PWHL Ottawa makes first three signings

OTTAWA – A trio of Canadian Olympians are the first players to sign on with the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Ottawa franchise, the league announced Tuesday.

Forwards Emily Clark and Brianne Jenner, and goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer have all agreed to terms on three-year contracts that will run through the 2026 season. Salary figures were not disclosed.

The trio have been staples with the Canadian national team that won two of the last three world championships and are the reigning Olympic champions.

Jenner, 32, was named MVP at the 2022 Beijing Games where she tied the Olympic record for goals scored in a single tournament with nine.

Clark, 27, played in the now-defunct Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association from 2019-21 and during the 2022-23 season where she finished second in scoring with 23 points in 20 games. The 28-year-old Maschmeyer also played with the PWHPA.

The PWHL will open its inaugural season in January with teams in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Boston, Minneapolis-St. Paul and the New York City area.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2023.