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. 

Amy Menke Adds More Star Power to Whitecaps

Shannon Doyle Re-Signs for 4th Season with Whale

Roesler Returns as Assistant Coach/Player, Headlining Busy Whale Week

In just one day the Minnesota Whitecaps roster jumped from 11 players under
contract to a present total of 16. Their trio of goaltenders is now situated
and their armament at forward is being assembled quite nicely. Among the five
Minnesota signings which the NWHL announced on Aug. 22, 2018 are two defenders
(technically one is listed as a defender-forward) who will help bolster the
Whitecaps back end. Emma Stauber and defender-forward Lauren Barnes will play
their first seasons in the NWHL in their home state. Both players had solid
collegiate careers, and played especially well during separate stints with
European teams.

OFFICIAL: Welcome to Minnesota @JFriend1 @SadieLundquist @emma_stauber07
@barnziiie 🌊 🌊 🌊 🌊 pic.twitter.com/D4wf41vKmg

- Minnesota Whitecaps (@WhitecapsHockey) August 22, 2018

Barnes was particularly enthused about the opportunity to play for the
Whitecaps. She stated the following in the league press release about the
signing:

"I am honored to be playing post-college professional hockey right here in my
home state, which many players don't get the opportunity to do," she said. "I'm
 also thrilled to be part of a group of girls who are dedicated to helping grow
 the game and inspire the youth to dream big. We have a goal of and challenging
 each other to get better in order to win the Isobel Cup. Along with playing
games, I'm excited to get out and interact with our amazing fans! Roll
ΓÇÿCaps!"

Barnes hails from Eagan, Minnesota while Stauber is from Duluth. THW takes a
look at both players and how each of their signings will positively impact
Minnesota. Barnes and Stauber will each bring unique skill sets to the team
that will ultimately help give the Whitecaps a legitimate shot at the Isobel
Cup.Lauren Barnes

The 26-year-old Barnes has some size to her at 5-foot-8 and close to the
140-pound mark. The fact that she has a right-handed shot poses some very nice
options when positioning, and this is even further accentuated by the fact that
 she can play both forward and defense. Putting Barnes at the point for the
power play would make sense. She can generate offense readily, and naturally
will increase the potency of a power play unit. Even if Barnes is not placed
out on Minnesota';s first power play unit (don';t forget that they have Lee
Stecklein and Amanda Boulier on defense too), then she should at least help
with quarterbacking the secondary unit.

OFFICIAL: Welcome to Minnesota @barnziiie!! The Whitecaps sign former
@MSUWomensHockey forward and Burnsville, Minnesota native Lauren Barnes!
#ThisIsHome pic.twitter.com/mGiLGinzbZ

- Minnesota Whitecaps (@WhitecapsHockey) August 22, 2018

She played her freshman year of college hockey with Mercyhurst University for
the 2010-11 season. In 31 games on the back end for the Lakers Barnes picked up
 eight assists and finished her first year with a plus-seven. She would play
the remaining three seasons of her NCAA career with Minnesota State University.
 Barnes'; finest season statistically came during her senior year (2013-14)
when she set career highs in games played (37), goals (five), assists (17) and
points (22). At the close of her college career she had compiled 12 goals and
50 assists for 62 points in 139 games. Not hesitating to show a physical side,
Barnes also accumulated 119 penalty minutes in her four years.

Upon completing college Barnes played the 2014-15 season in Germany with ERC
Ingolstadt in the Frauen-Bundesliga - the top league for women';s hockey in
Germany. In that season she absolutely lit the league on fire. In 24 regular
season games Barnes led the league in goals with 33 and points with 65. After
coming back Stateside she commenced playing for the Whitecaps prior to their
inclusion into the NWHL.Emma Stauber

The 25-year-old Stauber is naturally a defender. Playing the 2015-16 season
with HV71 in the SDHL (Svenska damhockeyligan, the top women's league in
Sweden) she left Swedish fans wishing that they had her for more than the 19
regular season games she played. Stauber is quite the puck mover on defense.
She generates a lot of strength from her 5-foot-7, 150-pound frame and does a
great job of controlling the puck so that she can dish out passes. In that lone
 season with HV71 Stauber scored six goals and seven assists for 13 points.

Prior to playing in Sweden, she played her four years of college hockey at the
University of Minnesota-Duluth. Stauber played a total of 142 games for the
Bulldogs during her NCAA career. In the process she scored three goals and 20
assists for 23 points and finishing as a plus-18. More importantly, Stauber was
 a tremendous leader for Minnesota-Duluth throughout her career. She and former
 NWHLer Zoe Hickel were alternate captains to Jamie Kenyon';s captaincy during
the 2013-14 season. Then during their senior year - 2014-15 - Stauber and
Hickel co-captained the squad outright.Seen here in the SDHL with HV71, Emma
Stauber will provide tremendous reliability along the Whitecaps blue line
(Photo Credit: Lisbeth Halvorsen).

Whitecaps fans will appreciate Stauber';s responsible play on the back end. She
 can be stalwart and control the play very well. Exuding a plethora of
important hockey intangibles, Stauber will be the player who can keep things
calm in tricky situations, especially when the puck is in Minnesota';s zone.
Goalies Leveille, Rossman and Friend will enjoy having her playing in front of
their net.

As of Aug. 22, here is how the Whitecaps roster looks thus far:

Goalie: Amanda Leveille, Sydney Rossman, Julie Friend.

Defense: Lee Stecklein, Amanda Boulier, Emma Stauber. 

Forward: Hannah Brandt, Kate Schipper, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Allie
Thunstrom, Meaghan Pezon (defender/forward), Lauren Barnes (defender/forward),
Brooke White-Lancette, Jonna Curtis, Amy Menke, Sadie Lundquist. 

The post Whitecaps Bolster Blue Line with Stauber, Barnes appeared first on The
 Hockey Writers.

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