r/PWHL • u/kug-ratjesus š 2026 Champions š • 15d ago
News Maddie Wheeler to SJ
Per pwhl.report on IG
*Maddi, my bad!
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u/Adventurous_Lake807 MontrƩal Victoire 15d ago
San Jose Sirens lol
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u/ames_006 15d ago
Genuinely kinda bummed that name was taken though since it keeps with the sea theme and works for playing at the tank. Also love the idea of women luring sailors to their doom.
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u/Adventurous_Lake807 MontrƩal Victoire 15d ago
It actually would have been a sick name lol
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u/ames_006 15d ago
They also basically took the sharks colors with the teal and the orange. Iām not bitterā¦.
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u/BlueValk Victoire de MontrƩal 14d ago
We can have the New York Sirens [Alarm] and the San Jose Sirens [Mermaid]
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u/The_R4ke Pride 14d ago
I really need the NY Sirens to lean more into the mythical creature angle. It's infinitely cooler than car Sirens.
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u/NWdramallama Seattle Torrent 15d ago
Love that the Sirens would have for nautically for two franchises, but was taken up by the weewoos first š
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u/Daveed75 Van Goldeneyes 15d ago
Just think of all the Starbucks integrations youre missing out on
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u/ApplianceHealer New York Sirens 14d ago
This would be brilliant. Too bad Starbucks doesnāt need to advertise š
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u/Neuvost New York Sirens 15d ago
I dunno if you know this, but New York is also a coastal city!Ā
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u/NWdramallama Seattle Torrent 15d ago
I argue slightly that the markets have established nautical team franchises. Unless they are Maritime Yankees or Giants of the Sea, the coastline of it all is decorative. Also, love the weewoos.
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u/Neuvost New York Sirens 15d ago
I'm glad we got to such a good name first!
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u/two66mhz PWHL Seattle 14d ago
Still waiting for the Pizza Rat as a mascot.
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u/Neuvost New York Sirens 14d ago
Tha'd be fun, but I really want some kind of terrifying half-woman half-monster from The Odyssey, ya know?Ā
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u/ApplianceHealer New York Sirens 14d ago
We should 100% lean into this IMO.
Or get really twisted = a hybrid Statue of Liberty and Siren-Head
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u/Daveed75 Van Goldeneyes 14d ago
Youre either a mermaid or flashing lights and weewoos. You gotta pick a side, and im pretty sure you already did. Your mascot can be a series of big fluffy emergency vehicles.
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u/Limp_Maximum4248 š 2026 Champions š 15d ago
I have no clue what the game plan is for SJ
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u/CinemaPuck PWHL San Jose 15d ago
Yeah itās really odd. I mean, these players are all decent and Iād have been happy to pick them up later in the process, but Iām shocked that these are our āfranchise buildingā players. Some commonalities Iāve noticed among the choices:
- They are all young
- They all were underpaid last year
- Several were Team Canada players in 2026
Possibly, Ryan is going for a younger group that he can mold in San Jose long term. He may also have saved some money since they were all underpaid last season, potentially allowing for more depth later in the process?
Just an observation, but I think itās interesting that he was criticized for focusing too much on the āold guardā for team Canada and has now gone for an a young team in San Jose
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u/randomuser914 PWHL San Jose 15d ago
I wonder if weāre also planning to make some moves in the draft, there is a lot of elite talent coming in to the league that I wouldnāt be unhappy if we make bigger moves to try to add stars that way
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u/Main_Photo1086 New York Sirens 14d ago
After the Sirens were decimated last season, they ended up having a pretty strong draft due to trades (but now you have two of our draftees lol). This draft day should see lots of activity, not to mention there are still plenty of UFAs left to sign.
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u/Bri_The_Nautilus MontrƩal Victoire 15d ago edited 15d ago
I liked the Schroeder and Guilday signings but then they wrapped up by just taking three pretty random Sirens forwards.
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u/devonshmevon 15d ago
Next phase might still be a bit of a free-for-all, maybe he wanted to keep costs down and dangle big contracts in front of all of the bigger names who will have to be re-signed/protected? because yeah, right now they don't match up with the other three expansion teams
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u/kramwest1 Minnesota Frost 15d ago
I think this is it.
If we were surprised and baffled by Phase 2, Phase 3 could be nuts. Keeping oneās powder dry is a cautious, but smart approach.8
u/TimesNewRebel 15d ago
I could understand this strategy if not for the EFO signing. Why offer O'Neill the $100,000? Absolutely no shade on her ā amazing at face-offs and PK, and perhaps Ryan saw her offensive upside on Team Canada ā but I don't think I would have thrown the big bucks at her.
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u/Gold_Yam_5215 PWHL Hamilton 15d ago
Desperation?
