Rattray, Hensley, Soderberg highlight Tuesday’s PWHL signings

Credit: (Photo by Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)

On the last day of October, six players were signed to contracts by PWHL teams, including Olympic mainstays Jamie Lee Rattray, Nicole Hensley and Emma Soderberg.

The Boston franchise signed Rattray to a three-year deal, becoming the first PWHL franchise to finalize their six guaranteed three-year contracts. Each of the three-year deals must pay players at least $80,000 per season.

The other Boston players signed to these deals include Aerin Frankel, Megan Keller, Hilary Knight, Alina Muller and Sophie Jaques.

Rattray was Boston’s third round pick in the PWHL Draft in September. She won a gold medal at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, and two World Championship gold medals in 2021 and 2022.

Boston also signed Soderberg to a two-year contract. With both Frankel and Soderberg, Boston has a tandem in goal that will be the envy of the league.

During her fourth and final season with Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association, Soderberg posted a .938 save percentage and had 12 shutouts in 33 appearances. She won the Goaltender of the Year for the second time in her college career.

Sticking with goaltenders, Minnesota signed Hensley to a three-year contract. She’s won three World Championship gold medals, including two Olympic medals (gold in 2018 Pyeongchang and silver in 2022 Beijing).

Hensley posted a .921 save percentage in 13 games in the PWHPA last season.

As for the rest of the league, New York signed Ella Shelton to a three-year deal. The 25-year-old Canadian defender won a gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, as well as two World Championship gold medals in 2021 and 2022.

Ottawa signed recent NCAA grad Zoe Boyd to a one-year contract. She was an assistant captain for Quinnipac, recording 14 points in 27 games for the Bobcats last season.

Toronto and 11th round pick Maggie Connors agreed to a two-year deal, their first player from the 2023 PWHL Draft to be signed. Connors had a strong career with Princeton, scoring 78 goals and 67 assists for 145 points in 127 games through four seasons.