Metropolitan Riveters
The Metropolitan Riveters (originally the New York Riveters) are a professional women's ice hockey team based in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, with home games in the ProSkate Ice Arena.
Metropolitan Riveters | |
---|---|
City | Monmouth Junction, New Jersey |
League | National Women's Hockey League |
Founded | 2015 |
Home arena | ProSkate Ice Arena |
Colors | Blue, red, white |
Owner(s) | NWHL |
General manager | Kate Whitman Annis[1] |
Head coach | Ivo Mocek |
Media | NWHL Cross Ice Pass (On YouTube) |
Website | Official Website |
Franchise history | |
2015–2017 | New York Riveters |
2017–present | Metropolitan Riveters |
Championships | |
Playoff championships | 2017–18 |
They are one of the four charter franchises of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL). Its team name and logo are based upon Rosie the Riveter, the subject of the World War II-era motivational poster "We Can Do It!". The Riveters played one season in Brooklyn before moving to the New Jersey Devils practice rink in Newark, New Jersey, in 2016. The team then had a promotional affiliation with the Devils from beginning in 2017 and were renamed the Metropolitan Riveters; the partnership ended in 2019.
History
The first player signed to a contract was Janine Weber, who also became the first player in the history of the NWHL to be signed to a contract.[2] With the first pick overall in the 2015 NWHL Draft, the Riveters selected Alexandra Carpenter, a medalist from the 2014 Sochi Winter Games. The team made its debut in 2015 playing at Aviator Sports & Events Center in Brooklyn, New York. The first player to ever score a goal for the Riveters was Brooke Ammerman. The New York Riveters won their first game against the Boston Pride on November 15, 2015. Nana Fujimoto became the first New York Riveters goaltender to earn a win in the NWHL and the first Japanese born goaltender to win a NWHL game. Meghan Fardelmann became the first Riveter to record a hat trick.
On May 1, 2016, the Riveters signed free agent Amanda Kessel to a one-year deal worth $26,000, making her the highest paid player in the league. At the 2016 NWHL Draft, held in Brooklyn, the Riveters held the first overall pick for the second consecutive year and selected Kelsey Koelzer from the Princeton Tigers women's ice hockey program.[3]
On August 1, 2016, it was announced that the Riveters would move from Brooklyn to Barnabas Health Hockey House at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.[4]
Prior to their second season in New Jersey, the Riveters announced they had partnered with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL), becoming the first NWHL team to officially partner with an NHL team. Upon the announcement, the Riveters changed their name to the Metropolitan Riveters to reflect the broader geographic region. The Riveters also adopted the colors of the Devils and changed their jerseys. As part of the new affiliation, the Riveters and Devils held a doubleheader for the Riveters' 2017–18 season opener against the Boston Pride followed by the Devils' game against the Arizona Coyotes at the Prudential Center.[5] In the 2017–18 season, the Riveters won both the regular season and the Isobel Cup against the previous champions, the Buffalo Beauts.
At the end of their 2017–18 championship season, original head coach Chad Wiseman resigned, taking a job closer to home as an assistant with the Guelph Storm, and was replaced by Randy Velischek.[6]
In March 2019, it was announced that the professional level Canadian Women's Hockey League would discontinue operations.[7] In response to the folding of the CWHL, players from both leagues were dissatisfied in the operation of both the NWHL and CWHL in that neither league provided health insurance or a livable salary. Due to these conditions, over 200 players released a joint statement announcing their intent to not participate in any North American professional league for the 2019–20 season.[8] The NWHL responded with that they are pursuing many more sponsors then in previous years and hopes to increase player salaries.[9]
On May 17, 2019, it was reported that the New Jersey Devils were ending their partnership with the Riveters.[10][11] Following the dissolution of the partnership, the Riveters no longer had a lease to operate out of Barnabas Health Hockey House at the Prudential Center in Newark, which they had used rent-free as part of their partnership. The team then changed home venues to ProSkate Ice Arena in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey,[12] and returned to their original blue, red, and white colors.[13]
Season-by-season records
Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA | Playoffs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015–16 | 18 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 47 | 78 | Lost Preliminary Round to Boston Pride |
2016–17 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 55 | 58 | Lost Preliminary Round to Buffalo Beauts |
2017–18 | 16 | 13 | 3 | — | 0 | — | 26 | 64 | 30 | Won Isobel Cup Championship over Buffalo Beauts |
2018–19 | 16 | 4 | 12 | — | 0 | 0 | 8 | 32 | 65 | Lost Semifinal game to Minnesota Whitecaps |
2019–20 | 24 | 10 | 11 | — | 3 | — | 23 | 70 | 91 | Lost Semifinal game to Minnesota Whitecaps |
Players & Personnel
Current roster
# | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
34 | Dana DeMartino | G | L | 25 | 2019 | Massapequa Park, New York | |
70 | Sam Walther | G | L | 24 | 2019 | Gambrills, Maryland | |
30 | Zoe Zisis | G | L | 2019 | Roseland, New Jersey | ||
4 | Nicole Arnold | D | R | 24 | 2019 | St. Louis, Missouri | |
26 | Kiira Dosdall | D | F | 33 | 2015 | Stamford, Connecticut | |
3 | Cassie Dunne | D | R | 25 | 2019 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
25 | Ashley Johnston | D | L | 28 | 2015 | Burlington, Ontario | |
24 | Anna Keys | D | L | 24 | 2019 | St. Paul, Minnesota | |
5 | Leila Kilduff | D | L | 22 | 2019 | San Jose, California | |
9 | Rebecca Morse | D | L | 28 | 2016 | Westfield, New Jersey | |
8 | Colleen Murphy | D | R | 26 | 2019 | Cary, North Carolina | |
21 | Brooke Avery | F | R | 24 | 2019 | Concord, New Hampshire | |
7 | Brooke Baker | F | L | 23 | 2019 | Saline, Michigan | |
10 | Kendall Cornine | F | R | 23 | 2019 | Livingston, New Jersey | |
13 | Cailey Hutchison | F | 23 | 2019 | Hicksville, New York | ||
99 | Bulbul Kartanbay | F | L | 27 | 2019 | Almaty, Kazakhstan | |
28 | Kate Leary | F | R | 26 | 2019 | Seabrook, New Hampshire | |
15 | Jayne Lewis | F/D | R | 22 | 2020 | Troy, Illinois | |
22 | Kelly Nash | F | L | 31 | 2017 | Bonita, California | |
14 | Madison Packer (C) | F | R | 29 | 2015 | Detroit, Michigan | |
20 | Mallory Rushton | F/D | L | 23 | 2019 | Amherst, Nova Scotia | |
12 | Nichelle Simon | F | R | 38 | 2019 | Duluth, Georgia | |
17 | Tatyana Shatalova | F | L | 20 | 2019 | Minsk, Belarus |
Team Captains
- Madison Packer, 2019-present
- Michelle Picard, 2018-19
- Ashley Johnston, 2015-2018
Head Coaches
- Ivo Mocek, 2019-present
- Randy Velischek, 2018-19
- Chad Wiseman, 2015-2018
General Managers
- Kate Whitman Annis, 2019-present
- Dani Rylan, 2015-16
Other Personnel
- Meghan Cassidy - Assistant Coach
Draft History
A draft lottery was held for the 2015 NWHL Draft, taking place on June 20, 2015. and the New York Riveters earned the first pick overall.[16] With the first pick in the 2015 NWHL Draft, the New York Riveters selected Alexandra Carpenter.
2015 NWHL Draft
The following were the Riveters selections in the 2015 NWHL Draft on June 20, 2015.[17]
# | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
1 | Alexandra Carpenter | Forward | Boston College | |
5 | Haley Skarupa | Forward | Boston College | |
9 | Erin Ambrose | Defense | Clarkson University | |
13 | Dana Trivigno | Forward | Boston College | |
17 | Kimberly Newell | Goalie | Princeton |
Team Record
Awards and Honours
- Ashley Johnston, New York Riveters, 2017 NWHL Denna Laing Perseverance Award
- Katie Fitzgerald, New York Riveters, 2017 NWHL Goaltender of the Year
Franchise Milestones
Milestone | Player | Date |
First goal | Brooke Ammerman | October 11, 2015 |
First game-winning goal | Bray Ketchum | November 15, 2015 |
First hat trick | Meghan Fardelmann | December 27, 2015[18] |
First multi-point game | To Be Determined | To Be Determined |
First win | Nana Fujimoto | November 15, 2015 |
First African-American player | Cherie Stewart | November 15, 2015 |
First shutout[19] | Katie Fitzgerald | November 20, 2016 |
References
- "Kate Whitman Annis Named General Manager of Riveters". NWHL. April 25, 2019. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- "NWHL Announces Historic First Player Signing". NWHL. Archived from the original on June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- "Kelsey Koelzer Taken First Overall". princetontigers.com. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
- Cimini, Kaitlin (August 1, 2016). "From The Ice New York Riveters leave Brooklyn for Newark". Slapshot.
- "NEW JERSEY DEVILS ENTER FIRST OF ITS KIND AGREEMENT AND FORM MULTI-YEAR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NWHL'S RIVETERS". NWHL. October 5, 2017. Archived from the original on October 6, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
- "Randy Velischek Named Riveters Head Coach". NWHL.zone. September 20, 2018.
- "The Canadian Women's Hockey League to Discontinue Operations". Canadian Women's Hockey League. March 31, 2019. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
- "More than 200 players call for overhaul of women's pro hockey". The Sports Network. May 2, 2019.
- "A Statement to the Players, Fans and Supporters of the NWHL and Women's Hockey". NWHL.zone. May 2, 2019.
- "New Jersey Devils dissolving partnership with Metropolitan Riveters". theicegarden.com. May 17, 2019.
- "NJ Devils dissolve partnership with Metropolitan Riveters ahead of schedule". northjersey.com. May 17, 2019.
- "NWHL Reveals Expanded Schedule for the 2019-20 Season". NWHL. July 29, 2019.
- "RIVETERS UNVEIL NEW SWEATER DESIGN FOR SEASON 5". NWHL. September 27, 2019.
- "Riveters Roster". NWHL.
- "New York Riveters". Elite Prospects.
- "NWHL Draft Lottery: New York Riveters get top pick!". watchthishockey.com. Archived from the original on June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- "2015 NWHL Complete Draft, June 20, Boston". NWHL. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- "New York Riveters vs. Buffalo Beauts, December 27 Game Sheet". NWHL.co. December 27, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
- "Riveters shutout Whale 4–0, move into second place". NWHL Zone. November 20, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2017.