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 Stockpiles Olympic Firepower as Marvin Signs

Wasylk Latest BC Alum to Join the Pride

Whitecaps Bolster Blue Line with Stauber, Barnes

The announcement of her signing was a long time coming, but original Boston
Pride player Jordan Smelker is back for her fourth NWHL season. Word was
released through Twitter on Aug. 29, 2018 that the veteran power-forward would
be returning to Boston. Smelker joins Emily Field, Alyssa Gagliardi, and Jill
Dempsey as the only Pride players named to the roster thus far who have played
all four NWHL seasons with the team.

BREAKING: Jordan Smelker is returning to @TheBostonPride!
pic.twitter.com/t5EWxODSYr

- NWHL (@NWHL) August 29, 2018

We will continue to state what we have been noticing as the summer has gone
along - the Pride are assembling an excellent blend of sizable skaters to go
along with speedy, talented puck-handlers. From the very beginning of free
agency, Smelker was a necessary component to have back for the formidable squad
 that Boston is comprising. She has the size and strength, but also has very
soft hands around the net. You can likely count on one hand alone the number of
 big forwards in the league who are also legitimate scoring threats - Smelker
happens to be one of them.

THW takes a closer look at Smelker';s signing and what it will do for the
Pride';s chances of recapturing the Isobel Cup for the 2018-19
season.Smelker';s Winning Pedigree

Smelker is one of three members of the Pride who have been with the team for
all four seasons upon making the jump from the CWHL. Prior to the inaugural
NWHL season, she, Gagliardi, and Dempsey were members of the Boston (now
Worcester) Blades squad that won the CWHL';s 2014-15 Clarkon Cup championship.
That particular team was absolutely loaded with talent. That was Smelker';s
first season of playing at the professional level (noting that the CWHL did not
 pay players a salary at the time), and she still managed to finish sixth
overall in team scoring. Her eight goals and seven assists for 15 points in 22
regular season games trailed only the point totals of - and get a load of these
 names - Hilary Knight, Brianna Decker, Tara Watchorn, Dempsey, and Monique
Lamoureux.

Looking at how Smelker fit in with that Blades team overall, her first-year
performance is even more impressive. Decker led the way with a staggering 16
goals in only 12 games for the highest total on the team. Smelker';s eight
tallies tied her with Knight for the third most goals scored for their squad.
Again - great company to be in and something that speaks well to her ability to
 generate offense. Smelker was also one of only six skaters for the Blades that
 championship season to play in all 22 regular season games. She had ability
to step right in as a newcomer and contribute to a championship.The Boston
Pride';s Jordan Smelker (#11) hustles up ice against the Buffalo Beauts (Photo
Credit: Al Saniuk).

Smelker and 13 other members of the 2014-15 Blades would make the jump to the
Boston Pride for the first NWHL season. She would be instrumental in ensuring
dominance from the Pride in the new league right from the get-go, and would be
one of the team';s more dominant scorers. If the Pride are to regain that
dominance in this upcoming season, Smelker needs to again be one of those
players are the helm - both offensively and defensively. At 5-foot-8 and around
 the 170-pound mark, it is near impossible to remove her from the front of the
net.A Look at Her Previous NWHL Seasons

In the inaugural NWHL season Smelker finished third in team scoring for the
Pride behind Knight and Decker. Furthermore, her nine goals and 10 assists for
19 points in 17 games made her better than a point-per-game player. Thus far
this has been the only time in Smelker';s professional career that she has hit
such scoring numbers, and it paid major dividends for Boston. Not surprisingly,
 she was also an NWHL All-Star that year. The Pride would finish at the top of
the NWHL standings that first year with a record of 14-3-0-1. Their 75 goals
scored were the most of the four teams, while their 39 against were the least
allowed. Boston completely swept the playoffs, defeating the New York (now
Metropolitan) Riveters two games to none in the semi-final, and then
accomplishing the same against the Buffalo Beauts in the final. Smelker
appeared in all four playoff games and tallied a pair of assists as the Pride
won the first ever Isobel Cup.

For the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons Smelker';s offensive numbers dipped a bit
but she still made her presence known. During the league';s sophomore season
she chipped in three goals and five assists for eight points in 15 games.
However, Smelker still rifled 25 shots on goal and managed a power play tally.
She blocked three shots and finished the 2016-17 season as a plus-three. Boston
 made a return to the Isobel Cup Championship that year to defend their trophy,
 but suffered an unexpected 3-2 loss to the underdog Beauts. Smelker went
pointless in her lone playoff game, which happened to be the Cup Final against
Buffalo.

Looks like we've got the squad back together for another year 🙌🏻🏒🦁
#year4 pic.twitter.com/J3rNMTB6zS

- Alyssa Gagliardi (@AGagliardi92) August 29, 2018

This past season Smelker was elected to her second NWHL All-Star Game. The
Pride had an off-year by their standards, as did Smelker to some extent. In 14
regular season games she potted another three goals to go along with two
assists for five points. That placed her in a three-way tie on the team for
points. However, by making the most of her chances and taking just 16 shots on
the year, Smelker had the best shooting percentage for the Pride (18.8%) of the
 16 skaters to play at least 10 games. When the playoffs came around, Boston
would be eliminated in the opening round 3-2 in overtime to the Beauts.
However, the proven winner and leader Smelker turned in arguably her finest
performance of the season. She fought tooth and nail to bring out a victory for
 her team. Though they came up short, Smelker';s four shots on goal tied her
for second most for Boston. Anyone who witnessed her performance firsthand
could see that she gave it her all and fiercely battled the Beauts.

Look for Smelker to put up better numbers in the goal column for the 2018-19
season. With players like Gigi Marvin, Amanda Pelkey, Haley Skarupa, Dempsey,
Field and plenty others, Smelker will not need to bear so much of the load. One
 could make the argument that the Pride are the most stacked team at the
forward position in the entire NWHL.

With Smelker';s re-signing, here is how the Boston Pride look as of Aug. 29:

Goalie: Katie Burt.

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

Forward: Emily Field, Dana Trivigno, Denisa Křížová, Haley Skarupa, Jillian
 Dempsey, McKenna Brand, Amanda Pelkey, Taylor Wasylk, Gigi Marvin, Mary
Parker, Jordan Smelker. 

The post Smelker Returns for Fourth Season with Pride appeared first on The
Hockey Writers.

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