{"id":2009,"date":"2026-06-05T13:04:28","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T13:04:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=2009"},"modified":"2026-06-05T13:04:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T13:04:28","slug":"the-fleet-could-lose-some-top-forwards-to-expansion-will-alina-muller-be-among-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=2009","title":{"rendered":"The Fleet could lose some top forwards to expansion. Will Alina M\u00fcller be among them?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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WELLESLEY \u2014 Danielle Marmer plans to do everything she can to keep Alina M\u00fcller with the Fleet, but it\u2019s not entirely in the general manager\u2019s control anymore. <\/span><\/p>\n

Read more \u2018Excruciating\u2019 delays and dashed hopes: Inside the World Cup volunteer disarray in Boston<\/a><\/p>\n

As the PWHL expands by four teams \u2014 Hamilton, Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Jose \u2014 the existing eight clubs each got to protect three players from being poached by the league\u2019s new additions. Marmer opted to use her protections on defenders Haley Winn and Megan Keller, as well as goaltender Aerin Frankel. <\/span><\/p>\n

That means some of Boston\u2019s top players, elite forwards in particular, could be at risk. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Among them is M\u00fcller, Boston\u2019s first pick (third overall) in the inaugural PWHL Draft and one of the team\u2019s top scorers, who could end up signing with one of the expansion teams despite saying she\u2019d \u201cdo everything [she] can to stay\u201d in Boston. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt strictly came down to the strategy and the path that I felt was best to move forward in rebuilding this team,\u201d Marmer said of the decision to not protect M\u00fcller. \u201cI told her how much she means \u2014 I\u2019m going to get emotional \u2014 how much she means to this organization and this city. I told her I love her, and that starting now it\u2019s the path to get her back here in Boston.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Because M\u00fcller is under contract through next season, she has a bit more security than, say, Jessie Eldridge and Susanna Tapani, who are on expiring deals. <\/span><\/p>\n

In Phase 2 of the six-phase expansion roster-building process, which began Thursday, the expansion teams were each required to submit an \u201cexclusive negotiation target list\u201d of 20 players (both those under contract and free agents) they wish to sign. <\/span><\/p>\n

The expansion teams will then begin filling their rosters by offering one of two types of deals to players who are on expiring deals: expansion franchise offers, binding deals that are similar to the NFL\u2019s franchise tag, and foundational player offers, which are non-binding.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Jennifer Kupcho grabs early lead in US Women\u2019s Open with a confident 66 at Riviera<\/a><\/p>\n

Related: <\/span><\/span>New coach Fran\u00e7ois M\u00e9thot wants to \u2018bring a championship to the Fleet\u2019<\/div>\n

M\u00fcller, whose contract runs through 2027-28, is not eligible for those contracts. But if an expansion team does not manage to sign five pending free agents by 1 p.m. on Monday, that team will be permitted to select players who are under contract through 2026-27 to fill out its roster, a process the league is calling foundational roster completion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Should M\u00fcller make it through the foundational roster completion without being selected by an expansion team, she\u2019s all but guaranteed to receive one of the Fleet\u2019s additional three protection slots that existing teams are granted in Phase 3. <\/span><\/p>\n

What are the odds of M\u00fcller still being a member of the Fleet by that point?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m an optimist, so I\u2019m going to say they\u2019re good,\u201d Marmer said. <\/span><\/p>\n

But for pending free agents Eldridge and Tapani, two of Boston\u2019s top scorers this past season, it\u2019s more likely that they\u2019ll be targets for EFOs or FPOs. Players offered an EFO, which comes with significant financial incentives, are required to sign with the offering team. But players offered an FPO are not required to sign.<\/span><\/p>\n

Eldridge, an elite scorer, joined the Fleet from Seattle at the trade deadline and finished the year with a team-high 23 points on 14 goals and nine assists \u2014 though seven of those goals and six assists came while she was with the Torrent. <\/span><\/p>\n

Tapani, a center who has been with Boston since a trade during the inaugural season, tied her career high in points with 18 (nine goals, nine assists), fifth on the team in scoring behind Eldridge, Keller, M\u00fcller, and Winn.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marmer said Eldridge and Tapani were in the conversation for Boston\u2019s initial protection slots, but the GM opted to prioritize the Fleet\u2019s defensive core. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t want to see elite players leave your team,\u201d Marmer said, \u201cespecially when they want to be here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Thursday\u2019s dozen takeaways from the high school tournament and Meet of Champions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Fleet opted to use their initial protections on defenders Haley Winn and Megan Keller, as well as goaltender Aerin Frankel. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2008,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Fleet could lose some top forwards to expansion. 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