# 2018–19 NWHL season

The 2018–19 NWHL season is the fourth season of the National Women's Hockey League. All four teams from the previous three seasons returned: the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, and the Metropolitan Riveters while the Minnesota Whitecaps entered the league as an expansion team bringing the league to five teams.

## League news and notes

* This is the first full season of the Buffalo Beauts being owned and controlled by Pegula Sports and Entertainment, the owners of the Buffalo Sabres NHL team, instead of the league. The Beauts took part in a doubleheader event immediately before a Sabres game on December 29, 2018, at KeyBank Center.
* On May 15, 2018, the league announced its first expansion franchise; the Minnesota Whitecaps had been purchased by the league and had joined the NWHL for the 2018–19 season. The Whitecaps had played in the Western Women's Hockey League (WWHL) from 2004 to 2011 and then operated independently from any league after the WWHL ceased operations, including playing a few exhibition games against other NWHL teams during the inaugural 2015–16 season.
* On August 13, 2018, the Minnesota Wild revealed its partnership with the Whitecaps. As part of a cross-promotional marketing agreement, the Whitecaps' home opener on October 6 at the TRIA Rink, the Wild's practice facility, became part of a doubleheader to take place before the Wild's home opener at the Xcel Energy Center.
* August 21, 2018: The Whitecaps' new logo and colors of blue, while, silver and black were unveiled.
* September 29, 2018: The Champions Cup was played between the NWHL's 2018 Isobel Cup champion Metropolitan Riveters and the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL) 2018 champion Luleå HF at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink in Princeton, New Jersey. Luleå defeated the Riveters 4–2. The game had been originally scheduled to take place at Norrbotten Arena in Sweden, but scheduling challenges forced a relocation. Luleå
* January 10, 2019: The Boston Pride and the NHL's Boston Bruins announced a partnership to further promote women's hockey in Massachusetts. The partnership makes the Pride the fourth NWHL to become officially associated with an NHL team.
* At the conclusion of the season, the league had set new attendance records with 16 sold out games, led by the Whitecaps selling out all ten home games including the playoffs.

### One league movement

Starting in March 2018 and throughout the off-season, current and former players took to social media to promote the concept of one unified professional women's hockey league between the NWHL and the Canadian Women's Hockey League. Players utilized the hashtag #OneLeague to indicate their support. The push continued during the NWHL All-Star Game.

### Head coaching and front office personnel changes
#### Head coaches

| Team | 2017–18 head coach | 2018–19 replacement | Notes |
| Boston Pride | Thomas Pöck | Paul Mara | Mara was named head coach of the Boston Pride on May 30, 2018. |
| Metropolitan Riveters | Chad Wiseman | Randy Velischek | Wiseman left to be closer to home and took the head coaching position with the junior A Burlington Cougars, but was then hired to the coaching staff of the OHL's Guelph Storm. Velischek was hired on September 20. |
| Buffalo Beauts | Ric Seiling | Cody McCormick | Seiling was fired December 7, 2018. McCormick, who like Seiling is a former player for the Buffalo Sabres, was named as the new head coach for the remainder of the season. |

### All-Star Game

The 2019 NWHL All-Star Game and its Weekend festivities took place on February 9–10, 2019, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
The skills challenge took place on February 9 at the Ford Ice Center, the Nashville Predators' practice facility, in front of a sell-out crowd. Kendall Coyne Schofield of the Minnesota Whitecaps won the fastest skater, two weeks following her appearance as the first woman to compete in the NHL's Skills Competition as part of the 2019 National Hockey League All-Star Game also in the fastest skater competition. Meanwhile, three Buffalo Beauts teammates won the other skills challenge events: Blake Bolden had the hardest shot, Nicole Hensley won the fastest goalie competition, and Dani Cameranesi captured the accuracy shooting title.
The All-Star Game took place on February 10 immediately following a game between the NHL's St. Louis Blues and the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. The game was a four-on-four format between teams led by Shannon Szabados and Lee Stecklein, with Team Szabados winning 3–2 following a shootout. The game set an attendance record with 6,120 at the arena.

## Regular season
### Standings

Final standings.
| | GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA |
| Minnesota Whitecaps | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 24 | 53 | 34 |
| Buffalo Beauts | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 57 | 25 |
| Boston Pride | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 22 | 60 | 36 |
| Metropolitan Riveters | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 32 | 65 |
| Connecticut Whale | 16 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 64 |

