2021 NWHL Draft Recap
Another draft has come and gone. Some bigger names went than some might have expected, and there were definitely some that came out of left field. Let’s walk through them, shall we?
Round 1
1. Connecticut Whale (via Buffalo) – F Taylor Girard, Quinnipiac
The Whale felt strongly enough about what Girard would bring to their roster that they made a deal with Buffalo to go up and grab her. Girard is an excellent offensive forward who has some slight defensive deficiencies, but should still help supplement last year’s #2 pick Kayla Friesen (if she returns) and free agent acquisition Kennedy Marchment.
2. Buffalo Beauts (via Connecticut) – D Emilie Harley, Robert Morris
Well, Nate Oliver certainly didn’t pull any punches. Harley was one of the premier two-way rearguards available in this class and was a huge part of the Colonials’ CHA title this season. She also now has familial bragging rights – older brother Thomas wasn’t taken until the 18th pick by Dallas in 2019. Her bread and butter is puck movement, and I’d expect her to try and take some pressure off of Marie-Jo Pelletier to both run the powerplay, and activate offensively for the Beauts.
3. Toronto Six (via Boston) – F Maegan Beres, Boston College
Beres is not going to wow you offensively, but she brings a ton of grit and leadership to the bottom half of the Six lineup. She has been buried on a deep BC roster, so the hope here has to be that she will flourish with an increased role. Even if she doesn’t, she’s solid enough defensively to be trustworthy in a penalty killing role.
4. Toronto Six – F Tatum Skaggs, Ohio State
This was the real stunner of the draft, as Skaggs signed in Austria the day before the draft. If she somehow dresses for any games for the Six, it’s a slam dunk – she’s far and away the most skilled player who was taken in this draft. But if not, it feels like a bit of a wasted pick by the Six (who could arguably afford to given it was one of three in Round 1).
5. Toronto Six (via Metropolitan) – D Taylor Davison, York
I will be the first to tell you that I know next to nothing about USports players. It is a good thing then, that I was able to get a little report from Rachel Doerrie of EliteProspects.com and The Staff and Graph Podcast, who spent multiple years as a graduate assistant coach for the York University Lions. Rachel was effusive in her praise for Davison, noting that she was robbed of Ontario University Athletics Best Defender Award in in 2019. “[Davison is] the most talented defenceman I’ve worked with in women’s hockey,” said Doerrie. If that’s the case (and I trust Rachel’s assessment), I fully expect Davison to step in and work well with returner Lindsay Eastwood to create havok on the blueline for the Six.
Langei was a very obvious target for the Whitecaps. She was over-relied upon at Bemidji State, and one player can only stop so much bleeding. Don’t let the numbers fool you - she’s a stellar shutdown defender who managed to be an above average play driver despite minimal help around her. I don’t expect an abundance of offense from her at this level, but I’m not sure Minnesota needs it.
Round 2
7. Buffalo Beauts – F Anjelica Diffendal, Robert Morris
Nate went back to back Colonials to start his evening, and Diffendal should instantly provide some stability up front for a team that desperately needs it. She consistently improved over her four years at Robert Morris, and was a solid 2nd liner by the end of her career. She’s likely not a play driver at this level, but she’s absolutely what you want smack in the middle of your lineup.
8. Connecticut Whale – F Emma Polaski, Syracuse
Polaski should pair well with Girard for the Whale, giving them an effective 1/2 punch up front. She’s average defensively, but she provides above average offensive value, and was able to drive play reasonably well for a Syracuse squad that was inconsistent at best this year. She’s definitely going to be the goal-scoring focus on this roster to pair with Emma Vlasic, Alyssa Wohlfeiler, and (possibly) Kayla Friesen and Amanda Conway.
9. Toronto Six (via Boston) – F Annie MacDonald, Princeton
The Nova Scotia native fell victim this year to the Ivy League’s decision to forgo any athletics, so she has not laced up her skates since the 2019-20 season. That year, she was a middle six forward who really didn’t possess a ton of clear strengths, but didn’t have a ton of explicit weaknesses either. On a deep Princeton roster, she was merely passable at driving play, and her defensive numbers are a little suspect, but because she was the Six’ fourth pick of the draft, I’m sure a large part of this decision was signability. Get someone in the door you know you will be able to sign.
