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MONTREAL FORCE
WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY
MONTREAL FORCE
THE MONTREAL FORCE ANNOUNCES THREE ADDITIONAL SIGNATURES
MONTREAL FORCE ANNOUNCE THE SIGNING OF MARIKA LABRECQUE, AND THE RETURN OF TAYLOR BAKER AND CHRISTINE DEAUDELIN
MONTREAL,QC – (May 17, 2023) – The Montreal Force are proud to announce three player signings ahead of the 2023-24 Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) season. Defenders Christine Deaudelin and Taylor Baker both return on one-year contracts and rookie forward Marika Labrecque joins the Force on a one-year contract after graduating from McGill University.
“Taylor Baker was one of the All-Stars of the league last season, it was a no-brainer for us to bring her back for one more year. I know she has a chip on her shoulder and she wants to prove that she’s one of the best in the league. She is about to be a whole movie this year and I can’t wait to watch it unfold.
“Christine Deaudelin has a Deade-Bomb of a shot. It’s impressive to witness live. Her first year of pro experience will allow her to continue developing in many ways to help the team.
“We saw Marika grow in this game for the past five years. Yes, it was not her best season last year but I believe that she could be a surprise in this league. She can play every position and she’s coming in with the right mindset and attitude. This is her opportunity to show us that she can play with the top women in the world. Talent wise, she is right there. The rest will come.”
Team President, Kevin Raphaël.
Taylor Baker is an offensive defender who finished her first PHF season with nine points in 24 games and was a member of PHF Team World in the 2023 All-Star Game. The 25-year-old Toronto native represents Hungary at the international level and recently competed in the IIHF Women’s World Championship for the second straight year. She played four NCAA seasons at Rochester IOT followed by two seasons with MAC Budapest of the EWHL before joining the expansion Force.
Marika Labrecque is a highly skilled and competitive forward who shines on the ice by her versatility and her ability to contribute offensively. The 25-year-old from Lac-Etchemin, Quebec will make her professional debut after six years with the McGill Martlets where she helped the team earn silver at the U SPORTS national championship in 2018-19 and a RSEQ championship in 2019-20. Her best offensive season was in 2021-22 when she finished second on the team in scoring behind Jade Downie-Landry with 23 points in 15 games.
Christine Deaudelin is a solid defender who led the Force blue line with three goals and tied Taylor Baker for first on the back end with nine points in 23 games. The 25-year-old from Beloeil is a graduate of the University of Ottawa where she spent five seasons as a member of the Gee-Gees including 2021-22 as captain. She is a two-time U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian and graduated with the most regular season points by a defender in program history, recording 41 over 72 games.
The Force have now announced 15 signed players so far this offseason including rookie forwards Labrecque, Theresa Schafzahl, Audrey-Anne Veillette and Rosalie Bégin-Cyr, along with returnees Ann-Sophie Bettez, Jade Downie-Landry, Alexandra Labelle, Sarah Lefort, and free agent Élizabeth Giguère. Baker and Deaudelin return on defence along with Christine Daoust and Brigitte Laganière, plus free agent Emma Keenan, and free agent goaltender Corinne Schroeder between-the-pipes.
About La Force
The Montreal Force are a professional women’s ice hockey team competing in the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF). The Force became the PHF’s seventh team and second in Canada when they joined the league ahead of the 2022-23 season. On November 26, 2022 the Force made history by playing the first PHF game in the province of Quebec and set a league regular season attendance record at Centre 21.02. The team is owned and operated by BTM Partners. TVA Sport partnership for the team lets fans watch the game throughout the season.
Visit https://montreal.en.
About the Premier Hockey Federation
The PHF is the home of professional women’s hockey in North America. Established in 2015 as the National Women’s Hockey League, the NWHL rebranded to become the PHF in 2021 and provide opportunities for elite athletes to earn a living playing the game they love while fueling the continued growth of the sport. The league is made up of the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, Minnesota Whitecaps, Montreal Force, and the Toronto Six who all compete annually for the Isobel Cup. As part of a two-year agreement with ESPN, live coverage of the 2023-24 PHF season is available exclusively on ESPN+ in the United States, and provides international rights for games which includes TSN in Canada. For more information visit premierhockeyfederation.com.