PWHL Boston Newcomer Details Wild Week After Being In League’s First Trade

LOWELL, Mass. — Susanna Tapani had constantly been on the go the last 72 hours.

Tapani played for her native Finland during the international break and upon arriving back in the United States, learned PWHL Minnesota sent her and Abby Cook to PWHL Boston for Sophie Jacques in the first trade in the league’s history.

The forward had no choice but to quickly gather her things again and make her way to Massachusetts, where she made her first appearance in a Boston uniform Wednesday night in a 5-3 loss to PWHL Toronto at Tsongas Center.

“I was shocked and a little jet lagged,” Tapani said of the trade. “I just went home and unpacked and packed again.”

There was no blueprint for the 30-year-old forward to follow or any advice she could obtain from another veteran player on what it was liked to be traded since swapping players had yet to occur in the newly formed league.

Tapani was comfortable in Minnesota and she said one of the toughest parts of the situation was not getting the chance to say goodbye to all of her former teammates.

“It’s been a lot,” Tapani said. “I just tried to think about it as an experience. I’ve just been laughing, there’s nothing you can do and that’s just my mindset. I try to be positive. … Try to think that there’s some reason to this happening. I think it’s going to be good for me.”

Boston gets a proven offensive player in Tapani, who registered two goals and three assists for five points in nine games with Minnesota. The three-time Olympian didn’t show off any of her goal-scoring prowess in her first game with Boston, but was noticeable on the ice and finished with three shots. She also played on the team’s top power-play unit.

“Obviously, they’re such good players, all of them, so it was pretty easy to play,” Tapani said. “It’s not ideal to go almost straight into the game, but they’re super good players, so it was very easy and very fun to play with them.”

Tapani centered the third line for Boston and quickly made a good impression on her teammates. But her skill set and skating ability weren’t a surprise to her linemate Jamie Lee Rattray.

“You saw tonight with Tapani, she’s super skilled, super smart,” Rattray said. “I played against her internationally forever and there’s a reason why she’s one of the best players in the world. I had a first-class seat to it tonight.”

Rattray wasn’t the only one who had glowing praise for Tapani, who certainly will give Boston more offensive depth. Boston head coach Courtney Kessel believes Tapani has the ability to make an immediate and all-around impact on her new team.

“I think Tapani’s a tremendous, tremendous hockey player,” Kessel said. “So smart, 200-foot player, you can use her in any situation. We’re super excited to have her and really looking forward to seeing what she can do for us.”

Even Toronto head coach Troy Ryan believes Boston benefitted from being the first team in the league to pull the trade trigger.

“Thought it was a good trade,” Ryan said. “She’s a great player. I think she gives depth and she’s going to look good on the power play as well. … It’s all new territory for the league, so it’s exciting to get the first one under the belt.”