Boston Fleet place Hannah Bilka on LTIR, sign Jillian Dempsey to 10-day contract

The Boston Fleet announced Wednesday that forward Hannah Bilka has been placed on Long-Term Injury Reserve (LTIR), as well as the signing of forward Jillian Dempsey to a 10-day contract.

“Bilka suffered a lower-body injury while representing Team USA in the Rivalry Series against Canada,” the Fleet said in a news release. In 13 games with the Fleet this season, Bilka, taken No. 4 overall in the 2024 PWHL Draft, has four goals and five assists for nine points.

Bilka spent four seasons playing college hockey at Boston College, then spent her fifth year with the Ohio State Buckeyes, helping them win a National Championship.

As for Dempsey, she started the 2024-25 season on the Fleet’s Reserve Player list. The 34-year-old spent last season with the Montreal Victoire, scoring one goal and adding three assists for four points in 24 regular-season games.

Dempsey is a legend in Boston hockey, and this will be her third stint with a professional team in the area. For two seasons between 2013 and 2015, she played with the CWHL’s Boston Blades, where she helped the team win a Clarkson Cup in 2015. Dempsey then joined the Boston Pride of the NWHL/PHF, where she spent the next eight seasons, five as captain. She led the Pride to three Isobel Cup championships.

She finished as the NWHL/PHF’s all-time leading scorer with 146 points in 142 career games played.

The Fleet are 3-3-2-5 with 17 points, tied for fifth in the PWHL standings. Captain Hilary Knight leads the team in scoring with 11 points by way of five goals and six assists. Close behind is Megan Keller with 10 points, scoring three goals and seven assists.