From May 1-31, NWHL teams can re-sign players from their 2016-17 roster and their draft picks during the restricted free agency period, and beginning on June 1 any unsigned players left will be free to sign with any team.
The third season of the NWHL will begin in October as the Buffalo Beauts defend their Isobel Cup championship, and with up to 12 players unable to participate in the league this season due to their selection for Team USA’s 2018 Olympic team, this will be the most competitive season yet.
My colleague Dan Rice will keep THW readers up-to-date on New York and Connecticut’s signings throughout the summer, while I post updates on Buffalo and Boston.
Pride Ink Rookie Daniels, Vet Harrington
Beauts Sign 2 Vets & 2 Rookies
Boston Pride Have Exciting Rookie in Savage
The Boston Pride keep coming and coming, and there are no signs that they are slowing down. Their penchant for inking top-notch players this summer demonstrates that “The Pack” mean to retake the Isobel Cup. The NWHL’s announcement that all four teams may now consist of 25 players on their rosters further tempts Boston to keep dishing out contracts. A signature statement that would make John Hancock proud, the Pride added a marquee player on the same day the roster extension was announced.
Dana Trivigno
Dana Trivigno‘s first NWHL season saw her named as a league All-Star with the Whale. Now she is with Boston. Anticipate that a second All-Star nomination could easily take place for her. Trivigno is excited for this new opportunity and a chance to play in her own backyard.
Thank you to the @CTWhale_NWHL for a great first season in the @NWHL!! Very excited for this new opportunity to join the @TheBostonPride!🦁
— Dana Trivigno (@DANEgles8) July 18, 2017
“I had an unbelievable experience with the Whale last year, but I live in Boston and am excited to start another season in the NWHL,” said Trivigno via an NWHL press release. “I feel it was the right move to join the Pride. It’s a great organization and there will be many new faces this year. I’m thrilled to see what the year brings.”
In 16 regular-season games for the Whale last season, Trivigno tallied three goals and six assists. She was one of only six Whale players to be a plus player for the season. In the team’s lone playoff contest against Trivigno’s new team (Boston), she was one of only two Connecticut players to score a goal.
One of Many New Faces
Trivigno is certainly correct that there will be many new faces with the Pride this year. One of Trivigno’s Whale teammates, defender Kaliya Johnson, has also opted to sign with Boston. Former Buffalo Beauts defender Paige Harrington has signed as well. High-scoring Janine Weber, formerly of the New York Riveters, is now one of the Pride. That does not include the (so far) three rookies who have been signed by the team.
With so much depth on one squad, where will Trivigno fit in? The reassuring answering to that question is everywhere—and quite nicely.
Trivigno took the second-most faceoffs for the Whale last season—202 of them during the regular season, to be exact. Her four assists on the powerplay were more than any other player on the team. Those tallies also placed her tied for first for Connecticut in power-play points and tied for second overall in the entire league in power-play assists.
A power-play and faceoff specialist is a very nice addition to any team. In Boston’s case, a player of Trivigno’s caliber and situational expertise is some very rich icing on the cake.
Time at Boston College
Trivigno will also fill a leadership role and can add offense with more than just assists. She hit double digits in goals in each of her four years at Boston College. Her finest season offensively would be her senior year, when Trivigno netted 17 goals and 30 assists for 47 points in 41 games. That same season, she served as team captain for the Eagles.
Trivigno would finish her collegiate career with 57 goals and 81 assists for 138 points in 148 games. For Eagles women’s hockey, those 138 points place her tied for seventh all-time in program scoring. She ranks ninth all-time in career goals, eighth in assists, 10th in game-winning goals, and ninth in plus/minus.
USA National Teams
There is precedent for Trivigno playing in high-intensity, grand-scale situations.
On the international stage, Trivigno was a member of both the 2011 and 2012 United States Women’s U18 National Team, winning a gold and a silver medal respectively. The 2012 silver medal team saw Trivigno score three goals and three assists in five games. More noteworthy is the fact that the 2012 U.S. team was comprised of numerous soon-to-be teammates of Trivigno’s. The Pride’s Johnson, Brianna Laing, Paige Savage, and Sydney Daniels were all part of that same hockey club.
2015 and 2016 would see Trivigno capture gold medals with the U.S. Women’s National Team—first in Malmö, Sweden, then in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. Across the two tournaments, she would score a goal and an assist in 10 games.
Trivigno is all of 23 years old. Her resume in such a short time is chock-full of successes at every level she has played. Suffice it to say, the Pride will be able to place Dana Trivigno in any spot and in any situation, and she has the ability to work wonders. Another superb signing by the Boston Pride.