Victoire bring size, physicality into third season: ‘You have to be gritty’

Erin Ambrose is back on the ice with a weight lifted from her shoulders.

The off-season began anxiously after a second straight heartbreaking playoff exit. Unsure she would still be calling Montreal home this fall, Ambrose watched nervously as the Vancouver and Seattle franchises stockpiled much of the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s top talent in the expansion draft.

But instead of heading West, the 2024 defender of the year is back where she wants to be, and she’s energized by general manager Danièle Sauvageauâ€s overhaul of a Montréal Victoire roster that needed some edge.

“Once I knew that I was going to be here, obviously a lot of relief and a lot of excitement, and now with this group I’m even more excited than I could have been in that moment,” Ambrose said after Montreal’s first on-ice training camp session Wednesday at Verdun Auditorium.

“To see what Danièle’s done over the off-season with free-agent signings, drafting, free-agent invites, it’s even more exciting to be a part of this group.”

The Victoire topped the PWHL standings last season, but lost their semifinal series against the Ottawa Charge in four games as scoring woes — despite boasting a lineup led by top goal-scorer Marie-Philip Poulin — came back to haunt them for a consecutive post-season.

Then came an expansion draft that heavily favoured Vancouver and Seattle, which snatched up four of Montreal’s top-five draft picks and three of the Victoire’s top-five scorers. Forwards Jennifer Gardiner and Abigail Boreen will suit up for the Vancouver Goldeneyes, while defenders Cayla Barnes and Anna Wilgren joined the Seattle Torrent.

“We might be a bit of a pain in the butt to play against based on all the players that we did pick up,” Ambrose said. “I’m not exactly the one that’s rough and rowdy out there, so to have a little bit more of an edge to our team, a lot more size, a lot more physicality … that’s going to be really hard for our opponents to deal with.”

Sauvageau traded Canadian forward Kristin O’Neill to the New York Sirens for talented, hard-nosed centre Abby Roque. Montreal also signed forwards Shiann Darkangelo — who stands five-foot-11 — Hayley Scamurra and Jade Downie-Landry, and drafted defender Nicole Gosling.

“That was a big piece for us as an organization, to get grittier,” head coach Kori Cheverie said. “We’ve collected information, we’ve watched, and you have to be physical and you have to be gritty to make a living in this league. And that was one of our priorities going into free agency.

“We’re constantly looking for the players who fit the best in this league, (who bring) physicality, strength down the middle, experience, leadership, willingness, eagerness to play a heavy style of hockey, and we believe we brought those pieces in.”

Poulin, forward Laura Stacey and Ann-Renée Desbiens — the Victoireâ€s three foundational signings — all signed contract extensions through 2028 in October.

A Walter Cup is the only thing missing in Poulinâ€s trophy chest. And she certainly hopes the new identity helps the Victoire get over the playoff hump in year three, which begins Nov. 23 against the Boston Fleet.

“A little bit older, I think obviously a little bigger, a little bit stronger, so I think it’ll be very exciting to see our game, to see what we can do,†Montrealâ€s captain said.

While Poulin, Stacey and Desbiens are signed for at least three more seasons, Ambrose — the fourth member of Montrealâ€s core — enters the final year of her deal.

The 31-year-old from Keswick, Ont., said thereâ€s no imminent deal coming and that sheâ€s focused on this season.

“I’m not on a timeline to make things settled,†Ambrose said. “I want to focus everything, every ounce of my being on this year. It’s going to be a crazy year with hopefully the Olympics, hopefully bringing back the Walter Cup to this city.

“I do think things will take care of themselves when they’re supposed to.â€

Desbiens, last yearâ€s goaltender of the year and Canadaâ€s No. 1, did not skate Wednesday but trained off-ice after also being left off the national team roster for Rivalry Series games against the United States earlier this month.

Cheverie vaguely described her absence as “precautionary things†and said it was not an injury. The coach expects Desbiens to be ready for Montrealâ€s season-opener in Boston.

“For her, it’s just about finding the right timing to get back with the group, and we’re not worried about it,†Cheverie said.

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