Montreal's new professional women's hockey team has released defenseman Maude Poulin-Labelle, who was immediately acquired by the Toronto club.
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Still, the 24-year-old from Sherbrooke was happy to come home after five years at Vermont and Northeastern universities.
“It feels special to say that I'm going to play hockey just an hour and a half drive from home,” she said on the first day of the camp in Montreal in mid-November, when she was introduced to the media with one of his role models Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey.
The Poulin-Labelle family will have to travel a little further to see it in action, and there will likely be a large number of them on January 20 when Toronto visits the Verdun Auditorium.
The fast and creative little back will meet eight Olympic champions in the Canadian metropolis, including Lauriane Rougeau from Quebec.
Maude Poulin-Labelle during a press conference for the Montreal women's professional hockey team on November 15, 2023 at the Verdun Auditorium. The Quebecer will finally play in Toronto. Mylene Richard
Two Czechs and one Chinese
At the end of training camp, which ended last week with a mini-tournament at the University of Utica in upstate New York, the six organizations of the Professional Women's Hockey League (LPHF) presented their final training in preparation for the inaugural season, which will take off on April 1 . January.
The world's top 157 players come from 12 countries, with Canada having the most at 90, ahead of the United States (53).
In Montreal, general manager Danièle Sauvageau, head coach Kori Cheverie, her assistant Éric Houde and the other decision-makers retained 13 attackers, seven defenders and three goalkeepers, including Olympic athletes Poulin, Ann-Renée Desbiens, Stacey, Erin Ambrose, Leah Lum ( China), Tereza Vanišová (Czech Republic) and Dominika Lásková (Czech Republic).
Other experienced players will defend Montreal's colors. Ann-Sophie Bettez and Kristin O'Neil have already represented the Maple Leaf on the senior world stage, while American Jilian Dempsey has done the same.
Among the young people is Quebecer Gabrielle David, 24, one of five hockey players who played in the NCAA last season.
A total of six ice hockey players born in the province of La Belle are in official training. Others know Montreal well and train at Center 21.02. As for Stacey, Poulin's partner, we can consider her an adopted Quebecer since she has been living here for about two years.
Mélodie Daoust during the training camp of the Montreal professional women's hockey team at the Verdun Auditorium, November 22, 2023. Photo Arianne Bergeron
Mélodie Daoust as replacement
The names of strikers Mélodie Daoust, Catherine Dubois and Alexandra Poznikoff were placed on the reserve list.
They will train with the Poulin team and could be called upon as replacements if necessary.
In the case of Daoust, 31, that's no surprise. The three-time Olympic medalist and 2018 Pyeongchang Games MVP already has a busy schedule as she leads the women's hockey program at Collège Bourget in Rigaud.
Daoust didn't play in Utica, where Cheverie's team lost 4-0 to New York before winning 3-1 against Boston and losing 4-3 to Minnesota.
As for Dubois, the former University of Montreal Carabins wore the colors of the Montreal Force in the now-defunct Premier Hockey Federation last season.
For her part, Alberta's Poznikoff played alongside Poulin in the Professional Hockey Players' Association from 2022 to 2023.
Marie-Philip Poulin (in red) and Emily Curlett (in white) during a game against New York, during a Professional Women's Hockey League mini-tournament, at the University of Utica in upstate New York, December 4, 2023. Photo provided by the Professional Women's Hockey League
Yanic Perreault's daughter fails
Elsewhere in the LPHF, Quebecers Jade Downie-Landry, Élizabeth Giguère and Alexandra Labelle have secured a spot in New York, while forward Rosalie Demers will be a reserve in Ottawa.
The daughter of the former Canadian Yanic Perreaut, Liliane, was unable to convince the workforce in Ottawa. The 23-year-old striker tried her luck with the professionals after five appearances at Mercyhurst University in Pennsylvania.
▶ Montreal begins its season on Tuesday, January 2nd in the federal capital. The first home game will be against Boston on Saturday, January 13th at Verdun Auditorium (3:30 p.m.).
▶ Season subscriptions for the Quebec team are already on sale, while individual tickets will be available starting Thursday.
The founding of Montreal
Striker (13)
Bettez, Ann-Sophie (Draft 14th round – 79th overall round)
Bujold, Sarah (guest in the camp)
Dalton, Claire (Draft 12-67)
David, Gabrielle (Draft 9-54)
Dempsey, Jillian (Draft 11-66)
Lefort, Sarah (guest in the camp)
Lum, Leah (camp guest)
Marchment, Kennedy (Draft 6-31)
Murphy, Maureen (Draft 3-18)
O'Neill, Kristin (Draft 2-7)
Poulin, Marie-Philip (free agent)
Stacey, Laura (free agent)
Vanišová, Tereza (Draft 7-42)
Defender (7)
Ambrose, Erin (drafts 1-6)
Bizal, Madison (Draft 8-43)
Daoust, Catherine (camp guest)
Keopple, Mariah (camp guest)
Laganière, Brigitte (guest in the camp)
Lásková, Dominika (Draft 4-19)
Tabin, Kati (draft 5-30)
Babysitters (3)
Boissonnault, Marlène (guest in the camp)
Chuli, Elaine (Draft 13-78)
Desbiens, Ann-Renée (free agent)
Reservists (3)
Daoust, Mélodie (guest in the camp) A
Dubois, Catherine (camp guest) A
Poznikoff, Alexandra (camp guest) A