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. 

Whitecaps Add 3 More Blueliners

Smelker Returns for Fourth Season with Pride

Parker Returns to Pride for a Third Season

One would have to imagine that with the signings that the NWHL announced on
Sept. 5, 2018 that the Boston Pride';s defense is set for the 2018-19 season
and that their goaltending situation is almost set. NWHL newcomer but veteran
defender Dru Burns becomes the team';s eighth blueliner to sign. The return of
sophomore goaltender Madison Litchfield in addition to rookie netminder Katie
Burt means that there is pretty much a guaranteed third signing in net to come.

🆕: Madison Litchfield (@m_litchfi) & Dru Burns (@drumorhasit) are joining
#ThePack for 2018-19! 

Γ£∩╕Å: https://t.co/RIM11z6xjm pic.twitter.com/AUsl04JSjN

- Boston Pride (@TheBostonPride) September 5, 2018

These two signings are particularly nice for "The Pack" for a variety of
reasons. While Burns may soon be playing in her first season in the league, the
 former Boston Blade is a veteran of five CWHL seasons. She brings both depth
and additional experience to the Pride defense corps. Litchfield is a goalie
whom we wish we got to see more of during the 2017-18 season. It wasn';t her
fault that the highly touted netminder only played one regular season game -
Boston';s goal crease was stacked with talent between Litchfield, Brittany Ott
and Brianna Laing. The hope is that she will have more of an opportunity to
showcase her skills in the coming season.

There are 21 players currently under contract for the Pride. Up to four more
can come, and we know one will be a goalie. The additions of Burns and
Litchfield certainly narrow things down as to how this team will shape
together. THW takes a closer look at what these two newest signings will mean
for Boston.Dru Burns

Burns is a native of Burlington, Massachusetts and played her four years of
NCAA hockey at Boston College. She fits with the vast majority of Pride players
 who played their college careers at one of the four Beanpot schools - Boston
College, Boston University, Northeastern University and Harvard University.
Burns played for the BC Eagles from 2009 to 2013. In 146 career games she
tallied four goals and 41 assists for 45 points. Additionally, she accumulated
90 penalty minutes.

Welcome to #ThePack, @drumorhasit!

🦅🦁: https://t.co/RIM11z6xjm pic.twitter.com/Oyz3P9sbEY

- Boston Pride (@TheBostonPride) September 5, 2018

After wrapping up her senior year in 2013, Burns made the jump to the CWHL';s
Boston Blades for the 2013-14 season. She had an immediate impact, getting into
 22 games in her rookie season and scoring four goals and six assists in the
process. Burns remained a Blade up through this most recent 2017-18 season. A
number of her teammates from her time in the CWHL are now with her once more as
 members of the Pride - Jillian Dempsey namely, but also briefly Jordan
Smelker, Kaleigh Fratkin and Alyssa Gagliardi from Burns'; abbreviated 2015-16
season with the team.

Totaling her five seasons with the Blades, Burns played in 86 regular season
games. She scored seven goals and 19 assists in the process for 26 points.
Burns was named a CWHL All-Star during the 2015-16 season. The 27-year-old
defender turns 28 in February.Madison Litchfield

As alluded to earlier, we simply did not get enough of Madison Litchfield last
season! Appearing only in a 6-2 loss to the Buffalo Beauts on Feb. 18, 2018,
the rookie goalie never really had an opportunity to test her merit. In that
lone appearance she stopped 16 of 19 shots in nearly 50 minutes of play. That
amounted to an inflated 3.62 goals-against average and a .842 save percentage.
Neither an accurate depiction of Litchfield';s true skill and ability.

Keep in mind that this is a goaltender who graduated from the University of
Vermont as arguably the best goaltender in the program';s history. After her
final NCAA season she held the school's record for most career wins with 32.
Additionally, Litchfield ranked in the top-five for all-time in nearly all
major goaltending categories for UVM - fourth in games played (91), tied for
second in career save percentage (.903) and fourth in career goals against
(2.82) as some of her more noteworthy accomplishments. Litchfield also
received a nod as a Hockey East Second Team All-Star during the 2016-17
season.Pride fans and NWHL fans want to see more of goalie Madison Litchfield
during the 2018-19 season (Photo Credit: Al Saniuk).

The talent is definitely there and in buckets full. What could very well decide
 the sort of action Litchfield gets to see this season is who the Pride sign as
 a third goalie. Take the Beauts for an example - of the three goalies on their
 team, only Julia DiTondo is returning from last season. With Shannon Szabados
and Nicole Hensley signed to the team, it is very unlikely DiTondo will receive
 any time in Buffalo';s net. In Boston however, Litchfield should see her
minutes increase in 2018-19. How much they will increase remains to be seen. If
 she and Burt are the main netminders, the season could end up being split
almost equally between the two. However, if Brittany Ott returns or another
elite goaltender is brought on board, Litchfield could see herself in a
tertiary role once more. Let';s hope that is not how Boston';s goaltending
materializes. More Litchfield this year would behoove Boston.

With the signings of Burns and Litchfield, here is how the Boston Pride look as
 of Sept. 5:

Goalie: Katie Burt, Madison Litchfield.

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

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 Pride Re-Sign Goalie Litchfield, Add Burns to Blue Line appeared first
 on The Hockey Writers.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHockeyWrite...
--- SBBSecho 3.06-Win32
 * Origin: TequilaMockingbird Online - Toms River, NJ (1:266/404)