Latest news with #EllaShelton
CBC
27-06-2025
- Sport
- CBC
An Olympic year and a contract for Fillier: 4 PWHL storylines to watch this summer
When the Minnesota Frost lifted the Walter Cup just one month ago, players across the league knew things were about to change. With the dust now settled from the PWHL's expansion draft, free-agent signing window and entry draft, it's clear that there's been a massive, league-wide roster reset. Seattle and Vancouver accumulated a wealth of talent through the expansion draft, and GMs of the existing six teams have been working to fill the gaps. With further expansion on the horizon, and lots of big contracts across the league expiring after next season, it feels like teams have to prioritize the immediate future. Long-term planning is next to impossible. "I think if you ask most of the general managers in this league, this league has transitioned a little bit now," Ottawa Charge GM Mike Hirshfeld, who prioritized draft-eligible players with previous pro experience, said on draft night. "It's really focused on winning now and players who can step in right away." All of that led to an action-packed draft day in Ottawa, where three blockbuster trades were announced. WATCH | Biggest takeaways from the PWHL Draft on Hockey North: Biggest takeaways from the PWHL Draft 2 hours ago Duration 14:28 Defender Ella Shelton is a massive addition to Toronto's defensive core, and gives the Sceptres two of the best defenders in the world. Abby Roque, meanwhile, will make Montreal harder to play against, as the Victoire look to translate regular-season success to a Walter Cup. The PWHL's signing window is now closed until July 8 at 9 a.m. With the off-season in full swing, here are four storylines to watch as we look ahead to the PWHL's third season next fall. Talent on paper There's no question that Seattle and Vancouver look like two of the strongest teams in the league. Both stockpiled young talent. Vancouver has the deepest blue line in the league, and two reliable goaltenders. Seattle, meanwhile, has a top six with skill and size in spades. But how will that translate on the ice? It's a problem Seattle GM Meghan Turner knows well, having been the assistant GM in Boston before heading west. "You can look at something on paper and then as soon as you put it on the ice, you're like, oh, we kind of need to change something," Turner said. "A lot of what I take away from my time in Boston is not everything goes as planned all the time. Injuries happen, things go differently in the season than how you might have planned." In the first season of the PWHL, it took every team time to adjust to a brand new league with a physical playing style. There are plenty of veterans on Seattle and Vancouver, but it could still take some time for everything to gel. How will Ottawa fill out its team? Ottawa lost a lot of talent in free agency and the expansion draft. Tereza Vanišová and Shiann Darkangelo, in particular, were important adds by Hirshfeld at the 2024 trade deadline, and helped the team clinch its first playoff berth. But despite the Charge's run to the PWHL Finals, both left. Vanišová signed with Vancouver and Darkangelo picked Montreal. Hirshfeld said the Charge made "compelling" offers to both players. Ultimately Vanišová wanted a new opportunity in Vancouver and Darkangelo was attracted to the idea of getting to play and compete each day with Marie-Philip Poulin in Montreal. "People want to play in Ottawa," Hirshfeld said. "People believe in this city. They love the fans in this marketplace. Again, it just came down to personal situations and personal decisions. Again, unfortunately for us, we were second a couple different times in free agency." Asked if that could be contagious, that players pick other markets over Ottawa, Hirshfeld admitted it's prompted "a lot of looking in the mirror" about what team could have done differently. "We've talked to agents," he said. "We've talked to other players around the league. We've talked to players on our team. There's some tweaks we're going to make internally to help us enhance our reputation among players around the league." Ottawa has only 12 of 23 players signed heading into the off-season break, and how he fills out the rest of the roster will be something to watch heading into next season. Hirshfeld also drafted two players out of Russia, which hasn't competed on the international stage since 2022 due to the invasion of Ukraine. Nonetheless, Anna Shokhina and Fanuza Kadirova came highly recommended by women's hockey legend Mel Davidson, who recently joined the Charge as a consultant. Will Sarah Fillier sign long term in New York? The New York Sirens look dramatically different from the team that 2024 first-overall pick, Sarah Fillier, signed a one-year contract with last year. The Sirens lost top-six forwards Alex Carpenter and Jessie Eldridge to expansion, as well as starting goaltender, Corinne Schroeder. Then, Daoust flipped Shelton to Toronto on draft night. This team is clearly built around Fillier now. But as of this writing, she doesn't have a contract for next season. Teams hold draft picks' rights for two seasons, which means Fillier can't sign with another team unless New York trades her rights. Given all the moves during the last month, there should be plenty of cap space to make a big offer to Fillier. Daoust also did a good job of rebuilding his forward group at the draft. Thanks to the Shelton trade, he was able to draft the top two forwards available: sharp-shooting Kristýna Kaltounková and Casey O'Brien, who had one of the best offensive seasons of all time at Wisconsin. WATCH | Sirens select Kaltounková with 1st pick in the 2025 Draft: New York Sirens select Kristýna Kaltounková as 1st