2015–16 NWHL season
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox sports season
| title = 2015–16 NWHL season
| logo = NWHL logo.svg
| league = National Women's Hockey League
| sport = Ice hockey
| duration = October 11, 2015 – February 28, 2016
| attendance =
| draft = Inaugural draft
| top_pick = Alex Carpenter
| picked_by = New York Riveters
| season = Regular season
| season_champ_name =
| season_champs = Boston Pride
| MVP = Brianna Decker
| MVP_link =
| top_scorer = Hilary Knight
| top_scorer_link =
| playoffs =
| playoffs_link =
| conf1 =
| conf1_link =
| conf1_champ =
| conf1_runner-up =
| conf2 =
| conf2_link =
| conf2_champ =
| conf2_runner-up =
| finals = Isobel Cup
| finals_link = Isobel Cup
| finals_champ = Boston Pride
| finals_runner-up = Buffalo Beauts
| playoffs_MVP =
| playoffs_MVP_link =
| nextseason_year = 2016–17
| seasonslistnames = NWHL
}}
The 2015–16 NWHL season was the first season of operation of the National Women's Hockey League. Four teams competed for the inaugural Isobel Cup: the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, New York Riveters, and Connecticut Whale.
League business
- July 2015: The NWHL Foundation hosted a Canadian Training Camp Series in four different Canadian cities (Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Windsor).{{Cite web |url=http://nwhl.co/nwhl-foundation-to-host-canadian-training-camp-series/ |title = NWHL Foundation To Host Canadian Training Camp Series {{!}} NWHL |access-date=2015-06-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618133450/http://nwhl.co/nwhl-foundation-to-host-canadian-training-camp-series/ |archive-date=2015-06-18 |url-status=dead }}
- Late July 2015: A training camp for European players took place at Ristuccia Memorial Arena outside Boston on July 23, hosted by Boston Pride head coach Bobby Jay. Players from Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Germany and Japan attended.{{Cite web |url=http://nwhl.co/nwhl-announces-international-team-camp/ |title = NWHL Announces International Team Camp {{!}} NWHL |access-date=2015-06-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616200914/http://nwhl.co/nwhl-announces-international-team-camp/ |archive-date=2015-06-16 |url-status=dead }}
All-star game
{{main|1st NWHL All-Star Game}}
The 1st NWHL All-Star Game was held January 24, 2016 at HarborCenter in Buffalo, the home of the Beauts.{{cite web |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2015/11/20/buffalo-lands-hockey-all-star-weekend-for-womens.html |title=Buffalo lands all-star weekend |publisher=www.bizjournals.com |date=2015 |access-date=2020-04-07 |archive-date=2023-01-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230124114818/https://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2015/11/20/buffalo-lands-hockey-all-star-weekend-for-womens.html |url-status=live }}
Regular season
=Standings=
{{2015–16 NWHL standings}}
=Schedule=
All times in Eastern Standard Time (UTC−05:00).{{cite web |title=2015–16 Schedule |url=https://www.premierhockeyfederation.com/stats#/100/schedule?division_id=1021 |access-date=December 10, 2022 |website=Premier Hockey Federation |archive-date=November 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107014003/https://www.premierhockeyfederation.com/stats#/100/schedule?division_id=1021 |url-status=live }}
Playoffs
{{4TeamBracket
| RD1 =
| RD2 =
| RD1-seed1 = 1
| RD1-team1 = Boston Pride
| RD1-score1 = 2
| RD1-seed2 = 4
| RD1-team2 = New York Riveters
| RD1-score2 = 0
| RD1-seed3 = 2
| RD1-team3 = Connecticut Whale
| RD1-score3 = 1
| RD1-seed4 = 3
| RD1-team4 = Buffalo Beauts
| RD1-score4 = 2
| RD2-seed1 = 1
| RD2-team1 = Boston Pride
| RD2-score1 = 2
| RD2-seed2 = 3
| RD2-team2 = Buffalo Beauts
| RD2-score2 = 0
}}
Statistics
=Scoring leaders=
- The following players led the league in regular season points at the conclusion of season.
