New challenge: Team Canada star Fillier ready for PWHL life

Sarah Fillier's starred with Canada's national team since 2021. She has an impressive collection of gold medals and individual awards at only 24 years old. But what comes next is a brand-new challenge: professional hockey.

Fillier was drafted first overall in June by the PWHL's New York Sirens - a selection that surprised nobody. She racked up 93 goals and 194 points in 120 NCAA games at Princeton, scored over a goal per game at the 2022 Olympics, and won MVP at the 2023 Worlds. She ranks No. 9 on theScore's list of the top 25 PWHL players before even playing a game in the league.

Now, Fillier is days away from making her pro debut after a long offseason highlighted by a new partnership with Gatorade.

"I've spoken to a few of my national team teammates and they've told me to focus on developing my game, staying patient, and taking it one step at a time," Fillier told theScore. "The style of play in the PWHL will definitely be faster and more physical than what I've experienced in college, but I feel ready for the challenge."

The PWHL's physicality has been a storyline in its early existence. New Sirens teammate Abby Roque has noticed Fillier's effort to embrace that side of the game in training camp.

"One of the biggest things that we've seen from her is, I think this summer, she really tried to focus on gaining some muscle and making sure she was ready for the physicality," Roque said.

"We all knew she's smart enough, talented enough, great scoring touch. I think the main focus for a lot of those young players coming from college was, 'How am I gonna adapt to the physicality and the speed of this?' We all know how good she is. She came in ready. You could tell she put in the work this summer to be able to play that physical game."

Early signs are positive. Fillier shined in in New York's preseason finale against the Toronto Sceptres, netting goals at five-on-five, on the power play, and shorthanded for an impressive hat trick.

The women's hockey landscape was vastly different when Fillier burst onto the scene in 2018. The CWHL, Canada's preeminent league, folded weeks before the end of her rookie Princeton campaign.

"It was hard seeing the CWHL fold, but I always believed that a league like the PWHL would eventually come together," Fillier said. "When (the PWHL) was announced, I was thrilled. It's such a big step for women's hockey, and to have a league that truly supports the players is incredible. Knowing that I'll have the chance to compete at the highest level in a league that values women's sports is something I'm really excited about."

Fillier was optimistic, but a pro league being ready by the time she was done school was no guarantee. The uncertainty made the experience of being drafted even more special.

"It's honestly still surreal to think about," Fillier said. "The whole draft process was an incredible experience. I'm so grateful for all the support I received leading up to it and those who've helped fuel my journey, from my family, teammates, coaches, and partners like Gatorade. To be drafted first overall by New York was a huge honor, and I feel very fortunate to be where I am."

Fillier was unsurprisingly the No. 1 pick, but getting her signature on a contract was a process. She reportedly rejected multiple three-year Sirens contract offers, instead opting to sign a one-year pact.

"The shorter-term contract made sense for me because it gives me the chance to prove myself and show what I can do at the professional level," Fillier said. "I'm excited for the challenge, and I think it's the right move at this stage of my career."

The Sirens can exclusively negotiate a new contract with Fillier next summer. The PWHL implemented a new rule this offseason allowing teams to hold drafted players' rights for two years.

Fillier's primary experience facing the kind of competition she'll see as a pro has come with Team Canada. Some players she's been accustomed to playing with her entire career are now her opponents.

"I'm definitely excited to face off against my Canadian teammates like Marie-Philip Poulin and Natalie Spooner," she said. "I've played with them for years, but playing against them will be a whole new experience."

Among Fillier's new teammates is American national team staple Alex Carpenter. The two have gone head-to-head for years, including at the 2024 World Championship, where Carpenter tied for the tournament lead in goals (six) and points (10).

"It's exciting," Fillier said. "When I think of the U.S. team, I think she's one of the hardest players to play against. I think we see the ice the same way, which is super nice when you're coming in fresh and have never played together."

Sceptres head coach Troy Ryan has seen Fillier's progression in recent years as Team Canada's head coach. He'll be one of five bench bosses game-planning how to stop her.

"I expect her to be very dynamic, much like she is when she's playing with the national team," Ryan said. "Would much rather have her on our team than play against her, but also looking forward to that challenge."

Sirens head coach Greg Fargo, hired by New York days before the draft, is liking what he's seen from Fillier.

"I've had the chance to watch her from the other bench for a long time now and to have her on ours is a relief in a lot of ways," Fargo said, referencing his time coaching Colgate's women's team while Fillier was at Princeton. "She's done a great job early on to come and inject herself into our lineup and kinda take on the identity of how we want to play as a team."

Fillier's pick for Fargo's Gatorade shower if the Sirens win the Walter Cup this year: Cool blue, her favorite flavor.

Now, a Walter Cup triumph would be a huge leap for a New York team that missed the playoffs by nine points in last year's 24-game inaugural season. Fillier's expectations for herself are more straightforward.

"My personal expectations are to keep developing, contribute to the team's success, and play a key role in creating scoring opportunities," she said. "I want to bring my best every game."

Fillier makes her PWHL debut Sunday against the Minnesota Frost, the defending Walter Cup champions.