“Learning to win, in the context in which you find yourself, is priceless,” insists Danièle Sauvageau.
We know that the Montreal team has several players from the national team on its roster, who know what winning means. What has been less talked about are these players from other teams who have also experienced victory.
In total, five members of the 2022-2023 edition of the Toronto Six, of the defunct Premier Hockey Federation (PHF), are playing today in Montreal: Tereza Vanisova, Leah Lum, Kati Tabin, Dominika Laskova and goalkeeper Elaine Chuli. Together, they won the PHF championship.
Is it a coincidence that five players from this champion team find themselves in Montreal? Partly, but not completely, explains to The Press the general director of the Montreal training, Danièle Sauvageau.
“We looked at all the players in the PHF, the support they had. Winning is one thing, but what support did these players have off the ice? (…) In our draft list, with the time we had, we had very specific criteria. These were to say: who is closest to playing in the environment that we want to create here, in Montreal?
“They seemed to have something interesting (in Toronto) because they had been close to the championship for a few years, and then they won it. At the same time, you have to look at the legacy of these players before they play for the Toronto Six. All this has been considered. »
Of course, the caliber of the defunct league was not the same as that of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (LPHF), given that most of the best players in the world were not there. But that doesn’t take away from what these five players experienced with the Toronto Six last year, Sauvageau believes.
“Learning to win, in the context in which you find yourself, is priceless. Each of the players here, if we look at the history of their career, has won at one time or another. (…) That’s life experience that can’t be bought. Whether it was the same level or not, they had to win at the level they were at. »
Head coach Kori Cheverie agrees: it was essential for the hockey staff to welcome players who have “experienced victory” to Montreal. “For us, it is very important to have players who know what it takes to go far in a playoff race and to win important matches,” she says.
“We are lucky to have so many players with a winning pedigree. »
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Kori Cheverie, head coach of the Montreal team
Team Chemistry
Tereza Vanisova and Leah Lum agree that Toronto’s 2023 roster had interesting chemistry; it is, quite unanimously, one of the key elements behind any championship.
“We had one of the tightest teams I’ve ever had,” Lum said. Obviously it helped in every game, in every situation. We knew we could always count on each other. »
“I don’t even know if it was about chemistry on the ice. I think it was mostly off the ice, notes Vanisova. We were really close to each other. We were just having fun, and that translated onto the ice. »
The shy 28-year-old Czech remembers the trust she had in the team.
“I knew it inside me: we were going to win the Cup,” she says. I couldn’t be sure, obviously, but I believed in myself and the team. »
PHOTO GRAHAM HUGHES, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Tereza Vanisová
Casually, the LPHF has reached its mid-season. In total, 38 of the 72 matches of the campaign were played. And Montreal finds itself in first place with two points ahead of the Minnesota team and three points ahead of Toronto.
Considering that “every game is different” in this new league, Vanisova is hesitant to say that she feels just as confident this season. “But I believe in our team,” she says.
“Everyone gets along really well off the ice, and we’re pretty close in the locker room,” notes Leah Lum. It certainly helps and it translates onto the ice as well. »
Same thing for Cheverie, who remembers very well the initial rankings published after the draft.
“It stays with me, as a coach, the fact that everyone thought we would be near the bottom of the rankings,” she said.
“What got us to this point (where we are) is how much (the players) care about each other and love each other. (…) When you have this kind of chemistry, it’s sacred. We have an incredible locker room and that allows us to push harder and exceed expectations on the ice. »
The format of the series
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Jayna Hefford, LPHF Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations
The Professional Women’s Hockey League announced on Wednesday the format of its playoffs, which will begin the week of May 6. The first four teams in the ranking will take part. The team in first place will have an advantage, that of choosing its first round opponent from the teams ranked third or fourth. “It’s another way to be innovative and creative. The team that finishes first will be able to try to have a better travel schedule, or try to choose the best matchup for them. The decision is up to the general managers and coaches,” explained vice-president of hockey operations Jayna Hefford in a virtual press conference. The two rounds (semi-final and final) will be played in the form of three of five.
A race for first choice
The LPHF has also decided to innovate in its ways for its next draft, which will take place in June. The first pick will not be determined by a lottery as is the case in the National League. When a team is “mathematically eliminated” from the playoffs, it will begin to amass “draft order points” (draft order points). The eliminated team that has accumulated the greatest number of points at the end of the season will obtain the first selection of each round of the draft. This will prevent teams from making tanking, that is, losing games on purpose in order to finish as low as possible in the standings – a tactic that NHL teams have often been suspected of using. “It ensures competitiveness, which is very important in this league,” said Hefford. It’s also a way to encourage supporters to stay engaged. There will be a different race once their team is eliminated. »
“Nothing on the table” when it comes to expansion
Those hoping to see an LPHF team establish themselves in Quebec will have to wait. Asked about this, Jayna Hefford indicated that each visit to a new city allows you to “learn new things”, but that for the moment, “there is nothing on the table” for next season. . “We want to see the game grow and the league grow. (…) We are definitely going to be thoughtful and strategic about how we grow. » Regarding next season, administrator Stan Kasten added: “Expect there to be a lot more games at neutral sites and in NHL markets that we are not already in.” »
reference: www.lapresse.ca