The Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) announced its first four members for the 2020-21 season on Monday. These members include Abby Roque, Hilary Knight, Sarah Potomak and Annika Zalewski. These members will be representing the PWHPA on and off the ice, as they share their skills and love for the game.
Knight has been with the PWHPA since its formation in 2019. She was one of the players leading the charge looking for a more sustainable women’s hockey league after the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) folded in the spring of 2019. She has been a member of the United States Women’s National Hockey Team since 2007, and is the all-time leading scorer for the US National Women’s Hockey Team.
During her time representing the red, white, and blue, she won nine gold medals at the women’s World Championships. Not to mention, she was part of three Olympic teams in 2010, 2014, and 2018, where she won the gold medal with Team USA in thrilling fashion over Canada. In addition to those great accomplishments internationally, she helped Team USA win the 2020 ‘Rivalry Series’ over Canada.
It is good for the PWHPA to have one of its founding members back for another year. She has represented them well throughout the events she has played in. That includes when members of the PWHPA and Team USA faced off against Canada in a 3-on-3 showcase at the NHL All-Star Game in January. There was also this moment at the PWHPA ‘Dream Gap Tour’ Stop in Philadelphia.
Knight represents everything the PWHPA is all about. Regardless of the event, she takes time out of her schedule to show the fans some love. The members of the PWHPA are doing this for all the little girls around the world. What better person to have come back and lead the way than Hilary Knight? She is a consummate professional on and off the ice.
In addition to Knight, the PWHPA is welcoming back for another season Annika Zalewski. Zalewski played college hockey at Colgate before playing for the Buffalo Beauts of the NWHL. She left the NWHL for the PWHPA for the 2019-20 season.
The PWHPA is welcoming two new members in Abby Roque and Sarah Potomak.
Roque played for the University of Wisconsin for four seasons. Her 2019-20 season got cut short because of the coronavirus, as Wisconsin was preparing to play in the NCAA Tournament. Roque was a 2020 First Team All-American, the 2020 WCHA Player of the Year, the 2020 USCHO D-1 Women’s Player of the Year and a top-three finalist for the 2020 Patty Kazmaier Award.
Potomak, who played college hockey at Minnesota, also joins the PWHPA after four seasons in the WCHA. She led the conference and was sixth in the nation with a +39 rating in 2019-20. She was named to the All-WCHA third team, and was an All-Academic Team honoree for a Golden Gophers team that also advanced to the NCAA Tournament before the season’s cancellation.