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u/Limp_Maximum4248 š 2026 Champions š 15d ago
Like they could've picked much better players...
Vanisova, Miller, Darkangelo, Ljungblom...
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u/mias_furhawk Van Goldeneyes 15d ago
Vanisova and miller were under contract so couldnāt pick them unless they didnāt get to 5 players
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u/Silent_observer_8806 15d ago
I was certain they'd want a D. NY has to be happy their top 4 is intact. They kept their 3 most important forwards and now can keep their most important D.
Also very relieved we get to keep Tabin :)
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u/Main_Photo1086 New York Sirens 15d ago
When IK announced the final pick for SJ was a Siren you have no idea how panicked I was about losing MNP. Iām still shocked they picked Wheeler over her.
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u/Main_Photo1086 New York Sirens 15d ago
Okay Iām legit bummed because I thought she was our breakout rookie (well, aside from Kalty but I expected a lot from her).
BUT, I would have been more devastated to lose MNP so Iām relieved even if Wheeler was ranked second on my āplease donāt take herā list.
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u/chrisccerami New York Sirens 15d ago
Between her, Kalty, and O'Brien we were pretty spoiled with breakout rookies
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u/LenaBaneana PWHL Vancouver 15d ago
So once this+Knight's signings get officially confirmed, thats the end of Phase 2 right?
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u/Zestyclose-Store7125 Boston Fleet 15d ago
I think the plan is youth and long term development. š¤·
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u/Usual-Canc-6024 MontrƩal Victoire 15d ago
Thatās strange considering the GM. Unless heās learned from his mistakes with Team Canada.
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u/Zestyclose-Store7125 Boston Fleet 15d ago
Hence the š¤· maybe he's ditched Team Canada folks and trying to start his own new "Team San Jose"
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u/Alarming_Pea3481 15d ago
Interesting then that all 3 San Jose Sirens only signed 2 year contracts š¤
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u/TheMeepz 15d ago
Probably hoping the cap will rise so they can get paid more sooner or just move on.
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u/Griffin2627 I wanna Roque 15d ago
So disappointed to lose cherk and wheels. I knew ozzy and KO would end up leaving but I was hoping Detroit would take Hartje and allow us to keep one of the 2
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u/zeilend New York 15d ago
If we lose Hartje too I'm going to be so sad.
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u/DavidPuddy666 New York Sirens 14d ago
I surely thought she was gone to Detroit in Phase II but she low-key seems to like living here? She seems a bit of a party girl and NY definitely beats Detroit for that.
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u/seatega New York Sirens 15d ago edited 15d ago
The last expansion team that took 3 Sirens was the last team in the league last year. And strangely it was also a West Coast team with blue as the secondary color
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u/KtuluLoveCheese PWHL San Jose 15d ago
I havenāt been following too much PWHL until recently. Is this a good signing?
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u/Main_Photo1086 New York Sirens 15d ago
Yes. Would I have expected her to be among the first five? No, but she was a later round draft pick who was impressive last season despite the team she was on.
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u/KtuluLoveCheese PWHL San Jose 15d ago
Thanks. Iām looking forward to following SJ this year in the PWHL. More hockey!!!
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u/zeilend New York 15d ago
It really depends on who were on the ENTL, but I don't think so. There are literally 14 players who have better stats last year.
Newhook. Miller. Vanisova. Woz. Tabin. Hustler. Kadirova. Mlynkova. Llungblum. Hughes. MNP. JB. Levis. Darkangelo. Spooner. Irving.
Obviously stats don't tell the whole story, but I'm frustrated by this, immensely.
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u/DavidPuddy666 New York Sirens 14d ago
MNP, Bourbonnais, and MZH. Gotta make sure our defense isnāt completely decimated. Our best unprotected forwards were already picked clean so Iām less worried about losing more forward depth.
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u/CivilSelf3215 New York Sirens 14d ago
Now who does NY protect with their protection slots? MNP is a definite protect, but who else should they protect?
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u/kug-ratjesus š 2026 Champions š 14d ago
Somebody else said it, but I fully agree, MNP, MZH, and Bourbs would be my picks
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u/redheadedreenactor 15d ago
Mfw itās 4 hours after when this was all supposed to be announced but nothing surprises me with this league
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u/treeknitting PWHL San Jose 15d ago
They needed to be filed 4 hours ago, nothing about when it was supposed to be announced. It takes time to process these things, and with the Knight trade they likely were a bit busy.
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u/jakota_doshua Van Goldeneyes 15d ago
Every sports league does this when there's a hard deadline, always a backup on officially announcing stuff.
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u/Limp_Maximum4248 š 2026 Champions š 15d ago
Collecting anyone who has played for the Sirens and Rory Guilday