overall pick in PHWL draft 3 days ago Duration 1:56 "Definitely when you get these players joining Sarah Fillier, we feel that we're going to have some great players on the power play, but also to create more at five-on-five," Daoust said. Whether it will be enough to convince Fillier to stay in New York long term remains to be seen. Just as GMs are thinking short term, players are doing the same. A lot of big contracts around the league are set to expire after next season, and more expansion could be on the horizon. Several players who signed with Seattle and Vancouver opted for shorter contracts, just not knowing what the future holds. An Olympic year For the first time, the PWHL will have to navigate an Olympic break in the middle of the season. The best players in the world will head to Italy to compete for Olympic gold, and it's going to be unlike no other Olympic tournament for women's hockey. For one, Team Canada hopefuls won't be moving to Calgary for months for centralization, the grueling process of trying out for and training for the Olympic team. Instead, Canadian GM Gina Kingsbury and head coach Troy Ryan will be relying more on PWHL performance as they select the team looking to defend Canada's gold medal from 2022. With many likely returnees from 2022, that may not affect team chemistry as much this time around. But it could be a game changer in the future. Another factor: So many big-name players switched teams this off-season. How will that impact their ability to make an Olympic team? Will some players get more opportunity to shine? Could others get left behind? Already, you can see how an Olympic break, combined with the additional travel that comes with having teams on the west coast, is affecting roster decisions. Several teams are leaning toward having a goaltending tandem instead of relying on one goaltender to play big minutes during a busy year. Vancouver, where Team Canada goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer is the starter, is one example. The team acquired Kristen Campbell from Toronto in a trade on draft night. "We know that [Maschmeyer] would love a good partner that can take some minutes, especially during an Olympic year," Vancouver GM Cara Gardner Morey said. "It's a long season, so we want someone that's tested and ready, and Kristen Campbell is certainly that goalie." The thinking was similar in Seattle, where the team drafted goaltender Hannah Murphy in the second round to team up with Schroeder. "Having two really solid goaltenders is very important in this league," Turner said. "I think we've seen it throughout the last two years that it's important to have goalies that can really step in and jump into the game."
National Post
27-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Toronto Sceptres draft night trade brings Ella Shelton back to plenty of familiarity
The newest veteran defender on the Toronto Sceptres looked down at the colours and crest on the jersey she was wearing and wondered aloud how long it was going to take to get used to them. Article content But the colours are going to be the only uncomfortable thing for Ella Shelton as she makes the move from the New York Sirens to the Sceptres. Article content Article content Shelton, 27, was acquired on draft night for the Sceptres third-overall pick and their third-rounder, 27 th overall. Article content It brings the Ingersoll native back to some familiar company in national team GM Gina Kingsbury, head coach Troy Ryan and players like Renata Fast, Blayre Turnbull, Emma Maltais and Natalie Spooner, who Shelton has shared plenty of days and nights with during the international portion of her career. Three world championship gold medals and an Olympic gold medal are just some of the spoils from playing with that group. Article content On top of that familiarity, she's now just a two-hour drive from the family farm, is back living in the same city with one of her brothers and has an extensive family support system throughout the area from Toronto all the way back to the family home in Ingersoll. Article content Article content Shelton learned of the deal just before Cassie Campbell took to the stage at the brand new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on the outskirts of Ottawa early on draft night and drew gasps from the crowd with the news that Shelton had just become a member of the Sceptres. Article content The gasps may have also been about New York earning the right to claim the top two forwards in the draft after adding Patty Kazmaier winner Casey O'Brien with the third pick after selecting the imposing Kristyna Kaltounkova with the night's first pick. Article content Article content All Shelton needed to see was the joy in the faces of the veteran Sceptres in the crowd as the cameras panned to them to know she was going to be very happy with the deal. Article content Article content 'I think it's really exciting to be back home,' Shelton said Friday while surrounded by microphones and cameras in the Sceptres locker room. 'I wouldn't trade my two years in New York for anything. I think they have done a lot for me there, too, but I'm excited for a new opportunity and a new space and see what I can do for Toronto.' Article content In joining Toronto, Shelton becomes a teammate of the player she most models her game after in Fast, the newly minted PWHL defender of the year. Article content 'I can't say enough good things about Renata Fast,' Shelton said. 'She is one that took me under her wing when I graduated from college. She was one I could reach out to and ask any question and I didn't feel out of place. And then just seeing her work ethic over the past couple of years has just been tremendous and very motivational for myself.
