Danielle Marmer’s Wish List For Boston’s PWHL Initial Free Agent Signings

When Danielle Marmer became the general manager of Boston’s new Professional Women’s Hockey League team, she had three players in mind to build the franchise around.

“Heading into free agency, I had a wish list,” Marmer told reporters via teleconference on Thursday. “I wrote three names on a piece of paper, and they were Aerin (Frankel), Hilary (Knight) and Megan (Keller).”

The franchise announced Thursday they signed all three players to three-year contracts.

Frankel is a goaltender for the present and the future. At only 24 years old, the Northeastern University product won the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2021.

“I knew I wanted a goaltender who was going to compete, who can win and Aerin’s won at every level that she’s played at,” Marmer explained. “She’s a Patty Kazmaier winner, which is really hard to win as a goalie. She’s just the ultimate competitor.”

Marmer added that she didn’t want to chance waiting until the Sept. 18 draft to lock up Frankel so signing her in free agency was a must.

There are only a handful of true No. 1 defenders on the blue line in the PWHL and Keller is at the top of the shortlist.

“I knew I wanted a defender who was going to be hard to play against,” Marmer said. “Who’s going to be physical, but could also contribute on offense, who could run a power play. That’s Megan Keller.”

Keller played her collegiate career for Boston College, where she earned Hockey East Best Defenseman honors for the 2016-17 season. Keller also won six gold medals as a member of the United States National team, including at the 2018 Winter Olympics, to go along with three silver medals.

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The final of the trio on Marmer’s wishlist is USA’s all-time leading scorer in Knight.

“I wanted somebody who can put the puck in the net and there’s no one better than Hilary Knight,” Marmer said. “She has proved time and time again, throughout her career that she really is the best goal scorer.”

The 34-year-old Knight has excelled at every level of women’s hockey she has played in, capturing titles in the now-defunct CWHL and NWHL as well as 10 gold medals and seven silver in international play for the US National team.

Boston has the third overall pick in the inaugural draft on Sept. 18 and Marmer plans to get intel from the trio of players, not just her staff.

“They know the players and the teammates better than I could ever know them,” Marmer explained. “… I’m working through putting players into buckets figuring out what we need and what I think that’s gonna help complement these players. That is definitely the next step for me is picking their brains and seeing who the players are that you like to play with. Who’s the hardest to play against, who can complement what we’re trying to create here.”