men's world junior hockey championship team are being investigated for a group sexual assault. Hockey Canada says it has contacted Halifax Regional Police about the allegations because Halifax was the co-host city of the 2003 world junior hockey championship. July 25, 2022 — Players on Canada's Olympic and world championship women's hockey teams issue a joint statement demanding a thorough investigation into the 2018 and 2003 allegations. The statement says Hockey Canada has a lot to do to address 'toxic behaviour' in the sport. The statement comes after Hockey Canada announces an 'action plan' that includes, among other measures, the implementation by the end of September of a centralized tracking and reporting system for abuse complaints. July 26, 2022 — Another round of parliamentary hearings investigating Hockey Canada's response to the 2018 allegation begins in Ottawa. Michel Ruest, a senior director at Sport Canada, says the federal organization was made aware of an alleged sexual assault involving members of Team Canada's world junior hockey team in late June 2018, but did not follow up with Hockey Canada at the time. Former NHL player and victims rights advocate Sheldon Kennedy calls for the resignation of Smith, his leadership team and the organization's board of directors. July 27, 2022 — Hockey Canada chief financial officer Brian Cairo says the organization used its National Equity Fund to pay out $7.6 million in nine settlements related to sexual assault and sexual abuse claims since 1989, with $6.8 million of that related to serial abuser Graham James. The figure does not include the undisclosed amount of the settlement related to the 2018 allegations. Smith is questioned by MPs a second time, and resists calls for his resignation from a bipartisan selection of politicians. Aug. 2, 2022 — The lawyer for the complainant in the 2018 lawsuit says his client passed a polygraph test, which was provided to the London Police, the Hockey Canada review and NHL investigators. Aug. 4, 2022 — Former Supreme Court of Canada judge Thomas Cromwell is named the head of a review into Hockey Canada's governance. Aug. 6, 2022 — Hockey Canada board chair Michael Brind'Amour resigns before his term expires in November. He says he's leaving to accelerate change and a new era for the organization. Brind'Amour was elected board chair in 2018. Aug. 9, 2022 — Toronto lawyer Andrea Skinner is appointed interim chair of Hockey Canada's board of directors. Oct. 4, 2022 - Hockey Canada's former and current board chairs defended the sporting body's leadership in a hearing before the Canadian Heritage standing committee. Former chair Michael Brind'Amour said he believes president and CEO Scott Smith has the qualities to 'do something positive for the organization.' Interim chair Andrea Skinner told the committee that hockey should not be made a 'scapegoat' or 'centrepiece' for toxic culture that exists elsewhere. Oct. 5, 2022 - Hockey Quebec says it has lost confidence in Hockey Canada and will not transfer funds to the national organization. Hockey Quebec has also decided to keep the portion of registration fees normally handed over to the national organization, which amounts to $3 per sign-up. Multiple member hockey associations follow suit in the following days. Oct. 6, 2022 - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government could step in and allow a new national body to replace scandal-plagued Hockey Canada. Oct. 8, 2022 - Andrea Skinner submits her resignation as the interim chair of Hockey Canada's board of directors. Oct. 11, 2022 - Scott Smith is out as Hockey Canada's president and CEO, the organization announced following interim recommendations from Thomas Cromwell's governance review. The board of directors also resigns. Nov. 4, 2022 - The full 221-page report of Thomas Cromwell's review is published. The report says Hockey Canada is at a 'crossroads' and calls for more oversight and accountability at the organization. Recommendations include a restructuring of the board of directors and improved organizational practices, including the taking of minutes at all Hockey Canada meetings. Dec. 17, 2022 - Hockey Canada members elect a new board of directors. Dec. 19, 2022 - Police in London, Ont., say they have grounds to believe a woman was sexually assaulted by five players on Canada's 2018 junior men's hockey team. Mar. 27, 2023 – Hockey Canada says players from the 2018 world junior hockey team will not be considered for international competition until an investigation into an alleged sexual assault involving members of the team is complete. April 16, 2023 – The federal government restores Hockey Canada's funding. July 4, 2023 – Hockey Canada appoints former Curling Canada chief executive Katherine Henderson as its next president and CEO. July 17, 2023 – Sports apparel giant Nike permanently ends its sponsor partnership with Hockey Canada that dates back to 1999. The