PWHL Montreal activates Melodie Daoust for semifinals

One of the most taltented players in the game is ready to make an impact in the PWHL’s inaugural postseason.

Hours before their first game of the Walter Cup Playoffs, Montreal activated forward Melodie Daoust for their semifinal series against Boston. Under the conditions of her reserve player contract, Daoust is only eligible to play in one series.

During the regular season, Daoust signed a pair of 10-day contracts, the maximum allowable under the current collective bargaining agreement. Whenever the Quebec native was in the lineup, she made an impact. She etched her name on the scoresheet in five of her six appearances, scoring three goals and two assists. Daoust also notched the game-winner against Boston in her season debut on March 2.

Daoust played in Montreal’s final three regular-season games, showing that, despite not being a regular player, she is one of the most skilled players in the game. However, due to other commitments, she was unable to be part of the team full-time.

The biggest aspect of Daoust’s game is her speed, which allows her to play anywhere in the lineup. She played on the top line with longtime Team Canada teammate Marie-Philip Poulin and was also on the third line with Gabrielle David and Sarah Lefort, bringing some extra jump to Montreal’s bottom six.

This will not be Daoust’s first professional playoff experience, as she played with the Montreal Canadiennes of the defunct Canadian Women’s Hockey League during the 2018-19 season, playing four games that postseason. She also played 11 games last season with Team Scotiabank during the PWHPA Dream Gap Tour.

Daoust is a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2014, 2022), a one-time world champion (2021), and a Women’s Under-18 gold medalist (2010). Daoust was named the tournament MVP in the 2018 Olympics and 2021 World Championship.

Montreal opens its series with Boston on Thursday night in Laval. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET.

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