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New York Post
27-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Casey O'Brien had homecoming dream fulfilled as Sirens' draft pick
Sitting with her family at Tuesday's PWHL Draft in Ottawa, Ontario, Casey O'Brien was talking through her most likely landing spots — Toronto, Montreal or Ottawa — when she learned the Sirens had traded up for the third pick. 'Oh, my god,' she thought to herself. 'Wait, am I going to New York?' O'Brien knew there was a good chance. And when the Sirens confirmed her suspicions by picking her a few moments later, she felt a mix of 'shock and excitement.' Advertisement Casey O'Brien was drafted by the Sirens. NCAA Photos via Getty Images 'I think I blacked out,' O'Brien told reporters Wednesday, overlooking the city from the observation deck atop Rockefeller Center. 'We were kind of just sitting there, trying to stay calm, not be too nervous, and then the trade happens.' Moments after selecting Czech forward Kristyna Kaltounkova first overall, the Sirens traded forward Ella Shelton to Toronto for the Nos. 3 and 27 picks, setting the stage for O'Brien's selection. The 5-foot-4 forward out of Wisconsin said she had 'great conversations' with Sirens management ahead of the draft, but she had no idea New York would trade up for her. Advertisement It was the result she secretly had hoped for all along, because she grew up in SoHo and learned to play hockey at the Chelsea Piers sports complex, which she called 'the rink that built me.' O'Brien would take constant trips to Chelsea Piers, even before she learned to skate, because her older brothers, Jack and Max, played hockey there, and her dad, James, coached the house league team. 'I always wanted to do what they were doing, so they let me hop on the ice with them, and I immediately fell in love with the game,' she said. Advertisement She eventually shipped off to Minnesota prep powerhouse Shattuck St. Mary's in 2017, where she posted 211 points in 122 games over a three-season stretch. Casey O'Brien played collegiately at Wisconsin. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images She continued to excel with Wisconsin, winning three national titles in five seasons and earning the Patty Kazmaier Award as the best collegiate player after a terrific senior season. Now, after eight years of starring on winning teams, she'll look to help the Sirens develop a winning culture after two seasons at the bottom of the standings. Advertisement 'We're not looking at the past at all. None of the players are. I don't think the management is either,' O'Brien said. 'We're coming in with a blank slate, and we're ready to get going together.' The 23-year-old will get to do so with several teammates she knows, including Sarah Fillier, Anne Cherkowski and Makenna Webster, a longtime teammate O'Brien described as her 'best friend in the world.' 'I think most of these players I've at least shared the ice with at one point or another, and we're all familiar with each other,' O'Brien said. 'And so I think we're going to all have chemistry right away.'
USA Today
26-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Women's hockey star Casey O'Brien reflects on PWHL draft: 'Dream come true'
Casey O'Brien, who recently celebrated her victory in the 2025 NCAA women's ice hockey national championship with the Wisconsin Badgers, has achieved yet another milestone in her career. She was selected as the third overall pick in the 2025 PWHL Draft, marking a significant moment for both O'Brien and the New York Sirens. O'Brien's career is highlighted by several notable achievements, including breaking school records with a total of 88 points, comprised of 26 goals and 62 assists. One of the most prestigious honors O'Brien has received is the 2025 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. This award is presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey and recognizes exceptional individual and team skills, sportsmanship, and a passion for the game—qualities that O'Brien exemplifies. "I come from a family of hockey players with my dad and brothers. Their love for the game is what got me on the ice and ignited my passion for hockey," O'Brien said. "Their support and guidance have been instrumental in my career." Since capping off an impressive fifth-year at Wisconsin, O'Brien was a top pick for the New York Sirens in the 2025 PWHL Draft. The professional ice hockey league for women was established in 2023 and began its inaugural season the same year. "This entire year feels unreal. For two years, we heard that this league could become a reality, and when it did, I realized that I could take the next step in my career," O'Brien said. "There was no place I preferred to go ahead of the draft, and it couldn't have been scripted better for me and my family than hearing my name called to play for my hometown team." New York Sirens select Casey O'Brien third overall In the 2025 PWHL Draft, the New York Sirens selected Casey O'Brien, the 2025 Patty Kazmaier Award winner and a center forward, with the third overall pick. This selection was part of a trade that sent veteran defender Ella Shelton to the Toronto Sceptres in exchange for Toronto's third overall pick. "Now, returning to New York as a professional player and giving back to the community that shaped me is truly a dream come true," O'Brien said. When does the PWHL season start? The 2025 season schedule for the Professional Women's Hockey League has not yet been released. However, last season began on Saturday, November 30th, and consisted of 90 games, with each team playing 30 regular-season games.
