2015–16 Connecticut Whale (NWHL) season

The 2015–16 Connecticut Whale season was the first in franchise history and the Premier Hockey Federation's inaugural season.

2015–16 Connecticut Whale (PHF)
League2nd NWHL
2015–16 record13–5–0
Home record6–3–0
Road record7–2–0
Goals for61
Goals against51
Team information
General managerGeorge Speirs
(Interim)
CoachJake Mastel
(Until Jan. 29, 2016)
Heather Linstad
(from Jan. 29, 2016)
Assistant coachLisa Giovanelli
(Jan. 29, 2016–Current)
CaptainJessica Koizumi
Alternate captainsKaleigh Fratkin
ArenaChelsea Piers
Team leaders
GoalsShiann Darkangelo (10)
AssistsKelli Stack (14)
PointsKelli Stack (22)
Kelly Babstock
Penalty minutesKaleigh Fratkin (40)
WinsJaimie Leonoff (7)
Goals against averageShenae Lundberg (1.97)

Offseason
  • On July 1, the Whale signed former BU Terriers blueliner and 2015 Clarkson Cup champion Kaleigh Fratkin to a contract, making her the first Canadian to sign an NWHL contract.

Regular season

Standings
Pos Team GP W L OTL W% GF GA GD Pts
1 y – Boston Pride 18 14 3 1 0.806 75 39 +36 29
2 Connecticut Whale 18 13 5 0 0.722 61 51 +10 26
3 Buffalo Beauts 18 5 9 4 0.389 56 66 −10 14
4 New York Riveters 18 4 12 2 0.278 40 76 −36 10
Source: NWHL
y – Clinched division

Game log
2015–16 Schedule[1]
#DateTimeVisitorScoreHomeLocationRecordPoints
1Oct 111:30 PMNew York Riveters1–4Connecticut WhaleChelsea Piers1–0–02
2Oct 183:30 PMConnecticut Whale5–2Buffalo BeautsHarborCenter2–0–04
3Oct 257:00 PMConnecticut Whale3–1New York RivetersAviator Sports & Events Center3–0–06
4Nov 153:30 PMConnecticut Whale3–2Buffalo BeautsHarborCenter4–0–08
5Nov 223:30 PMConnecticut Whale7–6 SOBuffalo BeautsHarborCenter5–0–010
6Nov 293:00 PMConnecticut Whale4–3Boston PrideBright Hockey Center6–0–012
7Dec 64:30 PMBuffalo Beauts2–3 SOConnecticut WhaleChelsea Piers7–0–014
8Dec 136:30 PMConnecticut Whale4–3 SONew York RivetersAviator Sports & Events Center8–0–016
9Dec 274:30 PMBoston Pride2–1Connecticut WhaleChelsea Piers8–1–016
10Jan 37:00 PMConnecticut Whale6–1New York RivetersAviator Sports & Events Center9–1–018
11Jan 97:30 PMNew York Riveters3–4Connecticut WhaleIngalls Rink10–1–020
12Jan 106:00 PMBuffalo Beauts3–5Connecticut WhaleChelsea Piers11–1–022
13Jan 173:00 PMConnecticut Whale1–4Boston PrideBright Hockey Center11–2–022
14Jan 316:00 PMBoston Pride5–2Connecticut WhaleChelsea Piers11–3–022
15Feb 712:00 PMBuffalo Beauts2–3 OTConnecticut WhaleChelsea Piers12–3–024
16Feb 143:00 PMConnecticut Whale2–4Boston PrideBright Hockey Center12–4–024
17Feb 211:30 PMBoston Pride5-3 Connecticut WhaleChelsea Piers12–5–024
18Feb 286:00 PMNew York Riveters2-4 Connecticut WhaleChelsea Piers13–5–026
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = OT/SO Loss

Playoffs

Game log
2016 Isobel Cup Playoffs
Semifinals vs. Buffalo Beauts; Buffalo Beauts won series 2–0
#DateTimeVisitorScoreHomeLocationRecord
1Mar 47:10 PMBuffalo Beauts0–3Connecticut WhaleChelsea Piers1–0
2Mar 57:30 PMBuffalo Beauts4–1Connecticut WhaleChelsea Piers1–1
3Mar 66:00 PMBuffalo Beauts4–3Connecticut WhaleChelsea Piers1–2
Legend:        = Win        = Loss

Statistics

Final

Skaters

Goaltenders
Regular Season[2]
Player GP TOI W L OT GA GAA SA SV% SO PIM
Jaimie Leonoff10567:15730282.964380.93600
Nicole Stock6343:07420152.622110.92300
Chelsea Laden‡160:0010022.00320.93800
Shenae Lundberg†2122:0810001.97500.92000
Playoffs[3]
Player GP TOI W L OT GA GAA SA SV% SO PIM
Jaimie Leonoff2118:5611031.51570.94710
Nicole Stock160:0001044.00280.84600

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Whale. Stats reflect time with the Whale only.
‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Whale only.

