PWHL’s Fleet, Sirens swap players in league’s 2nd trade of season | CBC Sports

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The Boston Fleet have acquired Canadian Olympic gold medallist Jill Saulnier from the New York Sirens in a swap that offers a change of scenery to two forwards who have found themselves at the bottom of their teams’ lineups.

In exchange, the Sirens receive American forward Taylor Girard. She has yet to register a point over five games with the Fleet this season, but had six points in 23 games in the last campaign before her season was cut short due to injury. She was scratched in the Fleet’s last game.

Saulnier has also dealt with injuries over her two PWHL seasons, including stints on long-term injury reserve this year and last. The 32-year-old from Halifax doesn’t have any points over five games with the Sirens this season, and registered two points in 18 games last year.

Her only goal came in the league’s first game on Jan. 1, 2024 in a 4-0 New York win over Toronto.

Before she was drafted to New York 40th overall in the 2023 PWHL draft, Saulnier competed in two Olympic Games for Team Canada, earning a silver medal in 2018 and gold in 2022. In the latter Olympics, Saulnier was a staple on the team’s fourth line, adding energy and a two-way presence.

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The veteran forward also won a world championship with Canada in 2021 and an Under-18 world championship in 2010.

“She brings a level of competitiveness and grit that will elevate our team on the ice,” Fleet GM Danielle Marmer said in a statement. “Beyond her skill, Jill’s experience and leadership will be invaluable in our locker room.”

Players debut with new teams this week

Girard, 26, was taken 51st overall by the Fleet in the 2023 draft after two seasons with the Connecticut Whale of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF).

She was named the now-shuttered PHF’s newcomer of the year in 2021-2022, after she was the league’s first-overall draft pick.

A female hockey player in a white and green Boston jersey prepares to shoot the puck on a goaltender in a maroon Montreal jersey.
Taylor Girard, who was traded to the New York Sirens on Tuesday, had 6 points in 23 games during the 2024 PWHL season with Boston. (Reuben Polansky-Shapiro/PWHL)

“Adding Taylor to our roster brings not only a teammate who aligns perfectly with our organization’s values, but also a player whose physicality and disciplined approach to her role make her a valuable asset in a league where every inch of the ice is a hard-fought battle,” Sirens GM Pascal Daoust said in a statement. 

Both players were in the final year of two-year contracts. Per an agreement with the players’ association, the league doesn’t reveal financial terms of contracts.

This is the second trade of the PWHL season after a blockbuster swap between the Toronto Sceptres and Ottawa Charge on New Year’s Eve involving four players. This is the first trade the Sirens have made since the league launched last year.

Saulnier is expected to be in the Fleet’s lineup on Wednesday when the team hosts the Sceptres. As of Tuesday, the Fleet sit fifth in the league with 12 points.

Girard will make her Sirens debut on Saturday when the team travels to Toronto for a game at Scotiabank Arena. The Sirens are in third place with 16 points, but have two games in hand on second-place Minnesota (20 points).

You can watch the Sirens and the Sceptres game on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. ET on CBC TV, CBC Gem and CBCSports.ca.

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