Connecticut Whale (NWHL)

Connecticut Whale
2016–17 Connecticut Whale season
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City	North Branford, Connecticut
League	National Women's Hockey League
Founded	2015
Home arena	Northford Ice Pavilion
Colors	Blue, Green, White
Owner(s)	NWHL
General manager	Lisa Giovanelli
Head coach	Heather Linstad
Captain	Jessica Koizumi
Media	The Collinsville Press NWHL Cross Ice Pass (on YouTube)

The Connecticut Whale is a professional women's ice hockey team based in North Branford, Connecticut. It is one of the four charter franchises of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL). It is named in honor of the defunct NHL Hartford Whalers.

History

For their first season, the Whale played home games in Stamford, Connecticut at Chelsea Piers. Chris Ardito was hired as the first general manager in franchise history, while Jake Mastel and Ashley Parker coach the team. The team is named the "Connecticut Whale" with the approval of Howard Baldwin and his father, who used the name for an American Hockey League men's team (now known as the Hartford Wolf Pack) for three seasons.

It was reported that the NHL took issue with the NWHL Connecticut Whale trademark application. The Baldwins' interest in the trademark is thus questionable. The trademark attorney for the NWHL, Ben Natter of the firm Natter & Natter, clarified in an interview that the NHL has not objected to use of the name. Natter would not comment on the deal between the NWHL and Baldwin.

Among their off-season acquisitions, the Whale signed Kaleigh Fratkin to a contract on July 1, 2015. She was the first Canadian player to sign a contract in the NWHL.

The team made its debut in 2015. The first game in league history between the New York Riveters and Connecticut Whale on October 11, 2015, sold out. The Whale prevailed by a 4-1 tally as Jessica Koizumi scored the first goal in franchise history and in NWHL history. In the same game, Kelli Stack had one goal and two assists, becoming the first player to record a multi-point performance. Whale goaltender Jaimie Leonoff was credited the win, capturing the game's First Star. Stack was recognized as the Second Star, and Kelly Babstock, who became the first Canadian-born player to score a goal in an NWHL regular season game was acknowledged as the Third Star.

The Whale won their first three games in franchise history with three different goalies. In the first game, the Whale prevailed with Jaimie Leonoff. Former Quinnipiac goaltender Chelsea Laden captured the second win, while Nicole Stock played her first game in over five years to capture the third win on the road against the New York Riveters.

Jessica Koizumi was named first team captain in franchise history.

Prior to the team's second season, the Whale moved to the Northford Ice Pavilion in North Branford, Connecticut.

Team

Current Roster

Updated January 27, 2016

#	Nat	Player	Pos	S/G	Age	Acquired	Birthplace
8		Kelly Babstock	F	L	31	2015	Mississauga, Ontario
10		Lindsay Berman	D	L	35	2015	Odenton, Maryland
26		Jordan Brickner	D	L	33	2015	Lake Forest, Illinois
27		Shiann Darkangelo	F	L	30	2015	Brighton, Michigan
19		Brittany Dougherty	F	L	33	2015	Chesterfield, Michigan
6		Shannon Doyle	D	R	32	2015	Baldwin, Ontario
9		Molly Engstrom	D	R	41	2015	Siren, Wisconsin
28		Sam Faber	F	R	36	2015	Mount Sinai, New York
13		Kaleigh Fratkin (A)	D	R	32	2015	Burnaby, British Columbia
56		Jessica Koizumi (C)	F	L	39	2015	Honolulu, Hawaii
32		Jaimie Leonoff	G	L	31	2015	Montreal, Quebec
16		Micaela Long	F	L		2015	South Boston, Massachusetts
1		Shanae Lundberg	G	L	31	2016	Peterborough, New Hampshire
17		Yekaterina Smolentseva	F	L	42	2015	Yekaterinburg, Russia
61		Kelli Stack	F	R	36	2015	Brooklyn Heights, Ohio
24		Nicole Stock	G	R		2015	Buffalo Grove, Illinois
22		Danielle Ward	F	R	34	2015	Lansing, Michigan
88		Alyssa Wohlfeiler	F	R	34	2015	Saugus, California

Draft history

Hannah Brandt from the Univ. of Minnesota program became the first player in franchise history to be selected in the inaugural 2015 NWHL Draft. Raised in the state capital of Albany, New York, Picard was also the first defenseman selected in NWHL Draft history.

NWHL Draft

Main article: 2015 NWHL Draft

The following were the Whales selections in the 2015 NWHL Draft on June 20, 2015.

#	Player	Position	Nationality	College
2	Hannah Brandt	Forward	United States	Univ of Minnesota
6	Michelle Picard	Defense	United States	Harvard Univ
10	Milica McMillen	Defense	United States	Univ of Minnesota
14	Maryanne Menefee	Forward	United States	Univ of Minnesota
18	Cassandra Poudrier	Defense	Canada	Cornell

Franchise milestones

• See also: List of Connecticut Whale records

Milestone	Player	Date
First goal	Jessica Koizumi	October 11, 2015
First multi-point game	Kelli Stack	October 11, 2015
First win	Jaimie Leonoff	October 11, 2015