Sirens sign 1st overall pick Fillier to 1-year contract

The New York Sirens signed first overall pick Sarah Fillier to a one-year contract, the team announced Friday.

Fillier, 24, scored 30 goals and 43 points in 29 games last season at Princeton University. She's the last player selected in the top 15 of this summer's PWHL draft to sign for the upcoming campaign.

The Georgetown, Ontario, native has starred with the Canadian national team since 2021. Fillier has already won three gold medals at the World Championships and claimed gold at the 2022 Olympics. She was named MVP at the 2023 Worlds and is a two-time All-Star at the tournament.

Most top players as impressive as Fillier inked three-year contracts before the inaugural PWHL season commenced in January. The pacts signed by the likes of Montreal's Marie-Philip Poulin and Minnesota's Taylor Heise, among others, are guaranteed for a minimum of $80,000 per season.

PWHL teams were required to sign six players to such contracts before the first season. Most of the league's salary cap is tied up in those players, leaving Fillier to fit in at a lesser salary until those contracts expire after the 2025-26 campaign at the earliest.

Fillier declined multiple three-year contract offers from the Sirens as she sought to maximize her earning potential with a shorter-term pact, The Athletic's Hailey Salvian reported earlier in October.

The Sirens can exclusively negotiate with Fillier next summer when her deal expires. The PWHL implemented a new rule that allows teams to retain the rights to drafted players for at least two years, the league confirmed to Salvian.

Fillier won't be eligible for unrestricted free agency until 2026.

The Sirens finished last in the PWHL's first season with a 9-12-3 record. New York forward Alex Carpenter, defender Ella Shelton, and goaltender Corinne Schroeder were finalists for the top player award at their respective positions.

The 2024-25 PWHL season commences on Nov. 30. The Sirens begin their campaign the following day on Dec. 1 against the defending champion Minnesota Frost.