Four-time Olympian Susanna Tapani has signed a two-year deal to return to the Boston Fleet for a third season as the PWHL moves into Phase 3 of its expansion protection and signing window. Seattle also re-signed Julia Gosling to a two-year contract, while Mont
Susanna Tapani is staying with the Boston Fleet, and the move lands just as the league’s expansion process reaches Phase 3—an inflection point for teams trying to hold onto the players they trust most.
Tapani, a four-time Olympian representing Finland, re-signed for two years to return for a third season with Boston. The Fleet had a sharp turn this past week when top-line center Alina Muller moved to Hamilton.
Julia Gosling is also sticking around for Seattle. The Seattle Torrent re-signed forward Gosling, signing her to a two-year contract. Gosling made her Olympic debut representing Canada in February.
Montreal Victoire added stability as well, re-signing defender Maggie Flaherty to a two-year deal.
With those moves, the trio now each become their respective team’s fourth protected players. In Phase 3, each of the eight existing teams is allowed to protect three more players, bringing the total protected players to six overall.
The league’s four expansion teams get a different kind of flexibility in this phase. They’re allowed to sign three players during Phase 3, after each added five players in Phase 2.
Las Vegas used that window to keep building its roster. The team signed Seattle defender Megan Carter to a two-year contract, adding a sixth player to its expansion list. Carter recorded a goal and four assists last year and is moving for a second straight offseason. Seattle selected Carter in the expansion draft last year following her rookie season in Toronto.
Carter, 25, is from Milton, Ontario, and played collegiately at Northeastern. She earned recognition as a two-time Hockey East defender of the year.
Las Vegas also signed its first goalie, bringing in Minnesota’s Nicole Hensley on a two-year contract. Hensley spent three seasons sharing the staring duties with Maddie Rooney, who was protected by the Frost.
Detroit, meanwhile, signed second-year PWHL defender Sydney Bard. Her signing made her the first player Vancouver lost to an expansion team.
Tapani’s return was especially important for a Fleet group adjusting to Muller’s departure. Tapani is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist. She ranked second on the Fleet with nine goals and fifth with 18 points.
Gosling finished last season tied for the Torrent lead with 20 points—six goals and 14 assists. She’s from London, Ontario, and was selected sixth overall by Toronto in the 2024 draft out of St. Lawrence University.
Flaherty carries a rare credential in the league: she is the only three-time Walter Cup champion. After spending her first two seasons in Minnesota, she has already built a postseason track record. From Lakeville. Minnesota. Flaherty posted three goals and an assist in nine playoff games. then scored a career-best five goals and nine points in 30 regular-season outings.
The Phase 3 signings and protections don’t just reshuffle rosters—they determine which teams can keep momentum as the PWHL continues to grow.
PWHL Boston Fleet Susanna Tapani Seattle Torrent Julia Gosling Montreal Victoire Maggie Flaherty Alina Muller Hamilton Phase 3 Las Vegas Megan Carter Nicole Hensley Detroit Sydney Bard