Connecticut Whale (NWHL)
| Connecticut Whale | |
|---|---|
 2015–16 Connecticut Whale season |
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| City | Stamford, Connecticut |
| League | National Women's Hockey League |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Home arena | Chelsea Piers |
| Colors |
Blue, Green, White |
| Owner(s) | NWHL |
| General manager | Chris Ardito |
| Head coach | Jake Mastel |
| Captain | Jessica Koizumi |
| Media | The Collinsville Press NWHL Cross Ice Pass (on YouTube) |
The Connecticut Whale is a professional women's ice hockey team based in Stamford, Connecticut. It is one of the four charter franchises of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL). It is named in honor of the defunct NHL Hartford Whalers.
Contents
History[edit]
The Whale will play home games in Stamford, CT at Chelsea Piers. Chris Ardito was hired as the first general manager in franchise history,[1] while Jake Mastel & Ashley Parker will coach the team. The team is named the "Connecticut Whale" with the approval of Howard Baldwin and his father, who, for a short time, used the name for an American Hockey League men's hockey team.
It was reported that the NHL took issue with the NWHL Connecticut Whale trademark application. The Baldwins' interest in the trademark is thus questionable. The trademark attorney for the NWHL, Ben Natter of the firm Natter & Natter, clarified in an interview that the NHL has not objected to use of the name. Natter woud not comment on the deal between the NWHL and Baldwin.
The team made its debut in 2015. The first game in league history between the New York Riveters and Connecticut Whale on October 11th, 2015 sold out.[2] Of note, the Whale prevailed by a 4-1 tally as Jessica Koizumi scored the first goal in franchise history and in NWHL history. In the same game, Kelli Stack had one goal and two assists, becoming the first player to record a multi-point performance. Whale goaltender Jaimie Leonoff was credited the win, capturing the game's First Star. Stack was recognized as the Second Star, and Kelly Babstock, who became the first Canadian-born player to score a goal in an NWHL regular season game was acknowledged as the Third Star.
Winning their first three games in franchise history, the Whale did so with three different goalies. In the first game, the Whale prevailed with Jaimie Leonoff. Former Quinnipiac goaltender Chelsae Laden captured the second win, while Nicole Stock played her first game in over five years to capture the third win on the road against the New York Riveters.
Jessica Koizumi was named first team captain in Franchise history.[3]
Team[edit]
Current Roster[edit]
Updated September 27, 2015
| Player | Position | Nationality |
| Chelsea Laden | Goalie |  United States |
| Jaimie Leonoff | Goalie |  Canada |
| Nicole Stock | Goalie | United States |
| Shannon Doyle | Defense | Canada |
| Molly Engstrom | Defense | United States |
| Sam Faber | Defense | United States |
| Tara Tomimoto | Defense | Canada |
| Lindsey Berman | Defense | United States |
| Jordan Brickner | Defense | United States |
| Kelly Babstock | Forward | Canada |
| Shiann Darkangelo | Forward | United States |
| Brittany Dougherty | Forward | United States |
| Kaleigh Fratkin A | Forward | Canada |
| Jessica Koizumi C | Forward | United States |
| Micaela Long | Forward | United States |
| Yekaterina Smolentseva | Forward |  Russia |
| Danielle Ward | Forward | United States |
| Kelli Stack | Forward | United States |
| Alyssa Wohlfeiler | Forward | United States |
Draft history[edit]
Hannah Brandt from the Univ. of Minnesota program became the first player in franchise history to be selected in the inaugural 2015 NWHL Draft.[6] Raised in the state capital of Albany, New York, Picard was also the first defenseman selected in NWHL Draft history.
NWHL Draft[edit]
The following were the Whales selections in the 2015 NWHL Draft on June 20, 2015.
| # | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 2 | Hannah Brandt | Forward | United States |
Univ of Minnesota |
| 6 | Michelle Picard | Defense | United States |
Harvard Univ |
| 10 | Milica McMillen | Defense | United States |
Univ of Minnesota |
| 14 | Maryanne Menefee | Forward | United States |
Univ of Minnesota |
| 18 | Cassandra Poudrier | Defense | Canada |
Cornell |
Franchise milestones[edit]
| Milestone | Player | Date |
| First goal | Jessica Koizumi | October 11, 2015 |
| First multi-point game | Kelli Stack | October 11, 2015 |
| First win | Jaimie Leonoff | October 11, 2015 |
References[edit]
- ^ http://nwhl.co/pro-hockey-returns-to-connecticut/
- ^ http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/nwhl-sells-out-inaugural-game-manon-rheaume-to-drop-ceremonial-puck-in-buffalo/
- ^ http://nwhl.co/whale-names-koizumi-captain-and-fratkin-assistant-captain/
- ^ http://nwhl.co/free-agent-tracker/
- ^ http://nwhl.co/draft-live/
- ^ http://nwhl.co/draft-live/
- ^ http://nwhl.co/draft-live/
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