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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.
Hamilton Spectator
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Sirens select Czech star Kaltounkova first overall in PWHL draft
OTTAWA - The New York Sirens selected Kristyna Kaltounkova of Vlasim, Czechia, with the first pick in Tuesday's Professional Women's Hockey League draft, held at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The 23-year-old forward made her women's worlds debut for the host nation and was named a 2025 tournament all-star. She became the first Czech to be named a Patty Kazmaier Award finalist, recording 48 points in 37 games for the Colgate University Raiders, and finished her NCAA tenure as the program's all-time leading goal scorer with 111, and second in career points with 233. The Sirens finished last and missed the playoffs this past season with 37 points — eight wins, four overtime wins, five overtime losses and 13 losses. The Boston Fleet selected defender Haley Winn of Rochester, N.Y., with the second pick. The 21-year-old Winn lead the Clarkson University Golden Knights in scoring this year and finished second among defenders with 14 goals and 32 assists. She recently played at her third straight worlds for Team USA, winning a second gold medal to go along with her 2024 silver. The Sirens picked third after making a deal with the Toronto Sceptres and took forward Casey O'Brien of the University of Wisconsin. O'Brien capped an impressive NCAA career as a three-time national champion, Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award recipient, and First Team all-American. The Badgers' co-captain set a program single-season record in 2024-25 with 88 points, including 26 goals, in 41 games. She finished her five years as Wisconsin's all-time leading scorer with 274 points — including 97 goals — in 182 games — a title previously held by Hilary Knight. The Montreal Victoire selected defender Nicole Gosling of Clarkson University with the fourth pick. The 23-year-old from London, Ont., is the Golden Knights' all-time leading scorer among defenders with 148 points (including 104 assists) in 170 career games in five seasons. Gosling won gold representing Canada at the 2024 women's world championship, alongside her cousin Julia Gosling, who just wrapped up her rookie season in the PWHL. The Ottawa Charge picked Cornell University defender Rory Guilday with the fifth pick. The 22-year-old from Chanhassen, Minn., capped a four-year tenure with the Big Red producing 52 points in 106 games and earned All-Ivy League honours on three occasions including two straight First-Team nods. In 2024-25, the two-year captain helped deliver her program's first ECAC title since 2014. The five-foot-11 defender is a three-time medallist with Team USA at the world championships, winning gold in 2023 and two silver medals in 2022 and 2024. The Minnesota Frost selected Canadian defender Kendall Cooper of Quinnipiac University with the sixth pick. The 23-year-old from Oakville, Ont., recorded 116 points in 158 career games for the Bobcats. As captain in 2024-25, she finished third on the team with 26 points in 37 games, and was named the 2024-25 recipient of the Wayne Dean Sportsmanship Award. Cooper was twice named one of Canada's top three players at the U18 Worlds, winning gold in 2019 and silver in 2020 as a tournament all-star and team captain. The expansion Vancouver squad selected forward Michelle Karvinen of Frolunda HC with the seventh pick. The 35-year-old is a four-time Olympian (three Bronze) and an eight-time medallist in 12 world championships representing Finland. In April, Karvinen became her country's all-time leading scorer in the world tournament with 62 points. The former North Dakota captain has won professional titles in Switzerland's SWHL, Russia's ZhHL, and four times in Sweden's SDHL including last year with Frölunda HC where she tallied 35 points in 32 games and added 12 points in 11 playoff games. And the expansion Seattle squad, with the eighth and final pick of the first round, selected Canadian forward Jenna Buglioni. The 23-year-old from Port Moody, B.C., won two national championships in five seasons with the Ohio State University Buckeyes, with 166 points in 170 career games. As captain in 2024-25, she had her most productive season with 20 goals, including a record seven game-winners, and 51 points in 44 games. She earned silver with Canada at the 2020 U18 worlds and was named a tournament all-star. Forty-eight players will be selected by the league's eight teams over six rounds. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2025.