Toronto Sun
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Toronto Sceptres draft night trade brings Ella Shelton back to plenty of familiarity
Native of Ingersoll will be much closer to her family farm. Get the latest from Mike Ganter straight to your inbox New York Sirens' Ella Shelton reaches for the puck during a PWHL game. The Canadian Press The newest veteran defender on the Toronto Sceptres looked down at the colours and crest on the jersey she was wearing and wondered aloud how long it was going to take to get used to them. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account But the colours are going to be the only uncomfortable thing for Ella Shelton as she makes the move from the New York Sirens to the Sceptres. Shelton, 27, was acquired on draft night for the Sceptres third-overall pick and their third-rounder, 27th overall. It brings the Ingersoll native back to some familiar company in national team GM Gina Kingsbury, head coach Troy Ryan and players like Renata Fast, Blayre Turnbull, Emma Maltais and Natalie Spooner, who Shelton has shared plenty of days and nights with during the international portion of her career. Three world championship gold medals and an Olympic gold medal are just some of the spoils from playing with that group. On top of that familiarity, she's now just a two-hour drive from the family farm, is back living in the same city with one of her brothers and has an extensive family support system throughout the area from Toronto all the way back to the family home in Ingersoll. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Shelton learned of the deal just before Cassie Campbell took to the stage at the brand new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on the outskirts of Ottawa early on draft night and drew gasps from the crowd with the news that Shelton had just become a member of the Sceptres. The gasps may have also been about New York earning the right to claim the top two forwards in the draft after adding Patty Kazmaier winner Casey O'Brien with the third pick after selecting the imposing Kristyna Kaltounkova with the night's first pick. All Shelton needed to see was the joy in the faces of the veteran Sceptres in the crowd as the cameras panned to them to know she was going to be very happy with the deal. 'I think it's really exciting to be back home,' Shelton said Friday while surrounded by microphones and cameras in the Sceptres locker room. 'I wouldn't trade my two years in New York for anything. I think they have done a lot for me there, too, but I'm excited for a new opportunity and a new space and see what I can do for Toronto.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In joining Toronto, Shelton becomes a teammate of the player she most models her game after in Fast, the newly minted PWHL defender of the year. 'I can't say enough good things about Renata Fast,' Shelton said. 'She is one that took me under her wing when I graduated from college. She was one I could reach out to and ask any question and I didn't feel out of place. And then just seeing her work ethic over the past couple of years has just been tremendous and very motivational for myself. 'Her game is so fast and so physical on the ice and I think she has such a huge impact on the ice as well as in the locker room, I'd love to try and mimic my game around what she does and try to do that things she is doing,' Shelton added. That said, Shelton brings her own impressive resume from New York. No defender in the league has scored more goals or amassed more points over the two years the league has been up and running than Shelton. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But very much like Fast's progression, the offence is relatively new to her game. 'When I think of my college days, I was a very defensive defender,' Shelton said. 'I still produced, but Clarkson's biggest thing was defence and being really solid in that because once you have that, it is so easy to go and play in the offensive zone. I think knowing now that I have that solidified and being able to still work on it, it's something in my offensive game that I really want to continue to grow. 'People love to see goals being scored. People love to see creative things being done so for me to continue to find different ways to produce would be awesome especially in the offensive zone. Just using my strengths – my speed, my feet and my size — and doing all that while on being on the blue line can be a challenge but I'm up for the challenge.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More The bigger challenge may be avoiding those calls from her dad asking her to come home to the farm and help with the planting or, heaven forbid, the rock-picking duties that are an annual part of the farm calendar. 'My dad will be 'Well, you're just down the street now, you can just come join us.'' Shelton said. 'But I love going back home and being on the farm. It will be nice to pop down the street and go and help drive a tractor if they need that or maybe I'll just drive one for fun.' Shelton is thrilled to be back in a hockey situation where her family is so close. 'Every time I've come to Toronto (as a member of the Sirens) it was fun to see familiar faces up in the stands and now I get to do that on a consistent basis,' she said. 'I'm really excited about this locker room too. Being really familiar with a lot of players and the staff itself, it feels really homey.' It won't be long at all before that royal blue and that golden Sceptre on her chest feels every bit as familiar as her former jersey. mganter@ Canada Toronto Maple Leafs Music Toronto Raptors Toronto Raptors
National Post
25-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