10. Toronto Six – D Rachel Marmen, Mercyhurst
Marmen represents the type of defender the Six really don’t have right now - someone to be relied upon in all situations with a distinct focus on her own end. Eastwood and Taylor Woods are both much more offensively minded, and 1st Rounder Taylor Davison has a more offensive slant as well. This positions Marmen to be a solid and reliable option for new head coach Mark Joslin to rely upon early.
11. Metropolitan Riveters – D Caroline Ross, Colgate
The Riveters started off with a strong, shutdown defender, and that kind of set the tone for the remainder of their draft. Ross is not going to produce any offense, but she’s one of the better defenders in her own end in this class. After the team lost 2020 4th Overall Pick Saroya Tinker in the offseason, it’s clear new GM Anya Packer made it a priority to stabilize the blueline.
12. Minnesota Whitecaps – D Tina Kampa, Bemidji State
Jack Brodt went right back to the Bemidji State blueline in Round 2, picking up the undersized Tina Kampa to pair with 1st Rounder Mak Langei. Kampa, like Langei, has poor defensive numbers due to how severely outmatched the Beavers were this season by the likes of Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Minnesota Duluth, but she did post respectable offensive numbers. What sets her apart from Langei (apart from the size difference) is that Kampa struggled to drive play nearly as well as her Beaver teammate, so it’s likely that she finds herself in a more sheltered role at the next level.
Round 3
13. Buffalo Beauts – F Kennedy Ganser, Alberta
The Beauts had the first three picks in the 3rd Round, and Nate Oliver went to the old hits. To start it off, he went back to the University of Alberta for the second year in a row, selecting Kennedy Ganser to pair with her former teammate in Autumn MacDougall. MacDougall was a welcome surprise as a rookie, leading the Beauts in goal scoring, but the major concern going into this season is clearly who is going to help her up front. It’s unknown if captain Taylor Accursi will be able to play given her job responsibilities, and Oliver has been clear about wanting to inject some new blood into the lineup. Pairing Ganser, who finished her USports career with 85 points in 112 games, should give them a dangerous scoring line to work with.
14. Buffalo Beauts (via Connecticut) – D Anna Zíková, Maine
Zíková has had a whirlwind couple of seasons. She missed her junior season due to injury, then spent all of last year in quarantine limbo due to the pandemic, unable to get into the US. That means the Czech national has not dressed for an NCAA game since the 18-19 season. When she DOES play, however, she is a stout two-way rearguard, and is more than willing to mix things up physically. I’m genuinely confused where all of the defenders are going to go on this Buffalo roster though, Nate Oliver is overstocking to the extreme.
15. Buffalo Beauts (via Boston) – F Missy Segall, Hamilton
To be honest, this is where Nate lost me. Segall wasn’t anywhere near my radar leading up to the draft, and she had a good, albeit unspectacular career at Division III Hamilton College. Hamilton isn’t a traditional powerhouse either, so needless to say, this one wasn’t just out of left field - it was from across the dang street. Segall is a little undersized, but was nearly a point per game as a junior before missing all of this season due to the pandemic, and Buffalo has a history of finding hidden Division III gems, so I trust Nate’s evaluation here.
16. Toronto Six – F Leah Marino, Robert Morris
After the unceremonious manner in which both Robert Morris programs were cut last month, I can’t think of a bigger indictment of the decision than to see three players taken in the first 16 picks. Marino is a do-it-all, middle of the lineup player - she’s unspectacular by design, and still pushes play at an above average clip. We know there is quite a bit of turnover in the Six forward corps this year, so having Marino in your middle six gives the team a reliable forward that they don’t have to worry about making a mistake and costing the team.