decision comes almost two weeks after equipment brand Bauer reinstated its partnership with Hockey Canada. Nov. 18, 2023 – Hockey Canada board of directors appoints Jonathan Goldbloom as new chair, taking over from Hugh L. Fraser. Gillian Apps, Amanda Fowler, Corey Hirsch, Kristi Miller, Krista Outhwaite and Geoffrey Wong are elected as new board members. Grant Borbridge, Goldbloom and Marian Jacko are re-elected after serving on Hockey Canada's transition board of directors. Jan. 21, 2024 – Calgary Flames say forward Dillon Dube has been granted an indefinite leave to attend to his mental health and is under the care of professionals. Jan. 23, 2024 – Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart takes an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons. Jan. 24, 2024 – The Globe and Mail reports that five members of Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team have been told to surrender to police in London, Ont., to face charges of sexual assault. Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta grants former Ottawa Senators forward Alex Formenton a leave of absence for personal reasons. The New Jersey Devils say forward Michael McLeod and defenceman Foote are granted leave but do not give a reason. Jan. 26, 2024 – Hart surrenders to London Police, according to court documents. Jan. 28, 2024 – Formenton and Foote surrender to London Police, according to court documents. Video footage shows Formenton entering a London police station with his legal representation. Lead counsel Daniel Brown confirms Formenton is one of several people facing charges and says in an email, 'Alex will vigorously defend his innocence and asks that people not rush to judgment without hearing all of the evidence.' Jan. 29, 2024 – Dube surrenders to London Police, according to court documents. Jan. 30, 2024 – McLeod surrenders to London Police, according to court documents. Lawyers for McLeod, Dube, Foote and Hart confirm their clients have been charged with sexual assault. All four players say through their lawyers that they intend to plead not guilty. Jan. 31, 2024 – Charges are formally sworn in court. All five players are charged with one count of sexual assault. McLeod is charged with an additional count of being a party to the offence of sexual assault. Feb. 5, 2024 – The sexual assault case against the five players makes its first appearance in a London, Ont. court. At a press conference, London police chief Thai Truong offers an apology for how long it had taken for charges to be laid in the case. Nov. 28, 2024 –Ontario Superior Court Justice Bruce Thomas, who oversaw the pre-trial hearings in the case, rules that statements the accused players gave to Hockey Canada in 2018 can't be used in their criminal trial because they were obtained by investigator Danielle Robitaille under threat of penalties that could affect their hockey careers. April 22, 2025 – The trial for all five accused players begins in London, Ont., with Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia presiding. April 25, 2025 – Carroccia declares a mistrial just days into the proceedings. The reason is not publicly disclosed at the time, but the mistrial stemmed from a brief interaction one of the defence lawyers had with a juror during a lunch break. Carroccia found that a mistrial was necessary because it was enough that the jury had heard allegations that someone related to the trial spoke to a juror in violation of the court's instructions. A new jury is selected. April 28, 2025 – The trial begins again, with the new jury panel. May 2, 2025 – The complainant in the case, who cannot be identified under a publication ban, takes the stand for the first time in the trial. Her testimony ends up spanning nine days, including seven of cross-examination. May 16, 2025 – The trial faces another major upheaval, abruptly converting from a jury to a judge alone in order to avoid a second mistrial. Carroccia rules to discharge the jury after one juror sent a note to the judge indicating some members of the panel felt two of the defence lawyers were laughing at them as they came into court each day. The move to a judge-alone trial was initially opposed by prosecutors, who argued that switching gears weeks into their evidence could harm their case. But that changed when the judge made it clear the trial would otherwise go back to square one. June 13, 2025 – Legal arguments in the trial conclude, after prosecutors argued the complainant did not voluntarily consent to the sexual acts that took place in the room, and the players did not take reasonable steps to confirm she consented. Defence lawyers, meanwhile, argued the woman actively participated in and initiated the sexual activity, then made up allegations because she didn't want to take responsibility for her choices that night. Carroccia tells the court she will deliver her ruling on July 24. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025.