Boston Globe
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Meet the Boston Fleet's six PWHL draft picks
Here's a look at the Fleet's six picks in order of selection. Round 1, pick 2: Haley Winn, D, Clarkson After losing three defenders during free agency, the Fleet opted to bolster their blue line by selecting Winn with their first pick. Winn, who hails from Rochester, N.Y., led Clarkson in scoring and finished second among NCAA defenders last season with 46 points (14 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games. During her final season with the Golden Knights, she was named a Patty Kazmaier Award finalist, a first-team All-American, and the ECAC Player and Defender of the Year. Just 21, Winn joins the Fleet with plenty of international experience. Alongside Fleet teammates Aerin Frankel and Megan Keller, Winn has represented Team USA at three consecutive women's world championships, winning one silver medal (2024) and two golds ('23, '25). Advertisement 'I'm pumped. It's everyone's dream to play in this league, and I'm pumped to go to Boston,' Winn said. 'It's incredible. I can't put it into words when your name is called.' Related : Round 2, pick 10: Ella Huber, F, Minnesota As captain of the Gophers last season, Huber tallied a career-high 48 points (15 goals, 33 assists) in 42 games. She'll likely bolster the Fleet's bottom six in her first professional season, though she could challenge for a top-six role. Advertisement An agile skater who likes to play around the net, Huber thrives at defensive faceoffs. Huber won 60.2 percent of draws in the defensive zone last season, second in the nation behind only No. 1 pick Kaltounkova. Round 3, pick 18: Olivia Mobley, F, Minnesota Duluth The Fleet added another offensive weapon in Mobley, who made it to Duluth by way of Ohio State and Quinnipiac. The Minnesota native played three seasons with Quinnipiac, where she totaled 34 goals and 51 assists in 93 games. She then played a season at Ohio State, posting 27 points (9 goals, 18 assists) en route to a national championship before transferring to Minnesota Duluth for her last year of eligibility. Round 4, pick 26: Riley Brengman, D, Ohio State Another member of the 2024 NCAA champion Buckeyes, Brengman skated in 168 career games with Ohio State across five seasons, picking up 14 goals and 47 assists. '[I'm] super honored and grateful to be a part of such an amazing, incredible organization,' Brengman said in a video posted to Related : Brengman and sixth-round pick Amanda Thiele will join former Buckeyes Hadley Hartmetz and Liz Schepers in Boston. Round 5, pick 34: Abby Newhook, F, Boston College A BC star is staying local, as the Fleet selected a two-way forward in Newhook. In 142 games with the Eagles, Newhook scored 55 goals to go with 58 assists. She was the Hockey East Rookie of the Year in 2021-22 and served as BC's captain the past two seasons. Advertisement Boston College captain Abby Newhook (right), shown battling against Harvard's Emma Buckles in the 2022 Beanpot final, will stay local after the Fleet chose her in Tuesday's PWHL Draft. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Round 6, pick 42: Amanda Thiele, G, Ohio State The Fleet rounded out their draft class with a goaltender to play behind Frankel. Thiele finished her five-year stint at Ohio State as the winningest goaltender in program history with 73 career wins. She backstopped the Buckeyes to a 2022 NCAA title and led them back to the national championship game in '25. Thiele finished last season with a .887 save percentage. Emma Healy can be reached at
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
PWHL Draft 2025: Best picks, biggest surprises and why New York stole the show
OTTAWA – Pascal Daoust started Tuesday night's PWHL Draft under a microscope. The New York franchise Daoust has constructed since the league's inaugural draft in 2023 finished last in the league standings two years in a row. He left American star forward Alex Carpenter unprotected in expansion and left many fans confused by his choice to stockpile defenders at the expense of the team's forward talent. Advertisement Understandably, a lot of pre-draft chatter was about what exactly Daoust might be doing. But three picks into the first-round – and certainly by the end of the night, with two trades and nine selections, including two of the top three players available – Daoust was at the winner's table. He started by selecting Kristýna Kaltounková with the No. 1 pick, adding a physical forward with international experience and a heavy shot to bring more offense to the Sirens lineup. It was hardly a surprising pick given Kaltounková's experience with New York head coach Greg Fargo from Colgate University. But then came the first big move of the night: New York sent defender Ella Shelton to Toronto in exchange for the No. 3 pick and a fourth-round pick. With the No. 3 pick, Daoust selected Patty Kazmaier Award winner Casey O'Brien, adding a gifted playmaker and highly productive college forward to the early haul. He leveraged a position of strength to draft the two best forwards coming out of the NCAA. Advertisement 'Coming here, I didn't have one specific plan. I was open-minded,' Daoust told . 