17. Metropolitan Riveters – D Julia Scammell, New Hampshire
Scammell was admittedly a surprise here – I thought she would head back north of the border after graduation. But the Riveters are investing in a smooth defensive defender here. Scammell is long and fluid, and uses her size to her advantage well. She doesn’t have the quickest first step, and I don’t foresee much offense from her, if any, but she’s solid on the penalty kill, and good in the room.
I thought Wente was the Whitecaps’ 1st Round target, given the pedigree, but I’m not sure they really cared what order they chose their WCHA targets in. Wente had an outstanding start to her career, but got buried down the depth chart at Minnesota as an upperclassman. My bet? She unlocks some of that scoring prowess with a bigger opportunity in the pros. Unfortunately, she’s already indicated her preference to pursue her professional career. Jack Brodt loves to swing big in the draft, knowing the pseudo-monopoly the Whitecaps have on WCHA players. This makes sense why she slipped to Round 3.
Round 4
19. Buffalo Beauts – D Allison Attea, Holy Cross
Seriously, where on EARTH is Nate planning on putting all of these defenders? Attea is all offense, all the time, something that Holy Cross has needed on the back end as they transitioned into Hockey East the last few years. She drives play reasonably well, and she’s a consistent scoring threat. I just advise pairing her with someone strong in their own end, as that’s not a role she was often asked to play for the Crusaders, nor is she particularly proficient at it. That’s the type of player I’d expect in Round 4 - really strong strengths, paired with a concerning weakness. It’s about finding a balance at the next level.
20. Connecticut Whale – D Hannah Bates, St. Cloud State
Seeing the Whale wait to address a defensive corps in the draft after losing captain Shannon Doyle to retirement signals to me that they are confident that 2020 2nd Rounder Tori Howran will be back this season. Bates is a good transitional defender with high end defensive ability. St. Cloud was stuck in the WCHA gauntlet this year, so her play driving numbers being poor shouldn’t be a deterrent
21. Boston Pride – F Finley Frechette, Cornell
It should tell you how confident the Pride are in their returning roster that this was their first pick in the entire draft, and they took a player in Frechette who sat the year out because of the Ivy League’s no-athletics decision. But I’m not sure there is a more Boston Pride player than Frechette. She’s a Massachusetts native. She hosted her own podcast during her career at Cornell to rave reviews. And she was a two-sport athlete at an Ivy League school, with both her and her sister Gillis suiting up for the hockey and lacrosse teams for the Big Red. On the ice, she’s a solid, albeit unspectacular contributor, but she can play up the middle, a position the Pride are suddenly thinner than they planned. And speaking of her sister, Gillis is stud of the family, and she still has two more years of NCAA eligibility remaining - perhaps this is a long-term play to bring both Frechette girls into the fold.
22. Toronto Six – F Olivia Atkinson, Concordia
The story of this pick isn’t necessarily the player - it’s that the pick was announced by Caroline Ouellette and Julie Chu. That was a complete stunner to most viewers. Atkinson, in her own right, probably has the most unique resume in the draft (and actually makes me wonder whether or not this pick should have been allowed). She played three years at McGill, and then played a year with the Montreal Canadiennes of the CWHL in 2018-19, the final year of the league’s existence, before returning to school the following year for Concordia. I’m not sure how a player who played professionally in North America is draft eligible, but I don’t know if the league actually considered this.
23. Metropolitan Riveters – D Jordan Sansilo, Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart did not play this season due to the pandemic, so Sansilo hasn’t played in over a year. This is the 3rd defender GM Anya Packer added in the draft, and she stated afterwards that stabilizing the blue line following the departures of Sammy Kolowrat and Saroya Tinker was a priority. Sansilo made an appearance at the Riveters’ free agency camp, making it clear she was a target. She’s not going to provide a ton of offense, but on a team that historically struggles against NEWHA powerhouses in Franklin Pierce, St. Anselm, and now Long Island, she still managed to be solidly above average defensively, and to drive play at least at an average rate. Just don’t expect many points.