### Schedule

* All regular season games were scheduled to be contested on Saturdays and Sundays. There is one neutral-site game in Pittsburgh on December 2 with the Connecticut Whale as the home team against the Metropolitan Riveters at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.
* On December 29, 2018, the Whitecaps faced the Beauts at the KeyBank Center as part of a doubleheader involving both the NWHL and the NHL. After the NWHL game, the Buffalo Sabres hosted the Boston Bruins.
Regular season schedule :
| Date | Visitor | Score | Home | OT | Decision | Notes |
| October 6 | Metropolitan Riveters | 0–4 | Minnesota Whitecaps | | Amanda Leveille | Attendance: 1,200 |
| October 7 | Metropolitan Riveters | 1–3 | Minnesota Whitecaps | | Amanda Leveille | Attendance: 1,200 |
| October 7 | Buffalo Beauts | 4–0 | Connecticut Whale | | Nicole Hensley | |
| October 13 | Connecticut Whale | 0–7 | Buffalo Beauts | | Shannon Szabados | |
| October 13 | Metropolitan Riveters | 1–5 | Boston Pride | | Katie Burt | |
| October 20 | Minnesota Whitecaps | 5–3 | Metropolitan Riveters | | Amanda Leveille | |
| October 20 | Connecticut Whale | 2–4 | Boston Pride | | Katie Burt | |
| October 21 | Minnesota Whitecaps | 6–2 | Metropolitan Riveters | | Amanda Leveille | |
| October 27 | Buffalo Beauts | 2–3 | Minnesota Whitecaps | | Amanda Leveille | |
| October 27 | Metropolitan Riveters | 3–2 | Boston Pride | | Katie Fitzgerald | |
| October 28 | Buffalo Beauts | 1–2 | Minnesota Whitecaps | | Amanda Leveille | |
| November 17 | Buffalo Beauts | 1–4 | Boston Pride | | Katie Burt | |
| November 18 | Connecticut Whale | 2–1 | Metropolitan Riveters | | Meeri Räisänen | |
| November 18 | Buffalo Beauts | 5–2 | Boston Pride | | Shannon Szabados | |
| November 25 | Connecticut Whale | 3–4 | Metropolitan Riveters | SO | Kimberly Sass | |
| December 1 | Boston Pride | 5–1 | Minnesota Whitecaps | | Katie Burt | |
| December 2 | Boston Pride | 7–2 | Minnesota Whitecaps | | Katie Burt | |
| December 2 | Metropolitan Riveters | 0–4 | Connecticut Whale | | Meeri Räisänen | at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex |
| December 8 | Connecticut Whale | 1–3 | Buffalo Beauts | | Shannon Szabados | |
| December 9 | Boston Pride | 5–2 | Metropolitan Riveters | | Katie Burt | |
| December 29 | Minnesota Whitecaps | 2–1 | Buffalo Beauts | | Amanda Leveille | at KeyBank Center |
| December 30 | Minnesota Whitecaps | 0–4 | Buffalo Beauts | | Nicole Hensley | |
| December 30 | Boston Pride | 2–1 | Connecticut Whale | OT | Katie Burt | |
| January 5 | Boston Pride | 0–5 | Buffalo Beauts | | Shannon Szabados | |
| January 6 | Metropolitan Riveters | 6–3 | Connecticut Whale | | Maria Sorokina | |
| January 12 | Metropolitan Riveters | 1–5 | Buffalo Beauts | | Nicole Hensley | |
| January 12 | Minnesota Whitecaps | 4–5 | Boston Pride | | Katie Burt | |
| January 13 | Minnesota Whitecaps | 4–1 | Connecticut Whale | | Amanda Leveille | |
| January 19 | Connecticut Whale | 0–2 | Minnesota Whitecaps | | Amanda Leveille | |
| January 20 | Boston Pride | — | Metropolitan Riveters | | | Game postponed due to weather |
| January 20 | Connecticut Whale | 0–9 | Minnesota Whitecaps | | Julie Friend | |
| January 26 | Boston Pride | 1–4 | Buffalo Beauts | | Shannon Szabados | |
| February 2 | Buffalo Beauts | 3–2 | Metropolitan Riveters | | Nicole Hensley | |
| February 2 | Connecticut Whale | 1–3 | Boston Pride | | Katie Burt | |
| February 18 | Boston Pride | 8–1 | Metropolitan Riveters | | Katie Burt | Rescheduled game from January 20 |
| February 23 | Metropolitan Riveters | 1–4 | Buffalo Beauts | | Shannon Szabados | |
| February 24 | Boston Pride | 6–1 | Connecticut Whale | | Katie Burt | |
| March 2 | Buffalo Beauts | 5–2 | Connecticut Whale | | Nicole Hensley | |
| March 2 | Minnesota Whitecaps | 2–1 | Boston Pride | | Amanda Leveille | |
| March 3 | Buffalo Beauts | 3–4 | Metropolitan Riveters | SO | Katie Fitzgerald | |
| March 3 | Minnesota Whitecaps | 4–1 | Connecticut Whale | | Amanda Leveille | |

## Playoffs

| Play-in game March 7 | Play-in game March 7 | Play-in game March 7 | Semifinal game March 9 & 15 | Semifinal game March 9 & 15 | Semifinal game March 9 & 15 | Isobel Cup Championship March 17 | Isobel Cup Championship March 17 | Isobel Cup Championship March 17 |
| | | | 1 | Minnesota | 5 | | | |
| | | | 4 | Metropolitan | 1 | | | |
| 4 | Metropolitan | 5 | 4 | Metropolitan | 1 | | | |
| 5 | Connecticut | 2 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Connecticut | 2 | | | | 1 | Minnesota | 2 OT |
| | | | | | | 2 | Buffalo | 1 |
| | | | 2 | Buffalo | 4 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Boston | 0 | | | |
* ↑ Semifinal game between the Whitecaps and Riveters was originally scheduled for March 10 but was postponed due to weather-related travel issues.