'But the closer we got to the draft, the more I knew where I could do some shopping, and I knew that I started my own boutique 'Rent-A-D (dot) com' so I was kind of popular on the phone. 'I was patient, and there was a way for me to flip some strength from the D to put it on the forward side and that was the intent tonight.' Later in the evening, Daoust traded forward Abby Roque, who was inconsistent in New York, to Montreal in exchange for defensive forward Kristin O'Neill and a fourth-round pick. When the deal was announced, there were audible gasps throughout the crowd. The Sirens looked good on paper the last two years but couldn't quite figure things out on the ice. And there are many months until the 2025-26 season to figure out if Daoust truly pulled off the turnaround it looks like New York should have. Regardless, the Sirens and their GM stole the show for most of the 2025 PWHL Draft. Advertisement But that doesn't mean there weren't other surprises or picks to unpack around the league. Let's get into it. New York Sirens New York had a big day with several meaningful additions to the roster. Kaltounková and O'Brien highlight the list, but Anne Cherkowski and Makenna Webster — who is also an elite field hockey player — are also strong two-way forwards who could scale the top-nine and add the kind of consistent secondary scoring that had been missing over the last two seasons. Dayle Ross should be a good shutdown defender for a blue line with a lot of offensive talent. Taking Anna Bargman — a solid two-way potential bottom-six forward from Yale — in the sixth round was a savvy way to round out a new look forward corps. Best pick: Casey O'Brien (Round 1, No. 3) Getting O'Brien at No. 3 feels like a steal. She was the most dominant forward in college hockey last season and put together a historic offensive season. She's an elite playmaker and has shown she has easy chemistry with elite scoring wingers (like Kirsten Simms at Wisconsin), which could make O'Brien a perfect fit at center beside Sarah Fillier. Advertisement Biggest surprise: Drafting two goalies Projecting goaltenders – how many get drafted and where they might land – is always a tricky exercise. I figured at least three goalies would go, given most teams needed back-ups after the expansion draft movement. But I'll admit I didn't see New York drafting both Callie Shanahan and Kaley Doyle coming, With former No. 1 Corinne Schroeder now in Seattle and backup Abbey Levy signing in Boston, maybe it shouldn't have been a big surprise that New York wanted to solidify its goalie depth chart. If nothing else, the selections set up what could be an interesting crease behind Kayle Osborne next season. Boston Fleet Boston put together a solid draft, filling some of the big holes left in the wake of expansion. On Tuesday night, Marmer said every person they drafted is 'somebody who fits into our lineup.' Advertisement That starts more obviously with No. 2 pick Haley Winn, a dynamic offensive defender who led Clarkson in scoring this season, even from the blue line. Riley Brengman is more of a third-pair option, but should shore up Boston's depth on the blue line at five-on-five and the penalty kill. At forward, Ella Huber, Olivia Mobley and Abby Newhook could add some offense back into the lineup after losing Hilary Knight and Hannah Bilka. Mobley was among the top goalscorers available out of college and only O'Brien and Kaltounková had more points than Huber (48) among draft eligibles. Best pick: Ella Huber (Round 2, No. 10) The most impactful pick next year is surely going to be Winn, but we can't just pick all the first-rounders here. And Huber at 10th overall is a nice pickup by Marmer. Huber is a versatile forward who adds some necessary speed to Boston's lineup. She'll also be able to play multiple different roles for the Fleet, either as a third-line checking forward or the 1C beside a star winger, like she's done for years beside Abbey Murphy at Minnesota. Advertisement Biggest surprise: Abby Newhook (Round 5, No. 34) The Boston College forward was listed as one of the league's top prospects, but fell to Round 5, where Marmer said she was 'wildly surprised' to see her still available. Newhook is a high-skill player who coaches call a total work horse. Her production last season doesn't jump off the page, but she can elevate her game when playing with elite players and could find success in Boston as a result. 