24. Minnesota Whitecaps – G Jenna Brenneman, Penn State
The selection of Brenneman was befuddling for a few reasons, the first of which is what this means for the existing Whitecaps tandem. Amanda Leveille and Allie Morse are one of the league’s most established goaltending duos, and it makes me wonder if one (or both) will not be back between the pipes this year. Brenneman is interesting in her own right - she only has a single year as a starter in college, as she transferred to Penn State after two years as a backup at Clarkson. Her first year as a Nittany Lion was outstanding, posting a 1.74 GAA and .927 save percentage in 34 appearances…then proceeded to only start 2 more games in her collegiate career, losing the net first to Chantal Burke, then to freshman phenom Josie Bothun this past year. She’s intriguing for sure, but there are just so many question marks around this pick that I don’t know what to make of it.
Round 5
25. Buffalo Beauts – D Casey Traill, Castleton
Leave it to Nate Oliver to knock us over with a wild pick. Traill becomes the first British player ever drafted in the NWHL, as well as the first Spartan to be drafted. This was such a big deal in her own country that it made national news in the UK. On the ice, Traill is (ANOTHER??) defender with mediocre offensive numbers, but she brings a bit of size and grit to the blueline, and already is a mainstay on the British National Team. Wildly intriguing pick, I can’t wait to see how it works.
This was a personal favorite of mine, because I think Grace has often found herself miscast in the Wildcats’ lineup. Ignore her numbers this year - the entire team regressed offensively after losing the majority of their forward corps, and Middleton was shuffled in and out of the lineup often, primarily in a 4th line role. She’s a smart two-way player who can play any of the three forward positions, and she has outstanding vision, with an improving wrist shot that could stand being a bit heavier. Her main problem is her footspeed, which she’ll be the first to admit isn’t fantastic, but she is able to compensate by outthinking her opponent, and I don’t think that will be an issue for her. She truly shines transitionally, and very rarely dump and chases the puck, preferring to make a pass or carry the puck into the offensive zone. She could be one to surprise this season.
27. Boston Pride – F Abby Nearis, Brown
Stop me if you’ve heard this before - the Pride took a local player who didn’t play last year because she attends an Ivy League school and whose younger sister is a considerably more intriguing prospect. This time it’s Brown’s Abby Nearis, who did not produce much offensively for a Bears squad that has been absolutely dismal during her career. But she brings a ton of size and strength at 6’0” and instantly becomes one of the league’s biggest players, let alone forwards. She should provide the Pride with an excellent netfront presence and could cause matchup nightmares in the bottom six. And if younger sister Julia, a stud for Boston University, is inclined to sign after her career is done with the team her sister plays for, the Pride won’t be too disappointed.
28. Toronto Six – D Darya Teryoshkina, Maine
Tereshkina is a physical, mean goal scorer who was a solid play driver despite below-average offensive production for the Black Bears. She does have a lot of international experience, and has already had a stint on the Russian National Team, and is defensively responsible, so she is an ideal fit on a 3rd line for the Six.
29. Metropolitan Riveters – D Morgan Schauer, Long Island
What a glow-up for Long Island University. They have existed for just two years, have won the NEWHA title in both of them, had both of their assistant coaches poached by Hockey East Schools, and now have their first ever draft pick. Schauer was their most experienced recruit - she transferred to the Sharks and became their captain after two seasons at Robert Morris - and was a large part of their early success as a program. In addition to the leaderships she adds, she brings a considerable amount of size to the blueline, and a willingness to play in the trenches. This also means that Anya Packer spent all four of the Riveters’ picks on defenders - I’m curious to see what that means for the rest of the roster.
30. Minnesota Whitecaps – F Kendall Williamson, Colgate
This feels like a signability pick for the Whitecaps. They always have a bit of an alternative draft strategy given the pseudo-monopoly they have regionally, but Williamson…is a player. Sure. Jack Brodt manages to befuddle most of us on a regular basis, so who the heck knows.
What did YOU think of the 2021 NWHL Draft?
Player cards are courtesy of Nayan Patel (@Scootszn99) and HockeyUAnalytics.com