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||
| style="width: 12em;" | Player
! style="width: 13em;" | Team ! style="width: 4em;" | {{abbr|GP|Games played}} ! style="width: 4em;" | {{abbr|G|Goals}} ! style="width: 4em;" | {{abbr|A|Assists}} ! style="width: 4em;" | {{abbr|Pts|Points}} ! style="width: 4em;" | {{abbr|PIM|Penalties in minutes}} | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left| Hilary Knight | align=left| Boston Pride | 17 | 15 | 18 | 33 | 8 |
| align=left| Brianna Decker | align=left| Boston Pride | 17 | 14 | 15 | 29 | 20 |
| align=left| Kelli Stack | align=left| Connecticut Whale | 17 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 24 |
| align=left| Kelly Babstock | align=left| Connecticut Whale | 18 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 24 |
| align=left| Kelley Steadman | align=left| Buffalo Beauts | 13 | 13 | 7 | 20 | 16 |
=Milestones=
| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:65%;" | |||
| style="text-align:center;"
! Milestone !! Player !! Team !! Date | |||
| First goal | Jessica Koizumi | Connecticut Whale | Oct 11, 2015 |
| First Canadian to score a goal | Kelly Babstock | Connecticut Whale | Oct 11, 2015 |
| First European to log an assist | Lyudmila Belyakova | New York Riveters | Oct 11, 2015 |
| First multi-goal game | Hilary Knight (2 goals) | Boston Pride | Oct 11, 2015 |
| First multi-point game | Kelli Stack (3 points) | Connecticut Whale | Oct 11, 2015 |
| First multi-point game by a defenseman | Kacey Bellamy (2 points) | Boston Pride | Oct 11, 2015 |
| First goaltending win | Jaimie Leonoff | Connecticut Whale | Oct 11, 2015 |
| First American-born goaltender to win a regular season game | Brittany Ott | Boston Pride | Oct 11, 2015 |
| First African-American player to compete in the NWHL | Blake Bolden | Boston Pride | Oct 11, 2015 |
| First hat trick | Brianna Decker | Boston Pride | Oct 25, 2015 |
| First international goaltender to win a regular season game | Nana Fujimoto | New York Riveters | Nov 15, 2015 |
| First shootout goal | Kelly Babstock | Connecticut Whale | Nov 22, 2015 |
| First European to score a goal | Yekaterina Smolentseva | Connecticut Whale | Dec 13, 2015 |
| First shutout game | Brittany Ott | Boston Pride | Dec 20, 2015 |
Awards and honors
- Brianna Decker, Boston Pride, 2016 NWHL Most Valuable Player
- Hilary Knight, Boston Pride, 2016 NWHL Scoring Champion
- Denna Laing, Boston Pride, 2016 NWHL Perseverance Award
- Denna Laing, Boston Pride, 2016 NWHL Foundation Award
- Gigi Marvin, Boston Pride, 2016 NWHL Defensive Player of the Year Award
- Brittany Ott, Boston Pride, 2016 NWHL Goaltender of the Year
Transactions
=NWHL draft=
The 2015 NWHL draft took place in Boston on June 22, 2015. The draft was not binding on the players, who did not enter their names and did not have to give their consent.{{Cite web |url=http://wildxtra.com/articles.html/_/minnesota-wild-news/where-minnesotas-best-women-play-after-college-r1038 |title = Where Minnesota's Best Women Play After College - Articles - Articles - Articles - Wild Xtra |access-date=2019-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104170120/http://wildxtra.com/articles.html/_/minnesota-wild-news/where-minnesotas-best-women-play-after-college-r1038 |archive-date=2016-11-04 |url-status=dead }} It was not clear that the players felt themselves bound by the decisions made in the draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/4eh1u4/ama_alex_carpenter_the_womens_hockey_life/d200unt|title=r/hockey - Comment by u/BazoozooTV on "AMA Alex Carpenter: The Women's Hockey Life"|website=reddit|access-date=2019-10-08|archive-date=2023-01-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230124114821/https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/4eh1u4/comment/d200unt/|url-status=live}} However, during the season the NWHL was frequently active on social media about draft picks' success in the NCAA, and on April 1, 2016 the NWHL announced {{Cite web |url=http://www.todaysslapshot.com/nwhl/nwhl-rfa-period-draft-tax-complicates-offseason/ |title = NWHL RFA Period and Draft Tax Complicates Offseason - TSS |access-date=2019-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104191557/http://www.todaysslapshot.com/nwhl/nwhl-rfa-period-draft-tax-complicates-offseason/ |archive-date=2016-11-04 |url-status=dead }} that the draft would be enforced insofar as there would be salary cap penalties for teams that signed other teams' draftees.