## Awards and honors

* Maddie Elia, Buffalo Beauts, 2019 Most Valuable Player
* Hayley Scamurra, Buffalo Beauts, 2019 Players' Top Player of the Year
* Shannon Szabados, Buffalo Beauts, 2019 Goaltender of the Year
* Blake Bolden, Buffalo Beauts, 2019 Defender of the Year
* Hayley Scamurra, Buffalo Beauts, 2019 Scoring Champion
* Jillian Dempsey, Boston Pride, 2019 Denna Laing Award
* Jonna Curtis, Minnesota Whitecaps, 2019 Newcomer of the Year

### Regular season weekly awards

| VEDA NWHL Player of the Week |
| Player | Team | Date |
| Hannah Brandt | Minnesota Whitecaps | October 8, 2018 |
| Lexi Bender | Boston Pride | October 15, 2018 |
| Jonna Curtis | Minnesota Whitecaps | October 22, 2018 |
| Amanda Leveille | Minnesota Whitecaps | October 29, 2018 |
| Meeri Räisänen | Connecticut Whale | November 19, 2018 |
| Hayley Scamurra | Buffalo Beauts | November 19, 2018 |
| Audra Richards | Metropolitan Riveters | November 26, 2018 |
| Gigi Marvin | Boston Pride | December 3, 2018 |
| Kaleigh Fratkin | Boston Pride | December 10, 2018 |
| Maddie Elia | Buffalo Beauts | January 2, 2019 |
| Madison Packer | Metropolitan Riveters | January 7, 2019 |
| Shannon Szabados | Buffalo Beauts | January 7, 2019 |
| Amy Menke | Minnesota Whitecaps | January 14, 2019 |
| Dani Cameranesi | Buffalo Beauts | January 29, 2019 |
| Blake Bolden | Buffalo Beauts | February 4, 2019 |
| Denisa Krizova | Boston Pride | February 4, 2019 |
| Emily Janiga | Buffalo Beauts | February 25, 2019 |
| VEDA NWHL Stars of the Week |
| Stars | Team | Date |
| Minnesota Whitecaps fans | Minnesota Whitecaps | January 22, 2019 |

## Transactions
### Retirement

| Player | Date | Last team |
| Marissa Gedman | August 23, 2018 | Boston Pride |

### Signings

| Player | Date | Team |
| Dani Cameranesi | June 12, 2018 | Buffalo Beauts |
| Nicole Hensley | June 13, 2018 | Buffalo Beauts |
| Amanda Leveille | June 18, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Hannah Brandt | June 20, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Lee Stecklein | June 20, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Katie Burt | June 25, 2018 | Boston Pride |
| Shannon Szabados | June 27, 2018 | Buffalo Beauts |
| Toni Ann Miano | July 2, 2018 | Boston Pride |
| Audra Richards | July 9, 2018 | Metropolitan Riveters |
| Randi Griffin | July 10, 2018 | Connecticut Whale |
| Sara Hughson | July 10, 2018 | Connecticut Whale |
| Michelle Löwenhielm | July 10, 2018 | Connecticut Whale |
| Sam Walther | July 10, 2018 | Connecticut Whale |
| Katerina Mrázová | July 11, 2018 | Connecticut Whale |
| Miye D'Oench | July 24, 2018 | Metropolitan Riveters |
| Chelsea Ziadie | July 24, 2018 | Metropolitan Riveters |
| Kendall Coyne Schofield | July 26, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Lauren Kelly | July 31, 2018 | Boston Pride |
| Kristin Lewicki | July 31, 2018 | Metropolitan Riveters |
| Allie Thunstrom | August 1, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Denisa Křížová | August 2, 2018 | Boston Pride |
| Kaleigh Fratkin | August 8, 2018 | Boston Pride |
| Meghan Pezon | August 8, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Fiona McKenna | August 10, 2018 | Metropolitan Riveters |
| Amanda Boulier | August 14, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Lexi Slattery | August 14, 2018 | Metropolitan Riveters |
| Blake Bolden | August 15, 2018 | Buffalo Beauts |
| Jonna Curtis | August 15, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Mallory Souliotis | August 15, 2018 | Boston Pride |
| Sarah Schwenzfeier | August 16, 2018 | Connecticut Whale |
| Nina Rodgers | August 16, 2018 | Connecticut Whale |
| Brooke White-Lancette | August 17, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| McKenna Brand | August 17, 2018 | Boston Pride |
| Sydney Rossman | August 20, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Lauren Barnes | August 22, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Julie Friend | August 22, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Sadie Lundquist | August 22, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Amy Menke | August 22, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Emma Stauber | August 22, 2018 | Minnesota Whitecaps |
| Taylor Wasylk | August 23, 2018 | Boston Pride |
| Gigi Marvin | August 24, 2018 | Boston Pride |