Sirens place Maja Nylen Persson on long-term injured reserve
On Tuesday, the New York Sirens announced that the team has placed defender Maja Nylén Persson on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
In response, the team signed Olivia Knowles to a standard player agreement (SPA).
Nylén Persson suffered the injury during the Sirens’ matchup with the Minnesota Frost in the Takeover Tour game in Detroit on March 16. Just before the halfway mark of the second period, the Swedish rearguard was angled off into the boards by Frost forward Michela Cava. Nylén Persson was then seen favoring her right arm as she skated off the ice.
She didn’t return to the game, though the Sirens went on to win, 4-1.
Per the PWHL’s LTIR rules and the upcoming international break, Nylén Persson will not be eligible to return to the lineup until the team’s final game of the regular season on May 2 against the Montreal Victoire.
Questions arose about Nylén Persson’s status after she was noticeably absent from Team Sweden’s roster for the upcoming IIHF Women’s World Championship. The Avesta native had played for Damkronorna in the last four Women’s Worlds the nation has competed in (they didn’t play in 2020 or 2021), as well as the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics.
Nylén Persson played in the Sirens’ first 23 games of the season. She scored two goals and four assists for six points, including the overtime winner against the league-leading Victoire on March 12. She’s fourth on the team in scoring by defenders.
Knowles was originally signed by the Sirens back in December off the Toronto Sceptres’ reserve list after Ella Shelton went down with an early-season injury. However, after New York signed Lauren Bernard – from the Sceptres as well – Knowles was released from her contract.
Then, when Nylén Persson initially exited the lineup, Knowles was re-signed to a 10-day contract. The 26-year-old has dressed in 10 games this season, having yet to register a point while posting a plus/minus of +1. While she was in the lineup on Feb. 26 against the Ottawa Charge, Knowles’ last recorded minutes came in a 4-0 loss to the Boston Fleet on Feb. 12.
The Sirens (5-4-4-12) are last in the PWHL, eight points back of the Frost for the last playoff spot. New York is in action on Tuesday night against the Charge.