Team Canada star Sarah Fillier taken 1st overall by New York in 2024 PWHL draft

Sarah Fillier is an Olympic gold medallist, a three-time world champion and now, a PWHL first-overall decide.

Billie Jean King introduced the decide on stage on the draft in St. Paul, Minn. on Monday night time on behalf of New York, which will get a tremendously expert participant who’s poised to change into one of many faces of the league.

For Fillier, it was a dream come true, and one thing she stated would want to soak in over the following couple of days.

“Being up on that stage and attending to shake [King’s] hand and provides her a hug was a surreal second and one thing I am going to keep in mind perpetually,” Fillier informed reporters after the decide was made.

WATCH | Sarah Fillier chosen first by New York at 2024 PWHL Draft:

The 24-year-old ahead has discovered a approach to rating at each stage. She plans to proceed that in New York, the staff that scored the second-fewest objectives final season.

“Only a ton of talent and creativity,” Fillier stated on the published when requested what she’s going to deliver. “I wish to contribute offensively.”

Edmonton’s Serdachny heads to Ottawa

After Fillier, Ottawa used the second-overall decide to pick out Edmonton’s Danielle Serdachny, a play-making energy ahead whose measurement and skating ought to permit her to contribute instantly.

Serdachny completed her school profession at Colgate College as the college’s all-time scoring chief, with 239 factors over 180 video games. She was a top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award for the very best participant in feminine school hockey in 2023, and a top-10 finalist this previous season.

On the worldwide stage, 23-year-old Serdachny made her senior nationwide staff debut on the Rivalry Sequence in December 2022, scoring an time beyond regulation game-winner in opposition to the USA in Los Angeles.

Ottawa will reunite Serdachny with quite a few Group Canada teammates and one other Albertan in head coach Carla MacLeod. She coached Serdachny to a gold medal with Group Alberta on the Canada Winter Video games in 2019.

“To be right here and be part of this second is simply tremendous unbelievable and speaks to the expansion of the ladies’s sport,” Serdachny informed reporters after she was chosen. “I am tremendous completely happy to be right here and likewise very honoured, too.”

A pair rounds later, Ottawa added Serdachny’s finest buddy, ahead Stephanie Markowski. The 2 grew up taking part in collectively in Edmonton, and Markowski was additionally on MacLeod’s 2019 Group Alberta staff.

Toronto provides an influence ahead from Ontario

Montreal added defender Cayla Barnes with the fifth decide, filling a necessity the staff had for one more top-two defender who can log time on the ability play. Barnes has been a mainstay on the American nationwide staff, and received an Olympic gold medal at solely 19. She received a nationwide championship with Ohio State College this previous season.

Barnes, who’s from Eastvale, Calif., stated she plans to “deliver a little bit of aptitude to the again finish” in Montreal.

“I am defensive however with a little bit of spice offensively,” she stated. “Look to see me soar up into the play and get entangled offensively.”

One decide later, Toronto chosen London, Ont.’s Gosling, a 23-year-old ahead who might substitute a few of the components the staff might miss ought to main scorer Natalie Spooner not be prepared in time to begin to the season. Spooner had surgical procedure after sustaining a knee harm within the playoffs.

Gosling is a participant each Toronto GM Gina Kingsbury and head coach Troy Ryan are accustomed to from Group Canada. Gosling was centralized with the staff forward of the Olympics in 2022, and made her world championship debut this previous spring.

She regarded as much as Spooner as a job mannequin rising up, and has been making an attempt to look at and study from her for years.

Minnesota chosen Canadian Olympic gold medallist Claire Thompson with the third decide, taking the very best offensive defender within the draft off the board early. Thompson, who did not play final season whereas in medical college, will give the staff one other weapon on the ability play.

At fourth, Boston selected American defender Hannah Bilka, a scoring menace who additionally received an NCAA title with Ohio State final season. 

‘One of the best younger participant on this planet’

In New York, Fillier might slot in because the staff’s second-line centre behind star ahead Alex Carpenter, forcing groups to attempt to match up with each of them. Fillier is a pure centre and has performed there most of her profession.

Or she might play on the wing on the highest line and use her hockey IQ to create magic with Carpenter, among the best shooters within the sport. That is a place Fillier has realized this 12 months to make herself extra of a Swiss Military knife on the ice.

Off the ice, New York GM Pascal Daoust stated he was in search of a participant with a powerful work ethic, who will put in a constant effort for 60 minutes each sport. Consistency is a phrase Daoust has used so much to explain what he needs to construct for subsequent season, and it is a high quality he felt his staff lacked at occasions final season.

Fillier has realized these qualities from the very best, having hung out coaching and absorbing habits from gamers like Brianne Jenner and Marie-Philip Poulin, and admiring how they’re at all times working to be higher, irrespective of how lengthy they have been within the sport.

“Not solely are they getting the very best younger participant on this planet, however they’re getting somebody who cares deeply about her household and her mates and her teammates,” Fillier’s coach at Princeton, Cara Morey, informed CBC Sports activities in March.

She completed her profession at Princeton with 194 factors, together with 93 objectives, in 120 video games. Alongside the best way, she was a three-time top-10 Patty Kazmaier finalist for the very best feminine participant in school hockey. In her remaining season, she led the NCAA in objectives per sport (1.03).

On the worldwide stage, Fillier made her Canadian senior nationwide staff debut in 2018 and has change into one of many faces of that staff. She was named MVP of the 2023 world championship after registering 11 factors in seven video games.

Forty-two gamers from seven nations had been chosen over seven rounds. Concordia College captain Emmy Fecteau (New York) was the one participant chosen from a Canadian college.