In Raselli, Pride Add Experience and Star Power in First Annual NWHL International Draft

The NWHL conducted its first annual International Draft on Sunday, and the Boston Pride wasted no time taking a big swing. In new General Manager Danielle Larouco’s first move in charge, the team selected Swiss national stud Evelina Raselli out of Ladies Team Lugano of the Swiss Women’s Hockey League. Raselli, 29, has long been a mainstay on the Swiss national team, and has an Olympic Bronze Medal from the 2014 Sochi Games. She has absolutely obliterated her national professional league to the tune of 344 points in 229 games across 13 seasons. She played one additional season at the B level of the SWHL prior to hitting the top circuit, meaning she began her professional career at the tender age of 15. And produced over a point per game that season. And every season since.

Photo Credit: Reuters

Yeah. She’s really good. She also has taken home the SWHL title four times already, lead the league in goal scoring in 2014-15 with 27 in 20 games. That season she was also the league’s most penalized player, accumulating 60 minutes in penalties in those 20 games. She also lead the Sochi Olympics in PIMs with 25 minutes of penalties…in 5 games. She fits the Pride incredibly well. She refuses to shy away from contact, she has small area skill, and given the team has lost a considerable amount of middle six depth this offseason for a myriad of reasons, the hope is to plug in an experienced veteran as a 2nd or 3rd line pivot to really fit Paul Mara’s high-paced style. I expect the team to make a heavy push to sign Raselli, though that announcement likely will not come until mainstays like captain Jillian Dempsey or alternate captain Kaleigh Fratkin are both inked to their extensions (which I believe have already been agreed upon in concept).