Beginning June 1, NWHL teams can start signing players for the 2018-19 season.
For players who have completed their college eligibility and want to continue
their hockey careers, the free agency period provides them an 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 - as well as the inclusion of players who participated
in the 2018 Winter Olympics, this very well could be the most competitive
season yet. 

My colleague Nathaniel Oliver will keep THW readers up-to-date on Boston and
Buffalo's signings throughout the summer, while I post updates on Connecticut
and the Riveters. Together we will collaborate to keep readers informed of all
of Minnesota's signings.

Whitecaps Finalize Roster with Schlagel, Martinson Signings

Alexa the Great Re-Signs with the Riveters

Connecticut Signs Russian Goalie Sorokina

BREAKING: Alexa Aramburu (@aaramburu16) has signed for the season!  

🔗 https://t.co/pekqyNjPiI pic.twitter.com/FvK0q2c9Ke

- Metro Riveters 🏆 (@Riveters) September 13, 2018

The Riveters added more forward depth this past week when they re-signed Erika
Lawler on September 18 and they signed Alexa Aramburu on September 13. Lawler
is a returning member of the 2018 Isobel Cup champions, bringing the total of
defending champs to 15. In her first NWHL season, the 31-year-old Lawler put up
 seven points (1g-6a) in 14 regular season games followed up by a three-point
(1g-2a) performance in a 5-0 semifinal win over Connecticut. Before joining the
 NWHL she was a star in the CWHL with the Boston Blades and at the University
of Wisconsin; Lawler is also an Olympic silver medalist (2010) and she also has
 four medals (two gold, two silver) for the USWNT at the World Championships.

Aramburu returns to New Jersey to play for her hometown team after a season in
the CWHL with the Toronto Furies. The 23-year-old from Glen Rock, NJ played
four years collegiately at SUNY Oswego after coming through the New Jersey
Colonials program. She is the fifth rookie to sign with the Riveters for the
2018-19 season. 

The 2018-19 Riveters will be returning 15 players from their championship
roster (as of today): Katie Fitzgerald, Kimberly Sass, Sarah Bryant, Michelle
Picard, Courtney Burke, Jenny Ryan, Kelsey Koelzer, Kiira Dosdall, Madison
Packer, Kelly Nash, Rebecca Morse, Miye D'Oench, Alexa Gruschow, Rebecca Russo,
 and Erika Lawler. Players joining them with NWHL experience will be Amanda
Kessel and Kristin Lewicki, along with rookies Lexi Slattery, Audra Richards,
Fiona McKenna, Chelsea Ziadie, and Alexa Aramburu.Erika Lawler of the
Metropolitan Riveters. (Photo Credit: Matthew Raney)

Over the last five days, Connecticut brought back four players who suited up
for them last season and also signed another player that was on last season's
AHCA Division III East All-American First Team. Defender Kim Tiberi signed with
 the Whale (on September 13) after she had 58 points in 58 games during her
last two seasons at Norwich University - she joins fellow All-Americans Sarah
Hughson, Melissa Sheeran, and Sam Walther as rookies this upcoming season.
Currently, she's the only defender on the Connecticut roster that wasn't a part
 of the team last season.

The Whale also signed two veteran blueliners on September 18, bringing back two
 original NWHLers - Jordan Brickner and Elena Orlando. Brickner joins Shannon
Doyle as the only two players currently signed that have been with the
franchise in Connecticut since it's inception. Orlando played for the New York
Riveters in season one before playing the last two for the Whale; in 45 career
games, she has two assists. Brickner played in the 2016 NWHL All-Star Game and
has 18 points (2g-16a) in 47 career games and has played in all five of the
franchise's playoff games.Jamie Goldsmith of the Connecticut Whale. (Photo
Credit: Matthew Raney)

Jamie Goldsmith returns to Connecticut for a second season after putting up
four points (3g-1a) as a rookie. She was a Swiss-army knife type player for the
 coaching staff, who utilized her talents in all phases of the game. Two of her
 three goals came via the power play, she was credited with 14 blocked shots,
and ranked second on the team in face-offs taken (229) and face-offs won (111).

Samantha Donovan was Connecticut's first pick in the 2017 NWHL Draft (fifth
overall) and joined the Whale for their final three games at the end of last
season once she had finished a nice career at Brown University, where she was
an alternate captain her junior and senior seasons. She played two regular
season games and one playoff game, picking up her first career NWHL point (an
assist) in the regular season finale against Buffalo. Her speed will be a big
boost to the Whale over the course of a full season where she has more
familiarity with her teammates.

The 2018-19 Whale will be returning 11 players from last season's roster (as of
 today): Emily Fluke, Juana Baribeau, Jamie Goldsmith, Samantha Donovan, Kaycie
 Anderson, Shannon Doyle, Cydney Roesler, Elena Orlando, Rachael Ade, Hanna
Beattie, and Jordan Brickner. The other 11 players currently on the roster will
 be making their NWHL debuts - Kayla Meneghin, Kim Tiberi, Sarah Schwenzfeier,
Melissa Sheeran, Nina Rodgers, Sarah Hughson, Randi Griffin, Michelle
Löwenhielm, Maria Sorokina, Sam Walther, and Katerina Mrázová.

The post Riveters & Whale Add Depth with Late Signings appeared first on The
Hockey Writers.

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