Roster

Updated February 20, 2016[4][5]

No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
8 Kelly Babstock F L 23 2015 Mississauga, Ontario
10 Lindsay Berman D L 27 2015 Odenton, Maryland
26 Jordan Brickner D L 25 2015 Lake Forest, Illinois
27 Shiann Darkangelo F L 22 2015 Brighton, Michigan
19 Brittany Dougherty F L 25 2015 Chesterfield, Michigan
6 Shannon Doyle D R 24 2015 Baldwin, Ontario
9 Molly Engstrom D R 33 2015 Siren, Wisconsin
28 Sam Faber F R 28 2015 Mount Sinai, New York
13 Kaleigh Fratkin (A) D R 23 2015 Burnaby, British Columbia
56 Jessica Koizumi (C) F L 30 2015 Honolulu, Hawaii
32 Jaimie Leonoff G L 23 2015 Montreal, Quebec
16 Micaela Long F L 2015 South Boston, Massachusetts
1 Shanae Lundberg G L 23 2016 Peterborough, New Hampshire
17 Yekaterina Smolentseva F L 34 2015 Yekaterinburg, Russia
61 Kelli Stack F R 28 2015 Brooklyn Heights, Ohio
24 Nicole Stock G R 2015 Buffalo Grove, Illinois
22 Danielle Ward F R 26 2015 Lansing, Michigan
88 Alyssa Wohlfeiler F R 26 2015 Saugus, California

Awards and honors
NWHL Player of the Week
NWHL 1st All-Star Game selection

Transactions

Trades
January 27, 2016 (2016-01-27)[6] To New York Riveters

Chelsea Laden

 To Connecticut Whale

Shenae Lundberg

Signings
Player Date Contract terms
Shiann Darkangelo[7]June 25, 2015$17,000
Sam Faber[7]June 25, 2015$13,500
Chelsea Laden[7]June 25, 2015$14,000
Kaleigh Fratkin[8]July 1, 2015$20,000
Jessica Koizumi[9]July 9, 2015$20,500
Danielle Ward[9]July 9, 2015$10,000
Micaela Long[10]July 17, 2015$10,000
Nicole Stock[10]July 17, 2015$10,000
Jaimie Leonoff[11]July 26, 2015$10,000
Kelly Babstock[12]August 4, 2015$18,000
Brittney Dougherty[13]August 13, 2015$10,000
Shannon Doyle[13]August 13, 2015$15,000
Yekaterina Smolentseva[14]August 15, 2015$22,000
Molly Engstrom[15]August 18, 2015$12,000
Lindsay Berman[16]September 24, 2015$15,000
Jordan Brickner[16]September 24, 2015$10,000
Alyssa Wohlfeiler[16]September 24, 2015$10,000
Kelli Stack[17]September 24, 2015$25,000

Other
Name Date Details
Harry Rosenholtz[18]December 24, 2015Resigned as General Manager
George Speirs[18]December 24, 2015Named as interim General Manager
Jake Mastel[19]January 29, 2016Resigned as Head Coach
Heather Linstad[19]January 29, 2016Named as Head Coach
Lisa Giovanelli[19]January 29, 2016Named as Assistant Coach

Draft
Main article: 2015 NWHL Draft

The following were the Whale’s selections in the 2015 NWHL Draft on June 20, 2015.[20]

Round # Player Pos Nationality College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1 2 Hannah Brandt F  United States University of Minnesota (WCHA)
2 6 Michelle Picard D  United States Harvard University (ECAC)
3 10 Milica McMillen D  United States University of Minnesota (WCHA)
4 14 Maryanne Menefee F  United States University of Minnesota (WCHA)
5 18 Cassandra Poudrier D  Canada Cornell University (ECAC)

References
  1. "National Womens Hockey League - 2015-16 Schedule - Connecticut Whale". NWHL.
  2. "National Womens Hockey League - 2015-16 - Connecticut Whale". NWHL.
  3. "National Womens Hockey League - 2015-16 - Connecticut Whale". NWHL.
  4. "Whale Roster | NWHL". NWHL.
  5. "Eliteprospects.com - Connecticut Whale". Elite Prospects.
  6. "NWHL Announces First League Trade". NWHL. January 27, 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-02-01. Retrieved 2016-01-28.
  7. "Whale Signs Darkangelo, Faber, & Laden". NWHL. June 25, 2015.
  8. "Whale Signs Fratkin, First Canadian in the NWHL". NWHL. July 1, 2015.
  9. "Whale Add Koizumi And Ward Ahead Of Inaugural Season". NWHL. July 9, 2015.
  10. "NCAA Veterans Stock and Long Sign with Connecticut". NWHL. July 17, 2015.
  11. "Yale Alumnae Tomimoto and Leonoff Join Whale". NWHL. July 26, 2015.
  12. "Prolific Forward Babstock Signs With Connecticut". NWHL. August 4, 2015.
  13. "Doyle and Dougherty Sign With Connecticut". NWHL. August 13, 2015.
  14. "Legendary Olympian Smolentseva Joins the Whale". NWHL. August 15, 2015.
  15. "Two-Time Olympian Engstrom Agrees to Play in Connecticut". NWHL. August 18, 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-02-01. Retrieved 2016-01-28.
  16. "Berman, Brickner, Kidd, Wohlfeiler Join NWHL". NWHL. September 24, 2015.
  17. "Team USA's Stack Heads to Connecticut". NWHL. September 24, 2015.
  18. "Whale GM Resigns" (PDF). NWHL. December 24, 2015.
  19. "Whale Coach Resigns" (PDF). NWHL. January 29, 2016.
  20. "Draft Live | NWHL". NWHL. Archived from the original on 2015-06-26.
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