'I think people are going to be surprised by the success that she can have in this league,' Marmer said. Toronto Sceptres Toronto certainly got bigger through the draft with four out of five players measuring at least 5-foot-9 and one (Emma Gentry) as tall as 5-foot-11. GM Gina Kingsbury said it wasn't a priority to simply add size, but it was the size mixed with the skill and upside of each player that drew them to Toronto. Gentry, for example, has pro size, is a physical competitor and has a nose for the net. Clara Van Wieren is another physically imposing center, but is also coming off a 40-point NCAA season. Advertisement The Sceptres also made a trade splash sending Kristen Campbell and the 19th overall pick to Vancouver in exchange for the 16th and 23rd picks. The move looks like a win-win for a team that wanted more stability in the crease, and a player who probably needed a fresh start. Best pick: Sara Hjalmarsson (Round 5, No. 35) Hjalmarsson went undrafted last season, and might have flown under the radar compared to some college forwards after playing the last two seasons in the SDHL. She's a good offensive player and brings size (5-foot-9) to the lineup. Hjalmarsson is good at the net front and projects to be a solid bottom-six power forward for Toronto, which would fill the hole left by Julia Gosling in expansion. Biggest surprise: The Shelton trade Heading into the draft, Toronto's biggest need was arguably at forward after losing Sarah Nurse, Hannah Miller, Izzy Daniel and Gosling in expansion and free agency. But instead of drafting a top forward at No. 3, the Sceptres swerved and traded for a defender. Advertisement According to Kingsbury, the Shelton deal and the one to move Campbell were connected. She also said moving Campbell and acquiring another second-round pick gave the team 'more courage' to give up their first-round pick and go after a defender. That Shelton was available at all is a bit of a surprise, too, but was likely the only defender who would elicit such a strong return for New York. Shelton was a finalist for Defender of the Year just last season and led all defenders in goals this season (8). Her addition solidifies the Toronto blue line and will allow No. 1 defender Renata Fast to not play quite as much as she has over the last two seasons. Montreal Victoire Montreal did a nice job adding a mix of skill and depth through the draft. Selecting Nicole Gosling was a great start at No. 4. She's a cerebral defender and broke Erin Ambrose's all-time scoring record at Clarkson with 148 career points. Natalie Mlýnková should add some goal scoring to the top-six while Skylar Irving and Maya Labad could be excellent bottom-six additions. On the blueline, Tamara Giaquinto, the Big East Defender of the Year, was a solid final round pick. Advertisement Best pick: Natálie Mlýnková (Round 2, No. 12) With four defenders going in the first round, some top forwards dropped out of the first round, including Mlýnková, a gifted goal scorer from the University of Minnesota. She's a smaller forward but is slippery with the puck, can escape small areas and is good at finding soft spots in the offensive zone to get her shot off. In Montreal, Mlýnková could be a scoring winger beside Marie-Philip Poulin, or add much-needed secondary scoring from Line 2. Biggest surprise: The Roque trade For all the talk about New York, Montreal acquiring Abby Roque might be the most interesting thing that happened on draft night. She's an American forward who opponents hate to play against, and she's had her fair share of physical run-ins with Poulin. GM Danièle Sauvageau said when the offer first came to her, she thought, But as she thought more she realized that Roque could be a strong 2C for Montreal, which made the deal work. Advertisement And while it was surely hard to trade O'Neill, Roque could also be a more consistent offensive center than O'Neill had been, with a similar grit and sandpaper to her game. Ottawa Charge Ottawa's draft class was interesting. First, they added Rory Guilday, the 5-foot-11 shutdown defender from Cornell University, at No. 5 to beef up the blue line. Then GM Mike Hirshfeld took a swing at Russian forward Anna Shokhina with their second-round pick, and later added her compatriot 27-year-old forward Fanuza Kadirova. Sarah Wozniewicz, one of the best checking forwards in college, was a perfect Ottawa Charge selection, especially given her connection to coach Carla MacLeod, who coached Wozniewicz in high school. Peyton Hemp, a consistent top-six forward at Minnesota was also a nice pick up. Goalie Sanni Ahola also adds depth behind No. 1 goalie Gwyneth Philips. Advertisement Best pick: Sanni Ahola (Round 5, No. 37) It was surprising to see Ahola drop to the fifth round behind two other goalies. She's been Finland's No. 1 goalie at women's worlds the last few years and was unbelievable in 2024, making the third-most saves (169) in the tournament to get Finland back on the podium. She was also named WCHA Goalie of the Year in 2023-24 after posting five shutouts and a .935 save percentage. Ahola had a down year at St. Cloud this season, which is probably why she dropped, but Ottawa did well to pick her up. 'To see her still available at that point, we were a little bit surprised, to be honest with you,' said Hirshfeld. 'But absolutely thrilled to get her and think she'll be a really terrific backup for (Philips).' Advertisement Biggest surprise: Anna Shokhina (Round 2, No. 13) A star in Russia, Shokhina was a wild card heading into Tuesday night's draft. She has led the top league in Russia in scoring six times and has been named MVP once. She's a highly skilled winger who looked to be a worthwhile late-round bet. But Hirshfeld — who called Shokhina the fourth most talented player in the draft — jumped at the chance to draft her in the second round. It's still a question about how her game might translate, given the varied quality of the ZhHL and PWHL, but Hirshfeld was steadfast that Shokhina is 'going to be a superstar in this league.' Minnesota Frost Minnesota's top priority on Tuesday was rebuilding the blue line after losing four lineup regulars — Sophie Jaques, Claire Thompson, Mellissa Chanell-Watkins and Maggie Flaherty — from the 2025 championship team. In the first-round, the Frost drafted for need, selecting an offensive-minded defender in Kendall Cooper. Then drafted a pair of right-shot defenders in Ava Rinker, a quick transitional player, and Brooke Becker, a more physical defender, in the later rounds. Advertisement Best pick: Abby Hustler (Round 2, No. 14) General manager Melissa Caruso said she was 'shocked' Hustler was available to Minnesota at 14th overall. She has good size (5-foot-9) and is a great power forward, which could fill the void left by Brooke McQuigge being taken by Vancouver. Hustler has a pro shot and good feel for the puck around the net. Only Kaltounková and O'Brien had more goals last season than Hustler's 19 among college draft eligibles. She should be a seamless fit in Minnesota's middle-six. Biggest surprise: Anna Segedi (Round 3, No. 22) Segedi is a very smart center who is strong on faceoffs. She was captain at St. Lawrence as a fifth-year senior this season and has international experience playing for China at women's worlds and at the 2022 Olympics. Maybe the hope is that Segedi will replace Denisa Křížová as a bottom-six center, but the third-round felt like a bit of a reach for a depth center. PWHL Vancouver After so much buzz around the expansion draft and free agency, Vancouver had a relatively quiet draft night — save for trading for Campbell and drafting one of the very best European forwards of all-time in Michelle Karvinen. Advertisement Cara Gardner Morey rounded out those moves with depth on defense, drafting well-rounded defender Nina Jobst-Smith from Minnesota-Duluth, and at forward with Brianna Brooks, a 5-foot-9 right-shot forward from Penn State. Best pick: Michelle Karvinen (Round 1, No. 7) The Karvinen pick was the kind of savvy win-now move we've already come to expect from Gardner Morey as general manager. The 35-year old forward is still skilled and was productive in the SDHL last season. She's a good skater, smart with the puck and has good hands in tight, particularly around the net. She might not play as long as some of the younger forwards taken in Round 2, but rather than estimating a players development path, Gardner Morey – and Vancouver head coach Brian Idalski who coached Karvinen at North Dakota – will know exactly what they're getting out of the veteran next season. Biggest Surprise: Chanreet Bassi (Round 6, No. 48) With the final pick in the draft, Vancouver selected a B.C. born forward and University of British Columbia standout Chanreet Bassi. She was the only USports player drafted this year and becomes just the sixth all-time to be taken in a PWHL Draft. Bassi is also the first South Asian player to be drafted in the PWHL. Advertisement She finished top three in conference scoring each of her last four years playing in Canada West and can play a gritty physical style of hockey in Vancouver's bottom-six. It was a nice pick for a local player who will get a good shot at a depth role in training camp. PWHL Seattle With so much elite talent joining Seattle out of the expansion signing period and draft, such as Hilary Knight and Carpenter, GM Meghan Turner mostly focused on adding depth and complementary pieces to all three positions. Ohio State's Jenna Buglioni is a hard-working center who can play up and down the lineup. Hannah Murphy can be a solid No. 2 behind Corinne Schroeder. Lyndie Lobdell, a right-shot from Penn State can add depth to the blueline that already includes Cayla Barnes and Aneta Tejralová. While forward Jada Habisch and Olivia Wallin could be useful bottom-six players. 'We have a strong group of elite players,' said Turner. 