Why Fleet Fans Should Be Pumped About 2024 First-Round Pick

NATICK, Mass. — The Fleet embark on their season PWHL season, and they’re looking to get back to the top.

Boston was one win away from beating Minnesota in the Walter Cup Finals last season. It failed to score a goal against the Frost in Game 5, which is why there was intrigue when Hannah Bilka was selected fourth overall in the 2024 PWHL Draft.

The 23-year-old was a standout at Boston College and helped Ohio State win the national championship as a graduate transfer. Bilka has been with the national team since 2022 and helped Team USA win the gold medal at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship. Her skill is something Hilary Knight knows quite well.

“Oh my gosh, outside of her awesome smile and great personality,” Knight said of what Bilka brings to Boston. “She’s an awesome player. We were joking around we were just with the U.S. team at (the Rivalry Series) and I just went up to her. I was like, ‘I just can’t wait to play a season with you, just because we never had that. We just had games. She’s got this offensive prowess to her and can make plays and see the game that others don’t necessarily see. I’m excited for her, and we’re excited as a collective to have her.”

Knight revealed that she and other Fleet players got to work with Bilka during the offseason, and the Boston captain praised Bilka’s IQ calling her a “hockey nut.” And she admitted that the levity she brings was good for the grind of a regular season.

Jamie Lee Rattray knows what it’s like to play against Bilka in the battles between Team USA and Team Canada.

“I think a ton of skill and a lot of energy,” Rattray said on what Bilka brings to the Fleet. “I’m really excited just to practice with her and get to know her a bit more. I think the cool thing about playing with some of the girls last year on this roster is that you played against a lot of them all the time and now it’s nice to kind of see them in a different light and practice with them and learn from them. I think that was one thing that I really took away from last year was there was a lot of players from different teams in different countries and the way they do things is a little different than probably how I did it. I think you can learn a lot from different players and how they approach the game on different things on the ice but also off the ice. So someone like Hannah, I think is gonna fit in really well here. Just playing against her last week, you can see the skill level and the fire that she has, and I’m excited to finally have it on our side and not playing against her.

Newcomer Maude Poulin-Labelle played against Bilka in Hockey East and praised the forward as a natural goal scorer. That will be needed after Boston finished last in goals scored with 50 in 24 games. Bilka will get a chance in training camp and minicamp ahead of the season opener to make an impression and continue the hype train around her.