Beginning June 1, NWHL teams can re-sign players from their 2017-18 roster and
their draft picks. Additionally, for those players who have completed their
college eligibility and want to continue their hockey careers, NWHL Free Agency
 provides the best opportunity to continue playing at the highest level of
professional women's hockey. The fourth season of the NWHL will begin in
October as the Metropolitan Riveters defend their Isobel Cup championship, and
with the addition of a fifth team - the Minnesota Whitecaps - this will be the
most competitive season yet.

My colleague Dan Rice will keep THW readers up-to-date on Metropolitan and
Connecticut's signings throughout the summer, while I post updates on Buffalo
and Boston. Together we will be keeping readers informed of all of Minnesota';s
 signings. 

Pride Sign 2017 11th Overall Selection McKenna Brand

Hometown Hero Pfalzer Makes a Return to Beauts

Souliotis Returns to Pride for a Second Campaign

Just hours after the announcement came out that the Boston Pride added a
high-scoring rookie, they made an even bigger signing just by bringing back a
familiar face. A Team USA gold medalist from the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and
a 2016 Isobel Cup champion, Amanda Pelkey is back in Beantown. Having been an
original member of the Pride during the inaugural 2015-16 NWHL season, Pelkey
played two straight years for the team before missing the 2017-18 season when
she joined the USA';s women';s national team. Now she is back and Boston
immediately retains the services of one of their best players.

New player unlocked 🔓

PEL-🔑 IS BACK! And this time, she's got a gold medal...

🔗: https://t.co/l5zaJ4H7NH pic.twitter.com/tK5R8QFo5u

- Boston Pride (@TheBostonPride) August 17, 2018

"Amanda is simply an amazing player in every aspect of the game," Boston head
coach Paul Mara - and an assistant coach of Team USA - said in the press
release about her signing. "She is strong in all zones and has an immense love
for the game. She's one of the most liked and respected athletes I've had the
pleasure to be around."

Mara';s words are quite complimentary, but even they may be an understatement.
Pelkey may just be the most responsible and most reliable player in the entire
NWHL. THW takes a closer look at her signing, and how it means that Boston is
majorly ramping up to stake ownership over the Isobel Cup.Performance in
PyeongChang

Pelkey played in all five tournament games for Team USA at the PyeongChang
Olympics. She played primarily on the fourth-line in more of a checking-line
role. In the process she picked up two assists and fired four shots on goal.
Pelkey';s first helper came on a Gigi Marvin tally in a 5-0 win over the
Olympic Athletes from Russia, which was the USA';s second game of the
preliminary round. Her second assist came in the 5-0 semi-final win against
Finland on another goal by Marvin.

These were Pelkey';s first Olympics and they ended up in gold. She had
previously represented the United States at three straight Women';s U18 World
Championships from 2009 through 2011. Two of those championships (2009, 2011)
ended up in gold medals, while one was a silver (2010). Pelkey also earned a
gold medal at the Women';s World Championships in 2017.United States forward
Amanda Pelkey (37) shoots the puck against Canada in the women';s ice hockey
gold medal match during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games (David E.
Klutho-USA TODAY Sports).

Now the Pride have two Olympians on their roster, and there is potential for
more to come on board before the 2018-19 NWHL season gets underway. In addition
 to Pelkey, USA Olympic teammate Haley Skarupa has also signed with Boston.
There are still a considerable number of American, Canadian and European
players from the national teams of the PyeongChang Games that could end up on
NWHL rosters.

If there is anything to be said for momentum and riding the wave of success, it
 would stand to reason that Pelkey and Skarupa can carry over those winning
ways into the upcoming NWHL season. Victory is contagious, and when it is
achieved by such skillful athletes - especially one as well-respected as Pelkey
 - it can seemingly become emblazoned upon an entire team just from one or two
players that spark it.Previous Successes With the Pride

Pelkey played the first two seasons of the NWHL';s existence as a member of the
 Pride. She was a member of their 2016 Isobel Cup-winning squad, as well as
their team that made a return trip to the Final against the Buffalo Beauts for
2017';s championship. Pelkey';s has 33 regular season games to her NWHL credit
thus far. Across those two seasons she has scored nine goals and eight assists
for 17 points.

Her finest NWHL season offensively was the inaugural year of 2015-16. Pelkey
played in 16 of the club';s 18 regular season games that year. She scored seven
 goals and three assists for 10 points total. That made Pelkey one of seven
Pride players to record double digits in points that first season. She was even
 better in the playoffs that year, scoring a goal and three assists in four
games to be a point-per-game player. In turn, she now has her name inscribed on
 the Isobel Cup for all of time.

One year after @ThunderRoadVT sent her off to the Winter Olympics, @Pelkey21
kept her promise to return with a gold medal in hand.

Her grandfather made it known that he approves. pic.twitter.com/9lRJ6rLfpY

- Jack Korte (@JackMyNBC5) August 10, 2018

Including Pelkey, there are presently four players on Boston';s roster who were
 members of that original 2015-16 Cup-winning team. She, like all of them, want
 to see Lady Isobel back in Boston';s confines. As each signing comes, it is
becoming more apparent that the Pride at least have the capability of making
that happen.

"I'm excited to get back to skating with this group of girls again with the
Pride," Pelkey went on to say in the press release. "We have a great group this
 year that I believe will build towards a successful season in the NWHL. Boston
 has been my second home for a few years and I';m grateful to have the
opportunity to play here again this year."

With Pelkey making a return to the team, here is how the Pride look as of Aug.
17:

Goalie: Katie Burt.

Defense: Alyssa Gagliardi, Toni Ann Miano, Lauren Kelly, Lexi Bender, Kaleigh
Fratkin, Mallory Souliotis.

Forward: Emily Field, Dana Trivigno, Denisa Křížová, Haley Skarupa, Jillian
 Dempsey, McKenna Brand, Amanda Pelkey. 

The post Pelkey Returns to Pride With Olympic Gold appeared first on The Hockey
 Writers.

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