Nine more signings announced for the 2023-24 season
During the period of June 5-11, another nine Premier Hockey Federation contracts were officially announced as teams continue preparations for the 2023-24 season. The signings include five collegiate rookies, two free agents changing pro teams, and two returnees to their 2022-23 clubs.
The Boston Pride signed free agent Brittany Howard from Toronto, the Buffalo Beauts re-signed defender Allison Attea and are bringing in U SPORTS national champion Tatum Amy from Mount Royal University. The Metropolitan Riveters announced a trio of new players including rookies Anneke Linser and Naomi Rogge from the University of Minnesota Duluth, and veteran defender Abby Cook from the SWHL. The Minnesota Whitecaps inked a pair of University of Minnesota graduates in Abigail Boreen and Catie Skaja, and the Toronto Six re-signed goaltender Carly Jackson.
𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒: 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐇𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲’𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐩
RMU alum won the @PHF Championship with @TheTorontoSix
📰: https://t.co/0gZqyu0qbh#BobbyMo | 🔵🏒🔴 | #RMUnitepic.twitter.com/i0ggZG0Pxk
— RMU Women’s Hockey (@RMUWHockey) June 9, 2023
Howard led the Isobel Cup champions in scoring during her first PHF season with 16 goals and 26 points which ranked fifth overall leaguewide. The 27-year-old Robert Morris University graduate from St. Thomas, Ontario joins Boston on a two-year contract where she will reunite with Loren Gabel who earned MVP honors in her first PHF season with the Pride. Together they showed impressive chemistry at the PHF All-Star Showcase, combining for four goals and four assists on the Canadian squad.
“I am thrilled to be a member of the Pride! Boston has a rich history in sports and tradition – I can’t wait to be part of that history,” said Howard. “I am so excited to get to Boston, meet the Pride faithful, and start working with my teammates towards winning another Isobel Cup. Go Pride!”
Tatum Amy (@tatum_amy), 2023 @USPORTSca champion 🏆 and @mruwhockey captain has officially signed with the @BuffaloBeauts for the 2023-24 @PHF season!
STORY: https://t.co/ZTdYrHcGkupic.twitter.com/zNLcfI3PxX
— Mount Royal Cougars (@MRUCougars) June 7, 2023
The first new acquisition of the offseason for the Beauts is a big one. Amy captained the Cougars to the first national title in program history and graduated as their all-time leading scorer with 80 points in 126 career games. The 23-year-old forward from Birtle, Manitoba was named 2022-23 Canada West Female Athlete of the Year with a conference-leading 31-point campaign and earned national recognition as a U SPORTS Second-Team All-Canadian.
“We love Tatum’s leadership skills, her enthusiasm, and her drive to work hard,” said Nate Oliver, Beauts General Manager. “Tatum exudes the qualities of what we want the 2023-24 Beauts to be – hard-nosed, hardworking, and cares more than you do. That mindset is what Tatum brought to Mount Royal and captured a championship with. We are excited to see her bring that same mindset to Buffalo. Beauts fans are going to love her.”
.@UMDWHockey‘s Linser and Rogge Sign with the Metropolitan Riveters
Full Story: https://t.co/ELTL2bj1pOpic.twitter.com/bJK0IBDisT
— UMD Athletics (@UMDBulldogs) June 6, 2023
The Riveters recruited a pair of Bulldogs who will turn pro in the Metropolitan area after developing in the State of Hockey. Linser is a 23-year-old native of Lino Lakes, MN who scored 42 goals and 51 assists for 93 points in 165 career games over five NCAA seasons. She was recently named a 2023 All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year, is a four-time WCHA Scholar Athlete, and won gold representing Team USA at the 2017 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. Rogge hails from Eden Prairie, MN and graduated the all-time leader in UMD games played with 168. The 24-year-old recorded 63 goals and 51 assists for 114 points over a six-year span and was a member of the 2022 NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team.
“Linser is a two-way forward, a great forechecker with a long reach and is very effective around the net,” said Venla Hovi, Riveters Head Coach. “She thinks the game well and is therefore smart positionally and shares the puck with poise. This is an exciting step in her career, and she has the abilities to thrive at the next level.
“Rogge contributed positively in many roles playing her college years at UMD which speaks volumes of her ability to read situations,” Hovi said. “She is an effective penalty killer and has a shot blocking mentality which is what we need to be better at this upcoming season. She has an above average quick release shot and hunts for loose pucks around the net.”
For more on @catie_skaja and @AbbyBoreen staying home and joining the Minnesota Whitecaps ⤵️https://t.co/sUJbG97n5p
— Minnesota Women’s Hockey (@GopherWHockey) June 9, 2023
Two more collegiate stars from Minnesota are turning pro closer to home with the Whitecaps. Boreen served as a Gophers captain in 2022-23 and was selected to the All-WCHA Third Team and WCHA All-Academic Team during her final NCAA campaign. The 23-year-old from Somerset, WI amassed 126 points including 60 goals and 66 assists in 166 career games, with notable contributions of 59 points and 37 points her last two seasons. Skaja was also an offensive threat during her five seasons as a Gopher, tallying 114 points from 45 goals and 69 assists in 160 games which included 47 points as a senior and 34 as a graduate student. The 23-year-old from New Prague, MN was a four-time WCHA All-Academic Team honoree and is a two-time U18 gold medalist with Team USA competing at the 2016 and 2017 tournaments. Both contracts are one-year deals with Skaja’s including a salary valued at $35,000.
“Abi is responsible on the defensive side of the puck; in the offensive zone, she always finds the puck in the slot for high scoring chances,” said Chi-Yin Tse, Whitecaps General Manager. “She will be a great asset on our front end and is another player that has been in high pressure situations. She transitions well and will match our speed up and down the ice. Her presence in the offensive zone is going to be fun to watch.
“Catie is very fast on transitions and I really love the way she is always attacking the puck,” Tse said. “I think her poise on the ice will be another addition to the puck movers we have on this team. She has played against and with some of the best players in the game and in high pressure moments. The more players we have with that type of experience will only help us get back to the Cup Final – and win.”
Carly Jackson has re-signed a one-year contract in Toronto with a salary valued at $60,000. The fan favorite posted a perfect 5-0-0 record with a 1.90 GAA and .926 SV% for the Isobel Cup champions.#PresentedByDiscover
✍️ https://t.co/72bOgEUoyMpic.twitter.com/03uKBswT83
— PHF (@PHF) June 5, 2023
Attea will be back for a third straight season along the Beauts’ blue line, signing a one-year deal with her hometown team. The 24-year-old was originally a fourth round selection in the 2021 draft and has produced three points in 34 career games. Jackson will play her second season between-the-pipes for Toronto, signing a one-year deal with a salary valued at $60,000. The 25-year-old fan favorite from Amherst, Nova Scotia recorded the best totals of her three-year career in 2022-23 with a perfect 5-0-0 record in six total appearances while registering a .926 save percentage and a goals-against-average of 1.90 for the Isobel Cup champions. Cook is new to the Riveters but played six games with Boston during the 2021-22 season. The 25-year-old from Kelowna, British Columbia spent last year in Switzerland with Ladies Team Lugano where she recorded 12 points in 18 games.
“I am very happy to sign with the Riveters and I’m excited for the opportunity,” said Cook. “I know that this organization has always had very hardworking teams so I’m looking forward to starting the season and competing for the Isobel Cup.”