Boston Globe
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Courtney Kessel officially leaves Boston Fleet in return to Princeton as women's hockey coach
'It is bittersweet to move on from the Boston Fleet and the amazing people building that organization and the PWHL as a whole,' Kessel said. 'This opportunity was the only one that could draw me away from where I was.' From Toronto, Kessel played at New Hampshire, where she was a 2010 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, given to the MVP of women's college hockey. She also represented Canada at three world championships, including a gold-medal win in 2012. Advertisement She also has Hockey Canada coaching experience, serving as a senior team assistant in 2024 and head coach of the 2023 gold-medal winning Under-18 team. The Fleet have undergone major changes this offseason. Star forward Advertisement 'Courtney set the tone from Day 1 and elevated our group with her competitiveness, preparation, and care,' Fleet GM Danielle Marmer said. 'She's already established herself as an elite coach early in her career, and I know she'll continue to raise the bar as the next head coach at Princeton.' In other PWHL coaching news, Brian Idalski is leaving St. Cloud State after being hired as coach of Vancouver, the league announced Monday. The 54-year-old has more than 20 years of women's hockey coaching experience, including overseeing China's national team at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Idalski also coached the KRS Vanke Rays to two Russian-women's league ZhHL championships over a three-year period. Vancouver's inaugural roster includes former Vanke Rays players, Michela Cava and Hannah Miller, who also played for China in 2022. Idalski's hiring comes a day before the PWHL draft. Vancouver will select seventh followed by Seattle, with the expansion teams switching the final two spots in each successive round of the six-round draft. Idalski spent the past three seasons at St. Cloud State, where he earned college hockey coach of the year honors in 2023 after the team tied a school record with 18 wins. Seattle filled its coaching position last week by hiring Steve O'Rourke.
San Francisco Chronicle
23-06-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Courtney Kessel leaves PWHL Boston Fleet in return to Princeton as head coach of women's hockey team
Princeton made it official on Monday in announcing Courtney Kessel's hiring as coach of the women's hockey team, a week after the two sides were finalizing the agreement. Kessel spent the past two years coaching the PWHL Boston Fleet and returns to Princeton where she spent four seasons, from 2019-23, as an assistant under Cara Gardner Morey. She now succeeds Gardner Morey, who left the Tigers in May upon being hired as general manager of the PWHL's expansion team in Vancouver. The 35-year-old Kessel had a 27-19-8 record in Boston, including a Walter Cup Finals appearance in 2024, which the team lost to Minnesota in a decisive Game 5. 'It is bittersweet to move on from the Boston Fleet and the amazing people building that organization and the PWHL as a whole,' Kessel said. 'This opportunity was the only one that could draw me away from where I was.' From Toronto, Kessel played at New Hampshire, where she was a 2010 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, given to the MVP of women's college hockey. She also represented Canada at three world championships, including a gold-medal win in 2012. She also has Hockey Canada coaching experience, serving as a senior team assistant in 2024 and head coach of the 2023 gold-medal winning Under-18 team. The Fleet have undergone major changes this offseason. Star forward Hilary Knight left Boston to sign with the PWHL's expansion team in Seattle. The Fleet also have an opening at assistant general manager after Meghan Turner was hired as Seattle's GM. 'Courtney set the tone from Day 1 and elevated our group with her competitiveness, preparation, and care,' Fleet GM Danielle Marmer said. 'She's already established herself as an elite coach early in her career, and I know she'll continue to raise the bar as the next head coach at Princeton.' ___
Hamilton Spectator
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Courtney Kessel leaves PWHL Boston Fleet in return to Princeton as head coach of women's hockey team
Princeton made it official on Monday in announcing Courtney Kessel's hiring as coach of the women's hockey team, a week after the two sides were finalizing the agreement. Kessel spent the past two years coaching the PWHL Boston Fleet and returns to Princeton where she spent four seasons, from 2019-23, as an assistant under Cara Gardner Morey. She now succeeds Gardner Morey, who left the Tigers in May upon being hired as general manager of the PWHL's expansion team in Vancouver . The 35-year-old Kessel had a 27-19-8 record in Boston, including a Walter Cup Finals appearance in 2024, which the team lost to Minnesota in a decisive Game 5. 'It is bittersweet to move on from the Boston Fleet and the amazing people building that organization and the PWHL as a whole,' Kessel said. 'This opportunity was the only one that could draw me away from where I was.' From Toronto, Kessel played at New Hampshire, where she was a 2010 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, given to the MVP of women's college hockey. She also represented Canada at three world championships, including a gold-medal win in 2012. She also has Hockey Canada coaching experience, serving as a senior team assistant in 2024 and head coach of the 2023 gold-medal winning Under-18 team. The Fleet have undergone major changes this offseason. Star forward Hilary Knight left Boston to sign with the PWHL's expansion team in Seattle. The Fleet also have an opening at assistant general manager after Meghan Turner was hired as Seattle's GM. 'Courtney set the tone from Day 1 and elevated our group with her competitiveness, preparation, and care,' Fleet GM Danielle Marmer said. 'She's already established herself as an elite coach early in her career, and I know she'll continue to raise the bar as the next head coach at Princeton.' ___ AP women's hockey:
