New York Sirens basic supervisor Pascal Daoust is happy for his staff’s potential this season.
Then once more, what GM, coach, participant or fan isn’t at this level of the yr, earlier than recreation outcomes begin to rely?
However Daoust’s pleasure isn’t rooted in blind optimism alone.
An eventful previous few months for New York’s Skilled Ladies’s Hockey League staff has set it up for higher success in its sophomore season, which begins this weekend.
Not solely do the Sirens have a staff identify — and, maybe extra importantly, a longtime id for followers to rally round — however additionally they boast a brand new star participant, new coach and new dwelling area.
“We are writing our brand new [Sirens chapter] with a new environment,” Daoust stated this week. “It’s on us to get that page to be as great as we want it to be.”
If there was any comfort for New York’s dud of a debut marketing campaign throughout the PWHL’s inaugural season, it was the rights to the No. 1 choose within the draft.
The Sirens chosen former Princeton star Sarah Fillier, who dazzled for the Canadian Olympic gold-winning staff in 2022.
The Sirens additionally moved on from Howie Draper and employed former faculty coach Greg Fargo, who has a knack for participant improvement as proven in his 12 years at Colgate, the place he launched the Raiders program into nationwide prominence.
The Sirens additionally lastly have a spot to name dwelling at Prudential Middle and have been practising at a coaching facility that’s simply eight miles away.
All of the offseason adjustments have led to coming into coaching camp early this month with a “totally fresh take on the season ahead,” staff captain Micah Zandee-Hart stated.
“I’m really looking forward to the year ahead,” she stated. “There’s an energy about our group. Obviously, yeah, we’re motivated to do better than we did last year, and I think every team in the league is motivated to win a championship. But overall, we’re just focusing on the day-to-day right now to be prepared for Dec. 1.”
The Sirens began the league’s inaugural 2023-24 season properly, successful 4 straight video games earlier than sputtering to a last-place end within the PWHL standings with a 5-4-3-12 file.
Ahead Alex Carpenter and defender Ella Shelton have been two of the extra dependable skaters.
Carpenter scored a team-high eight objectives and tied for second-most factors within the league with 23.
Shelton, the No. 4 choose of the 2023 draft, recorded 21 factors (seven objectives, 14 assists).
Goaltender Corinne Schroeder held up in addition to she may within the crease, however a porous protection didn’t present a lot assist.
Schroeder posted a .930 save proportion whereas going through a league-high 34 photographs per recreation.
It additionally in all probability didn’t assist that New York bounced between three areas for dwelling video games.
They performed in Bridgeport, Conn., at UBS Area in Belmont Park, dwelling of the NHL’s Islanders, and at Prudential Middle.
The completely different dwelling venues could have been a part of the explanation the Sirens averaged 2,496 followers within the 12 video games they hosted.
The staff being based mostly at a coaching facility in Connecticut additionally led to gamers generally driving two-plus hours to video games.
The fixed motion between arenas in several states diluted home-ice benefit, Zandee-Hart stated.
That gained’t be the case this time round.
Essex County Codey Area, the previous follow facility for the New Jersey Devils, is the Sirens dwelling base this season and all dwelling video games shall be performed at Prudential Middle.
“It [takes] a ton of energy traveling that players had to go through last season that they won’t have to do this year,” Daoust stated. “So this is a huge improvement. We’re giving them the best environment to perform. And it’s on us, and it’s on them, to make sure that we reach our full potential.”
Added Zandee-Hart: “I can notice it in our team — just everyone has a calmer presence and is kind of excited to build their routines out and have somewhere that we can call home.”
Over the previous few weeks, Daoust has grow to be more and more extra comfy with the staff’s depth and flexibility, however he is aware of there’s loads of work to be accomplished nonetheless.
“Having all the ingredients on the table doesn’t mean that your recipe will play the best,” Daoust stated. “You need to cook, and you need to taste, and you need to make sure that you’re going to have the best meal. But it doesn’t mean that [if] you mix all the ingredients it will give you the best meal. It’s on them to accept a role, to accept the mission, to roll and to push and to walk and to pull in the same direction, and we’ll see which group can do that.”
The Sirens are scheduled to begin their season Sunday in opposition to the defending champion Minnesota Frost.
New York’s dwelling opener is ready for Dec. 18 in opposition to the Toronto Sceptres.
Video games shall be extra accessible for followers to observe at dwelling after the Sirens inked a take care of MSG Networks to broadcast their video games.
“We’re really excited,” Zandee-Hart stated. “Every year is a new year, especially in our league. … [We’re looking forward to] what we can do to be the best we can be this year.”
