Category: Features

PHWA Women’s Hockey Chapter votes Loren Gabel as MVP of Premier Hockey Federation

Posted on | by Willie Ramirez

The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced Boston Pride newcomer Loren Gabel has been selected as both the PHF Most Valuable Player and Outstanding Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season.

The MVP award was determined by an independent vote conducted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) Women’s Hockey Chapter, while the Outstanding Player of the Year award recipient was selected by members of the PHF Players’ Association (PHFPA).

This year marked the first time that PHWA members voted on PHF MVP.

“It is an absolute honor to win the 2022-23 MVP and Outstanding Player of the Year awards, and I am proud to be recognized by my fellow players and by the dedicated media that cover this league,” said Gabel. “I couldn’t have done it without every single person who has helped me get to this point. The PHF has a tremendous amount of talent, and I am fortunate that I get to play alongside and against some of the best every day. I am thankful for the opportunity I was given to play in Boston, and I am looking forward to my future in the PHF.”

The MVP and Outstanding Player of the Year honors bring Gabel’s 2022-23 awards count to four, making her one of the most decorated players in single-season history. She was also selected as the PHF Newcomer of the Year and earned the Offensive Player of the Year award as the league’s top regular-season scorer.

Gabel helped Boston finish in first place in the overall standings with the league’s highest-scoring offense. Her 40 points in 22 games tied a single-season record, while her 20 goals and 20 assists were both leading figures that gave the league its first offensive triple-crown winner since the inaugural 2015-16 campaign.

“As chair of the newly formed Women’s Hockey Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA), it is an honor to announce Boston Pride forward Loren Gabel as the 2023 PHF Most Valuable Player,” PHWA chair Erica L. Ayala said. “Although this isn’t the first time media have voted for league awards, this is the inaugural year media have voted as members of the PHWA. Loren received six first-ballot votes from our panel of 13 women’s hockey reporters and led all vote-getters with 43 points overall. It was an honor to represent the PHWA alongside Commissioner Reagan Carey, PHF Players Association Executive Director Nicole Corriero, and the league’s first-ever MVP Brianna Decker, to surprise Loren with the news. Congratulations to Loren on a spectacular first season! We look forward to all that is to come in what we hope is a long professional hockey career.”

PLAYERTEAM1ST2ND3RDPOINTS
Loren GabelBoston Pride64143
Kennedy MarchmentConnecticut Whale35434
Corinne SchroederBoston Pride22218
Brittany HowardToronto Six11210
Jade Downie-LandryMontréal Force1016
Ann-Sophie BettezMontréal Force0103
Mikyla Grant-MentisBuffalo Beauts0022
Fanni Garat-GasparicsMetropolitan Riveters0011

PHWA, PHF announce Media Partnership & Women’s Hockey Chapter

Posted on | by Willie Ramirez

BOSTON, MA — The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF), in association with the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA), has announced a new media partnership that includes the PHWA independently voting on an array of PHF annual awards. The partnership began with the introduction of a PHWA Women’s Hockey Chapter that includes 13 inaugural members who cast ballots to determine the PHF’s Most Valuable Player of the 2022-23 season.

“The growth of professional women’s hockey is accelerated with impactful collaborations and increased visibility in the media which make this partnership with the PHWA a win for our sport,” PHF commissioner Reagan Carey said. “We’re proud that the PHWA has recognized a significant opportunity with thePHF and the thriving community of dedicated and talented women’s hockey contributors we’re grateful for. Their influence as part of our awards process is another example of trailblazing initiatives within the PHF and is an important step in the enhancement and amplification of these prestigious honors.”

The PHWA has independently voted on the biggest NHL Awards, including the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke, Lady Byng, and Conn Smythe trophies, each season for more than six decades. The PHWA managed the PHF’s MVP voting process for 2023 and the partnership is expected to expand next season to include other awards that celebrate and honor annual excellence in the game. The PHWA will also have a seat at the table in helping shape the PHF’s media access policy in the near future.

“We are thrilled to witness the growth of women’s hockey, and we’re appreciative of the stability, resources, and leadership that the PHF has demonstrated,” PHWA president Frank Seravalli said. “We are excited to collaborate with the PHF and branch out into a league beyond the NHL for the first time in our organization’s 56-year history. It was time. Our newest members have poured their souls into covering the women’s game like a blanket, and we’re proud to bolster the premier women’s hockey writers on the planet with more support and resources to aid and enhance their coverage.”

Finalists for 2022-23 PHF MVP and other annual league awards will be announced in advance of Sunday’s 2023 Isobel Cup Championship at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona, as the Toronto Six meet the Minnesota Whitecaps.

Award recipients will be announced individually following the final.

PHWA announces midseason award winners

Posted on | by mihai | Leave a Comment on PHWA announces midseason award winners

TAMPA, Fla. — The Professional Hockey Writers Association announced today the winners of 10 Midseason Awards, as the hockey world descends on Tampa Bay to mark the halfway point of the 2017-18 National Hockey League season.

Historically, the PHWA voted on “Half Season” Awards through 1968, but the annual practice fell off the radar soon after the advent of the modern-day NHL All-Star Game in 1969.

The Midseason Awards were revived this season, this time giving hockey fans across North America a vote with the power of social media.

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PHWA mourns Jim Johannson

Posted on | by mihai | Leave a Comment on PHWA mourns Jim Johannson

The PHWA mourns the loss of USA Hockey assistant executive director Jim Johannson.

Johannson didn’t just have a relentless passion for the game of hockey and his country, he was always helpful in working with our organization to enhance the coverage of the players and teams he cared deeply about.

Our deepest condolences to USA Hockey and the Johannson family.

(Photo courtesy USA Hockey)