The NWHL announced the rosters for its 2019 All-Star game Dec. 5 via live draft on Twitter ahead of the game in Nashville.
Six Boston Pride members will be heading to the heart of country nation to represent the black and yellow—Lexi Bender, Alyssa Gagliardi, Amanda Pelkey, Gigi Marvin, Haley Skarupa, and Jillian Dempsey. However, the absence of one particular name who is not going that it questioning. Where is the Pride’s star goaltender Katie Burt?
Four goaltenders representing three of the five teams in the NWHL will be heading down to Nashville—Nicole Hensley and Shannon Szabados of the Buffalo Beauts, Amanda Leveille of the Minnesota Whitecaps and Meeri Räisänen of the Connecticut Whale.
Their season stats look like this:
- Nicole Hensley (Buffalo Beauts) – 5 GP, 1-1-0 record, 36 SOG, 32 SV, 4 GA, 2.00 GAA, .889 SV%, 1 SO
- Amanda Leveille (Minnesota Whitecaps) – 8 GP, 6-2-0 record, 203 SOG, 186 SV, 17 GA, 2.32 GAA, .916 SV%, 1 SO
- Meeri Räisänen (Connecticut Whale) – 6 GP, 2-3-1 record, 194 SOG, 178 SV, 16 GA, 2.72 GAA, .918 SV% 1 SO
- Shannon Szabados (Buffalo Beauts) – 5 GP, 2-2-0 record, 106 SOG, 99 SV, 7 GA, 1.75 GAA, .934 SV%, 1 SO
But let’s take a look at how their stats compare to Burt’s.
- Katie Burt (Boston Pride) – 7 GP, 5-2-0 record, 173 SOG, 158 SV, 15 GA, 2.14 GAA, .913 SV%, 0 SO
What is stopping Burt from being selected? She has the fifth best save percentage in the league and third best GAA in the league. Is it because Burt has yet to record a shutout that she is not going to Nashville? If that’s the case, what gives?
Each of these goalies are deserving of going to All-Star weekend, but maybe some should be reconsidered. Räisänen has a losing record, Leveille got obliterated against the Boston Pride this past weekend—the Pride won 5-1 and 7-2—and Hensley has a save percentage of .889 in two games and ranks sixth among all goaltenders.
If anything, they should switch Hensley with Burt. Why are both goaltenders from the Beauts going anyways?
If the fact that Burt has yet to record a shutout is the reason why she is not representing the Pride at the All-Star Game, then maybe the NWHL should reconsider what determines who goes and who decides it.
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