Sam on Sports: Abby Roque
By Sam Laskaris
WAHNAPITAE FIRST NATION – She’s not a household name like Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews.
But like those two National Hockey League superstars, Abby Roque is also one of the world’s top hockey players.
And chances are with the recent formation of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), a lot more people are going to find out about the talents of Roque, a member of Wahnapitae First Nation in northern Ontario.
Roque, who turns 26 on Sept. 25, is expected to be one of the stars of the newly created women’s pro league.
The PWHL will commence play in early January with six franchises.
While the cities that squads will play in during the league’s inaugural season have been announced, none of the clubs have yet to reveal their full names. Or which arenas they will be playing out of.
Whisperings are the Toronto franchise will call the Coca-Cola Coliseum home. The facility is also the home rink for the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies, the top affiliate for the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.
The PWHL will also include two other Canadian franchises, one in Montreal and the other in the nation’s capital of Ottawa.
As for Roque, she’ll be suiting up for the yet-to-be named New York team. Boston and Minnesota clubs will also be participating in the circuit.
Pro women’s hockey in North America is nothing new. Other leagues have come and gone, including the recent Premier Hockey Federation, which ceased operations this past June.
Other pro leagues never had the opportunity to flourish, in part because they never really featured the majority of the top players in the world.
For example, Roque spent the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons touring with the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association, featuring a group of elite players showcasing their skills in various cities across North America while advocating for a viable circuit.
Though her First Nation is in Ontario, Roque has achieved the majority of her hockey success in the United States. She’s a dual citizen and represents the U.S. in international competitions.
Roque’s highlights include helping the Americans win the gold medal at the world women’s hockey championships earlier this year in Brampton.
Roque also led the U.S. to silver medals at the 2021 and ’22 world tournaments. Plus, she was on the American squad that captured the silver medal at 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Before suiting up for the U.S. senior women’s club, Roque was one of the top American collegiate players, toiling with the University of Wisconsin. Her accolades include helping her school win the NCAA championship in 2019.
Not surprisingly, Roque inked a contract with the PWHL’s New York squad earlier this month.
No doubt the high-scoring forward would be a valuable asset to any franchise in the new pro loop.
All six participating clubs were allowed to sign three players before the PWHL draft, held on Monday this week in Toronto.
Roque will in all likelihood be one of the go-to players for the New York squad. And if league organizers are correct with their thoughts that the PWHL is indeed the real deal for women’s hockey, expect many more people to know who Roque is in the coming months.