A banner day at PWHL entry draft resets Toronto Sceptres roster
There is a pillow calling Gina Kingsbury's name following today's PWHL Awards ceremony and she can't wait to accept the invitation. Article content Like all the various decision-makers in the PWHL, the Sceptres GM has been burning the midnight oil for weeks now as the league went through the business of adding two expansion teams into the league on equal footing while still doing the work necessary to prepare for a six-round entry draft. Article content Article content Kingsbury and her staff arrived in Ottawa needing to fill some big holes in their lineup, solve an overcrowded goaltending situation and basically get the organization back on solid footing after enduring the roller-coaster ride that was the expansion process. Article content Kingsbury should sleep well in the coming days because it appears she has addressed all of those needs. Article content It began with a move that will likely not get the attention it deserves given how divided the attention of the league's followers was on draft night with all the new faces coming into the league. Article content Article content While teams were stockpiling potential in the young college stars or in some cases veteran international talents, Kingsbury and the Sceptres dealt away their first pick, third overall, to acquire 27-year-old defender Ella Shelton from New York. Article content Shelton has long been a favourite of both Kingsbury and Sceptres coach Troy Ryan, who have seen her talent up close for years as a member of the Canadian national team. Article content Article content But the Ingersoll native, who always has seemed like a natural fit in Toronto, wound up in New York in the inaugural draft and thrived in the Big Apple even as the Sirens themselves struggled to find consistency. Article content Article content Shelton easily is among the top five defenders in the league and joins another in that group in Toronto with Renata Fast, giving Ryan and his coaching staff a pair of defenders capable of doing whatever the team needs most at any given moment in a game. Article content In a league that is morphing more and more to a win-now mode given the roster upheaval expansion brings — and don't kid yourself, more is coming, next year if not the one after that — getting a league-proven star at the very top of her game is good business. Article content 'Bringing Ella to Toronto is something we are really excited about,' Kingsbury began in her post-draft interview. 'We have always wanted Ella Shelton in Toronto. I think anyone would want Ella Shelton in their lineup. Article content 'Once we saw (Sirens GM Pascal Daoust) was having more and more signings on the defensive side, we thought he would be more willing to let go one of his (more accomplished) defenders,' Kingsbury said. 'So, we started to have conversations about what that would look like and eventually came to an agreement.'
National Post
25-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Toronto Sceptres make noise at PWHL draft, trade for top New York Sirens defender Ella Shelton
OTTAWA — The Toronto Sceptres didn't own the first-overall pick in the PWHL draft, but they certainly stole the thunder in Ottawa last night. Article content With Patty Kazmaier Award winner Casey O'Brien still on the board, the Sceptres turned the draft on its head early by trading the No. 3 pick in the draft to the New York Sirens for defender Ella Shelton. Article content Article content New York also received Toronto's fourth-round pick in the deal. Article content Then just as the draft was settling into a bit of a routine, the Sceptres shook things up again. Toronto dealt its starting goaltender, Kristen (Soupy) Campbell, of its first two seasons to Vancouver for the expansion club's second- and third-round picks (16th and 23rd overall), while also giving up their own third-round pick (19th overall). Article content The move is a good one for both Campbell and the Sceptres. Campbell gets a fresh start in Vancouver alongside national squad teammate Emerance Maschmeyer. Campbell had a rocky finish to an up-and -down tenure with the Sceptres as she was on the bench for Toronto's final game of the playoffs after tough Games 2 and 3 in the semifinal loss to Minnesota. Article content Campbell had a tonne of good moments in the Toronto net, but with the signing of former Montreal netminder Elaine Chuli and Raygan Kirk somehow avoiding being selected in the expansion draft, the writing was on the wall for Campbell's future in Toronto. Article content Shelton, meanwhile, has been one of the top defenders in the PWHL since the league began and even scored the first goal in league history against her new club. Article content She is very familiar to Toronto's braintrust, having played a prominent role on Canada's national women's team where Sceptres GM Gina Kingsbury and head coach Troy Ryan held the same roles. Article content In a year in which defenders were flying around at the expansion draft, then again during free agency, building a reliable, consistent blue line has become a priority for teams. Article content The Sceptres lost a key defender in Megan Carter, last year's second-rounder, when she went to Seattle in the expansion draft. Article content With no disrespect intended to Carter, who had a very solid first year in the league, Shelton is an unquestioned upgrade at this position for the Sceptres. Article content Like Renata Fast, who is expected to walk away with the league's defender of the year honour at Wednesday's awards, Shelton is a strong two-way defender as capable of jumping into the rush and providing offence as she is protecting her own end.
