PHF and PWHPA members to participate in Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic

The ECHL, in partnership with the Premier Hockey Federation and Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association, announced on Tuesday that two members from each organization will participate in the 2022 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. The game will air LIVE exclusively on NHL Network.In this year’s All-Star event, the host Jacksonville Icemen will take on a team of ECHL All-Stars representing the other teams in the League, as well as feature several Skills events which will count as a goal towards the winning Player’s team score. A player from each organization will participate on both the ECHL All-Stars and Jacksonville roster for the All-Star Classic.Taking part in the All-Star festivities will be the PHF’s Allie Thunstrom of the Minnesota Whitecaps and Jillian Dempsey of the Boston Pride and the PWHPA’s Sophia Shaver of Team adidas (Minnesota) and Loren Gabel of Team Sonnet (Toronto). This marks the second consecutive All-Star event that PWHPA members will participate in after four players skated in the 2020 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic in Wichita, Kansas.“The Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic is a celebration of hockey, and the fact that we are able to welcome representatives from both the PHF and PWHPA for this year’s game is a testament to that fact,” said ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin. “Not only are we showcasing the talent in the ECHL for this showcase, but also some other great hockey players in their respective leagues, and we are building off the success and fun we had from our event back in 2020.”“On behalf of the Premier Hockey Federation I'm both excited and proud that Jillian Dempsey and Allie Thunstrom will compete in the 2022 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic,” said PHF Commissioner Tyler Tumminia. “This is a well-deserved opportunity for two phenomenal athletes and leaders who shared MVP honors in 2020 and were Isobel Cup finalists the past two seasons. I know they'll show the entire hockey world what they're capable of and represent the PHF with talent and class!”“We're thrilled to once again have players represent the PWHPA at the ECHL All-Star Classic,” said PWHPA Operations Consultant Jayna Hefford. “This event provides our players with another professional platform to showcase their skills and I know Sophia and Loren will make the most of this opportunity. We're grateful to the ECHL for their ongoing support of women's hockey.”Thunstrom has played for the Whitecaps in every game since the organization joined the PHF in 2018-19. The Boston College graduate and 2019 Isobel Cup champion holds the PHF single season goals record of 24 scored in 24 games during the 2019-20 campaign.Dempsey, who serves as the Pride’s captain, was named one of the 25 most powerful women in hockey by Sportsnet in February 2020. The Harvard University graduate is a two-time Isobel Cup champion and the first in PHF history to play in 100 career games and score 100 career points.Shaver played four years at the University of Wisconsin, where she totaled 80 points (29g-51a) in 154 career games. She was a member of the 2014 U.S. Under-18 Women’s Select Team at the Under-18 Series vs. Canada and attended the 2014 Girls’ U18 Player Development Camp; 2013 Girls’ U18 Player Development Camp; 2012 Girls’ 15 Player Development Camp.Gabel was the recipient of the 2019 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, which is awarded top female college ice hockey player in the United States. During her four-year career at Clarkson University, she totaled 213 points (116-96a) in 160 games. Gabel has skated with Team Canada in four international tournaments from 2016-19.For more information on the Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic and to purchase tickets, please visit www.echlallstarclassic.com. About the ECHLBegan in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 27 teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces for its 34th season in 2021-22. There have been 710 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 12 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2021-22 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 27 of the 32 NHL teams in 2021-22, marking the 25th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com as well as on Twitter and Facebook.About the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF)The PHF is the home of professional women’s hockey in North America. Established in 2015 as the National Women’s Hockey League, the NWHL rebranded to become the PHF in 2021 and maintains the mission to provide strong role models and fuel the continued growth of the sport. The league is made up of the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, Minnesota Whitecaps, and the Toronto Six who all compete annually for the Isobel Cup. For more information, visit premierhockeyfederation.com.About Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association’s (PWHPA) mission is to promote, advance and support a viable professional women’s ice hockey league in North America that showcases the greatest product of women’s professional ice hockey in the world. The organization aims to provide a united voice to players advocating for the creation of a sustainable professional league. PWHPA is working to accomplish its mission by coordinating training needs and programming opportunities and collaborating with like-minded organizations to make hockey more inclusive for women and future generations. To learn more about PWHPA and the Secret Dream Gap Tour, visit pwhpa.com.