'And I think this group is going to complement that group we already have very well.' Advertisement Best Pick: Hannah Murphy (Round 2, No. 15) At this point in the draft, there were still some solid forwards available like Kiara Zanon and Makenna Webster. But with Buglioni taken in the first-round, I actually really like the Murphy selection in Round 2. She was 's top goalie available after posting an outstanding .939 save percentage in her final year at Colgate. Murphy is a good sized, athletic, and technically sound goalie. With Seattle being on the west coast and so much projected travel, it's going to be key to have two good goaltenders. Murphy should be able to take some of the workload off Schroeder, if not become a reliable 1B in a tandem. Biggest Surprise: Olivia Wallin (Round 6, No. 47) Wallin was perhaps the biggest faller of the night, being selected by Seattle with their sixth and final pick in the draft. She scored 40 points for the University of Minnesota-Duluth last season, which was tied for the team lead with Clara Van Wieren, who was taken in the third-round by Toronto. Turner didn't seem surprised that Wallin was still available at that point in the draft, which speaks to the question marks some evaluators raised about Wallin's ability to progress as a pro forward. Advertisement Still, at her best, Wallin has a knack for scoring and Turner said she was happy with the selection. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. NHL, Women's Hockey 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hall of Fame call 'beyond my ultimate dream,' says Manitoba hockey star Jennifer Botterill
One of Manitoba's most decorated athletes will now be able to call herself a Hockey Hall of Famer. Jennifer Botterill — who was born in Ottawa but raised in Winnipeg — was announced Tuesday as a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame's class of 2025. She joins seven others who will become Hall of Fame members at an induction ceremony in Toronto in November. Botterill and Brianna Decker will become the 13th and 14th female players inducted into the hall. "I do feel like it's the ultimate honour of recognition," Botterill told CBC News Tuesday afternoon. "It's the highest recognition you can receive in the sport." Her hall of fame resume is extensive. After graduating from Winnipeg's St. John's-Ravenscourt, she starred on the ice at Harvard University, racking up hundreds of points en route to becoming the only player to win the Patty Kazmaier Award twice — a recognition for the top player in women's NCAA Division 1 hockey. Botterill also collected gold medals at three different winter Olympic Games with Team Canada, and is a five-time world champion, where she won two tournament MVP awards. She played professionally before retiring in 2011 and now works as a television broadcaster, among other ventures. "To be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, I think, is beyond my ultimate dream," she said. Botterill found out about her upcoming induction on Tuesday, while out with her family and parents at West Hawk Lake in eastern Manitoba. Her father, Cal, chuckled as he recounted how difficult it was to reach her when the Hall of Fame came calling. The family was out for a boat ride, he said. "She wasn't answering the phone, so we got a couple of calls from Jason, her brother, saying, 'Tell Jennifer to answer her phone,'" he said with a laugh. When they got to the dock, another call came from Hockey Hall of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald and selection committee chair Ron Francis, Botterill said. After the call, she celebrated with her family, including her husband and daughters, who were jumping up and down on the edge of the dock, she said. "I think my heart … just felt like it was bursting," said Botterill. "I share this with my family, because they've always been so supportive of me on my journey, from a young age to my international career. "And so to have the chance to just literally go over and share the news and share hugs with them … was a beautiful moment for me with those emotions." Botterill has been eligible for the Hall of Fame since 2014, but she said couldn't let herself be consumed by whether the call would come. In past years, Botterill said she was filled with excitement watching the induction of some of her teammates, or people she played against. WATCH | Manitoba star Jennifer Botterill to be inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame: "I was … spending time with my family and not expecting that 'OK, this is going to be the year,' or the call was going to come through," she said. "So I would say I was surprised in a very delightful way when the call came." Cal Botterill echoed some of those thoughts. "I think we felt all along, after we saw what she was accomplishing, that one day she might be a candidate," he said. "But it's still exciting to see her being honoured." Botterill was also part of Sport Manitoba's Hall of Fame class in 2024 and Hockey Manitoba's in 2017. She said she hopes her career will be a source of inspiration and motivation for others. "You never know when that moment might be for a young athlete, to help them to believe in themselves, and what might be possible," she said. "If there is some small way that can provide a little source of inspiration for someone, that would be the ultimate honour." Another Winnipegger, defenceman Duncan Keith, who played for Chicago Blackhawks and the Edmonton Oilers, was also named as a Hall of Fame inductee on Tuesday.