A draft lottery was held by NWHL commissioner Dani Rylan, with the New York Riveters earning the first pick overall.{{Cite web |url=http://nwhl.co/order-of-selection-announced-for-first-annual-nwhl-entry-draft/ |title = Order Of Selection Announced For First Annual NWHL Entry Draft {{!}} NWHL |access-date=2019-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802051549/http://nwhl.co/order-of-selection-announced-for-first-annual-nwhl-entry-draft/ |archive-date=2017-08-02 |url-status=dead }}
Notable first round picks included University of Minnesota forward Hannah Brandt by Connecticut, Northeastern University forward Kendall Coyne by Boston, and University of Wisconsin defenseman Courtney Burke by Buffalo.{{Cite web |url=http://www.wcha.com/women/pres1415/201506/jun20wcw.pdf |title=Five WCHA Players Selected During Inaugural NWHL Draft |date=June 20, 2015 |website=Western Collegiate Hockey Association |access-date=May 24, 2018 |archive-date=September 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915205116/http://www.wcha.com/women/pres1415/201506/jun20wcw.pdf |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |url=http://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/article/18537692/two-former-college-hockey-stars-bypassed-nwhl-play-free |title=Two former college hockey stars bypassed the NWHL to play for free |work=ESPN |access-date=May 25, 2018 |archive-date=May 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180525133102/http://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/article/18537692/two-former-college-hockey-stars-bypassed-nwhl-play-free |url-status=live }}
| style="background:#fc0; border:1px solid #aaa; width:2em;"|
| = Indicates player with a prior Olympic appearance |
| style="background:pink; border:1px solid #aaa; width:2em;"|
| = Indicates player with prior IIHF experience without appearing in the Olympics |
| class="wikitable" |
| style="width:5%;" | #
! style="width:25%;" | Player ! style="width:5%;" | Pos ! style="width:10%;" | Nationality ! style="width:20%;" | Team ! style="width:35%;" | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
|---|
| style="background:#fc0;"
|align=center| 1 |align=center| F |align=center| {{flagicon|USA}} | Boston College (HEA) |
| style="background:pink;"
|align=center| 2 |align=center| F |align=center| {{flagicon|USA}} |
| style="background:#fc0;"
|align=center| 3 |align=center| F |align=center| {{flagicon|USA}} | Northeastern (HEA) |
| align=center| 4
|align=center| D |align=center| {{flagicon|USA}} | University of Wisconsin (WCHA) |
| style="background:pink;"
|align=center| 5 |align=center| F |align=center| {{flagicon|USA}} | New York Riveters | Boston College (HEA) |
| style="background:#fc0;"
|align=center| 6 |align=center| D |align=center| {{flagicon|USA}} | Connecticut Whale |
| style="background:pink;"
|align=center| 7 |align=center| G |align=center| {{flagicon|CAN}} | Boston Pride | Harvard University (ECAC) |
| align=center| 8
|align=center| F |align=center| {{flagicon|CAN}} | Buffalo Beauts | Boston University (HEA) |
| align=center| 9
|align=center| D |align=center| {{flagicon|CAN}} | New York Riveters | Clarkson University (ECAC) |
| align=center| 10
|align=center| D |align=center| {{flagicon|USA}} | Connecticut Whale | University of Minnesota (WCHA) |
| align=center| 11
|align=center| D |align=center| {{flagicon|USA}} | Boston Pride | Boston College (HEA) |
| align=center| 12
|align=center| G |align=center| {{flagicon|CAN}} | Buffalo Beauts | University of Minnesota (WCHA) |
| style="background:pink;"
|align=center| 13 |align=center| F |align=center| {{flagicon|USA}} | New York Riveters | Boston College (HEA) |
| align=center| 14
|align=center| F |align=center| {{flagicon|USA}} | Connecticut Whale | University of Minnesota (WCHA) |
| align=center| 15
|align=center| F |align=center| {{flagicon|USA}} | Boston Pride | Harvard University (ECAC) |
| align=center| 16
|align=center| F |align=center| {{flagicon|USA}} | Buffalo Beauts |
| align=center| 17
|align=center| G |align=center| {{flagicon|CAN}} | New York Riveters | Princeton University (ECAC) |
| align=center| 18
|align=center| D |align=center| {{flagicon|CAN}} | Connecticut Whale | Cornell University (ECAC) |
| align=center| 19
|align=center| F |align=center| {{flagicon|CAN}} | Boston Pride | Clarkson University (ECAC) |
| align=center| 20
|align=center| F |align=center| {{flagicon|CAN}} | Buffalo Beauts | Mercyhurst College (CHA) |
=Free agency=
=Trades=
| class="wikitable" style="border:1px solid #999; width:80%;" |
| style="background:#eee;"
| style="width:22%;" | {{start date|2016|01|27}}{{cite web |url=http://nwhl.co/nwhl-announces-first-league-trade/ |title=NWHL Announces First League Trade |publisher=NWHL |date=January 27, 2016 |access-date=January 30, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201041659/http://nwhl.co/nwhl-announces-first-league-trade/ |archive-date=February 1, 2016 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} | style="width:39%; vertical-align:top;"| To New York Riveters ---- Chelsea Laden | style="width:39%; vertical-align:top;"| To Connecticut Whale ---- |
References
{{reflist}}
=Gamesheets=
{{reflist|30em|group=Game}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website|https://www.nwhl.zone/}}
{{National Women's Hockey League}}
{{2015–16 NWHL season by team}}
{{Professional Women's Hockey seasons}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2015-16 NWHL season}}