Victoire's Off-Season Roster Shakeup
Montreal Victoire Undergoes Significant Roster Changes Following PWHL Free Agency and League Expansion
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The Montreal Victoire locked in four key players on June 19 as PWHL free agency opened, keeping Maggie Flaherty, Abby Roque, Kaitlin Willoughby, and Nadia Mattivi on multi-year deals Montreal Gazette. The signings came just hours after free agency began at 8:00 AM ET, with the Victoire moving fast to hold their core together.
The moves come as the PWHL expands from 12 to 16 teams, adding franchises in Detroit, Chicago, Vancouver, and Philadelphia. Montreal now has 14 players under contract for 2026-27, leaving 9 roster spots still open National Post.
Four Victoire Pillars Lock In Three-Year Deals
All four re-signed players — Flaherty, Roque, Willoughby, and Mattivi — got three-year terms, keeping them in Montreal through the 2028-29 season Montreal Gazette. Roque, a center, is now a focal point of the Montreal offense. She said Montreal has "become home" and called the team's vision for the 16-team league something she "wanted to be a cornerstone of for the next three years."
On defense, Nadia Mattivi and Maggie Flaherty were top priorities. General Manager Danièle Sauvageau said securing Flaherty and Mattivi "through 2029 was non-negotiable for our competitive window." Flaherty's re-signing was seen as urgent to stop expansion teams from poaching her Sportsnet.
PWHL Expands to 16 Teams, Reshaping the Roster Market
The jump from 12 to 16 teams added 92 new roster spots across the league. That surge in demand has driven up contract values. The average annual value of PWHL deals rose roughly 12% compared to 2025 Montreal Gazette. The 2026-27 salary cap is projected at $1.65 million USD per team, up from around $1.265 million in the league's first season.
Before free agency opened, Montreal lost two depth defenders in the PWHL Expansion Draft on June 1. The team also failed to re-sign three veteran forwards after the exclusive negotiation window closed on June 16. Those losses pushed the team to act quickly once free agency opened on June 19.
Analysts Call Roque Signing the Steal of Free Agency
Hockey analytics outlet The Ice Garden called Abby Roque's extension the top value deal of the free-agent period. Her numbers in zone entries and power-play efficiency rank in the top 5th percentile of the league. TSN analyst Cheryl Pounder said Montreal is "playing the long game" by locking in Mattivi and Flaherty now, ahead of expected salary cap inflation in 2027 when a new media rights deal is set.
Mattivi's three-year deal is also being watched as a signal for the broader market. Her signing is seen as a sign that more international players may choose long-term PWHL deals over European leagues Brantford Expositor. The Victoire still have 9 spots to fill through free agency and training camp invites.
Fans Cheer Stability, But Worry About Depth Losses
Local Montreal media framed the re-signings as a win for culture and loyalty. But some national critics pushed back. The National Post argued that the rapid move to 16 teams forced Montreal to overpay for depth players simply to fill out the roster National Post. They warned that talent quality could dip as the league stretches its player pool thin.
Montreal fans online showed "cautious optimism." They celebrated the return of the four stars but voiced concern about veteran leadership that left for the Detroit expansion team. The Victoire head into the 16-team era with a strong core but real questions about depth behind their top names Fort McMurray Today.
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