Ten Olympic Medalists Headline Rosters for 2019 NWHL All-Star Weekend

December 5, 2018, Brooklyn, NY - The rosters for 2019 NWHL All-Star Weekend hosted by the Nashville Predators were selected today via live draft on Twitter between captains Shannon Szabados of the Buffalo Beauts and Canadian Olympic Team, and Lee Stecklein of the Minnesota Whitecaps and the U.S. Olympic Team.
Among those coming to Nashville to represent the NWHL are ten players who won medals in the Winter Olympics last February: Szabados of silver medal-winning Canada, and from gold medal-winning Team USA: Stecklein, Dani Cameranesi, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Nicole Hensley, Amanda Kessel, Gigi Marvin, Amanda Pelkey, Emily Pfalzer and Haley Skarupa.
The combined rosters include 5 members each from the Connecticut Whale and Metropolitan Riveters, six players from the Boston Pride, and eight members each from the Buffalo Beauts and first-year expansion club Minnesota Whitecaps.

Five countries are represented by players at this year's NWHL All-Star Game: Canada, Czech Republic (Katerina Mrázová), Finland (Meeri Räisänen), Sweden (Michelle Löwenhielm) and the U.S.
"These rosters are filled with extraordinary players and women, and we could not be more proud to showcase them in the great hockey city of Nashville at our All-Star events in February," said Hayley Moore, the NWHL's Deputy Commissioner and Director of Player Development.
Szabados and Stecklein alternated making picks on Twitter, providing commentary with each selection. For example, Szabados said of Kessel, "Amanda has been a game-changer for the women's game on and off the ice. I'm excited to be a teammate with her after all the battles we have had in the past."
Stecklein said when drafting Hensley, "Need two great goalies for All-Star since everyone is playing offense haha. Will start with the golden goalie, my @usahockey teammate @NicHens29, and keep her away from Szabados. See you in Music City, Nicole!"
2019 NWHL All-Star Rosters
Team Szabados
Goaltenders: Meeri Räisänen, Shannon Szabados
Defenders: Lexi Bender, Blake Bolden, Amanda Boulier, Shannon Doyle, Savannah Harmon, Michelle Picard
Forwards: Kendall Coyne Schofield, Amanda Kessel, Katerina Mrázová, Madison Packer, Amanda Pelkey, Audra Richards, Haley Skarupa
Team Stecklein
Goaltenders: Nicole Hensley, Amanda Leveille
Defenders: Courtney Burke, Lisa Chesson, Alyssa Gagliardi, Michelle Löwenhielm, Emily Pfalzer, Lee Stecklein
Forwards: Hannah Brandt, Dani Cameranesi, Jonna Curtis, Jillian Dempsey, Emily Fluke, Gigi Marvin, Kate Schipper, Allie Thunstrom
The 2019 NWHL All-Star Game will be played after the Predators host the St. Louis Blues at 11:30 am CT. Ticketholders for the Predators game are invited to stay for the NWHL event. In addition, fans with general admission tickets for the All-Star Game will be able to enter Bridgestone Arena at approximately 2 pm. The All-Star Game will consist of two 25-minute halves, and each team will have 14 skaters and two goaltenders. General admission tickets for the 2019 NWHL All-Star Game at Bridgestone Arena on Sunday, Feb. 10 are
available now
. The NWHL All-Star Skills Challenge, which includes a post-event Meet & Greet with NWHL All-Stars, will take place at Ford Ice Center on Saturday, Feb. 9 and is limited to just 500 attendees. Tickets for this exclusive event are
available here
.
About the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL):
Established in 2015, the NWHL became the first professional women's hockey league in North America to pay its players and share in revenue from select apparel sales. The mission of the league is to promote and develop women's hockey, increase participation and interest in the sport at all levels, and shine a light on the role models that fill the rosters of all of its clubs. The league is made up of the Boston Pride (2016 Isobel Cup champions), Buffalo Beauts (2017 champions), Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters (2018 champions), and Minnesota Whitecaps. For more information, please visit
NWHL.zone
and follow the league on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @NWHL.
About the Nashville Predators:
The Nashville Predators became the National Hockey League's 27th team on May 4, 1998 and have evolved from a young expansion franchise into a staple of the Middle Tennessee community in the 19 years since. The team strives each season to reach its One Goal: becoming a Stanley Cup Champion hockey team while making Bridgestone Arena the number one sports and entertainment venue in the United States. With One Goal in mind, the team saw its greatest successes in team history when they made it to Game 6 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final and were named the 2018 Central Division, regular-season Western Conference & Presidents' Trophy winners last season.
About Ford Ice Center:
Ford Ice Center is a component of a public-private partnership between the Nashville Predators and Metro that helps continue the growth of hockey and skating in Middle Tennessee. Home to Nashville Predators youth and adult hockey initiatives and the Scott Hamilton Skating Academy, Ford Ice Center is a springboard for creating new fans, ensuring more and more kids have the opportunity to get on the ice at an early age and contributes to economic development in Southeastern Davidson County. For more information, visit
www.fordicecenter.com
.