Kateřina Mrázová is one of three captains at the PHF’s All-Star Game this weekend in Toronto.
The Premier Hockey Federation has announced the three captains for the respective All-Star teams that will compete in Sunday’s All-Star tournament in Toronto and the Connecticut Whale’s Kateřina Mrázová has been named captain of Team World.
Madison Packer of the Metropolitan Riveters is the captain for Team USA with Kaleigh Fratkin named captain of Team Canada.
Each captain was selected by their teammates, according to Reagan Carey, the PHF Commissioner. “It is is a credit to their skill, experience, leadership, character, and how well-respected they are among their peers,” Carey said.
Each team will have two round-robin games that will consist of two seven-minute periods with each team competing with four skaters on the ice. Canada will play the U.S. in game one with the winner facing Team World in game two and the loser playing Team World in game three.
The two teams with the best record after round-robin play will play for the title with two eight-minute periods of four-on-four hockey. The tournament begins at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
Mrázová is one of five Connecticut Whale players in the All-Star Festival with Kennedy Marchment on Team Canada, Taylor Girard and Abby Ives on Team USA and Mrázová and Lenka Serdar on Team World.
Mrázová is the only player on the international team with PHF All-Star experience that dates back to the 2019 game in Nashville. That season with the Whale she was the team’s leading scorer with 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) in 15 games and has already surpassed those offensive totals in her PHF return this season with 13 points (6 goals, 7 assists) so far through 14 games.
The 30-year-old from Praha, Czechia has an extensive IIHF resume that includes three U18 tournaments and eight various world championships appearances at the senior level. She notably helped her country win bronze at the 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championship last summer which represents their first medal in top division competition. Mrázová was also a member of Team Czechia at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
“It’s a huge honor to be selected as the captain and I am really looking forward to enjoying the experience with the team,” said Mrázová. “I think anyone on the team could have been selected. They are some of the best players in the league, and not just that, they are also great leaders and friends. So, I think all of us are just really excited to represent all six countries.”
Packer will be making a record sixth All-Star appearance in Toronto and will serve as an All-Star captain for the second time following the 2020 event in Boston. The 31-year-old forward from Detroit, MI has now served as Riveters captain for four seasons.
Fratkin is now a five-time All-Star and first-time captain. Like Packer, she’s played in all eight PHF seasons accumulating 129 games to date which is the second most in league history. The 30-year-old from Burnaby, British Columbia is a two-time Defender of the Year.
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Before All-Star weekend begins on Sunday, the Whale will play the Montreal Force on Friday night at the International Skating Center in Simsbury beginning at 7 p.m. It is the only PHF game scheduled this weekend.
Connecticut (7-6-1) is trying to build some consistency and are looking for their second straight win. In 14 games, the Whale’s longest winning streak this season is two games and they’ve done that twice. A year ago, Connecticut won a franchise-record 12 in a row as they won their first PHF regular season crown.
“For us, it is just consistency, playing three periods and putting 60 minutes together,” Whale forward Melissa Samoskevich said last week after taking two from the lowly Buffalo Beauts. “We’re not perfect at it yet but we don’t have to perfect yet. It is the end of the season that matters. We have to make it to the end of the season so we have to figure it out.”
While Connecticut third in the league in scoring with 49 goals, the Whale are ranked fifth in the seven-team league with 43 goals allowed.
Friday’s game with Montreal will be broadcast on ESPN Plus.
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Connecticut’s Kennedy Marchment was named Second Star by the PHF for her play last weekend and last week. In four games for the Whale, she had six goals and one assist, including her first professional hat trick in a 7-4 win over Buffalo at the International Skating Center of Connecticut.
She scored twice in Sunday’s 4-1 win over Toronto on the road and has scored at least one point in eight straight games for the Whale. She is currently third in the PHF in scoring with 21 points (14 goals, 7 assists).
The reigning PHF MVP is now the Whale’s franchise leader in all-time points and goals with 54 and 27 respectively in 34 appearances to date. She broke the record set by Kelly Babstock, who played three years for Connecticut from 2015-18. Babstock scored 23 goals and 27 assists for 50 points in 49 games.
A PHF news release included in this report.
Premier Hockey Federation
Standings as of January 22, 2023
| Team | W-L-OTL | Pts | RW | OTW | SOW | GF-GA |
| Boston | 12-2-1 | 34 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 58-30 |
| Toronto | 10-2-2 | 30 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 51-39 |
| Minnesota | 8-4-2 | 26 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 42-35 |
| Connecticut | 7-6-1 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 49-43 |
| Montreal | 6-6-1 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 35-40 |
| Metropolitan | 5-11-0 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 40-57 |
| Buffalo | 2-10-2 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 31-62 |
| Friday’s game Montreal at Connecticut (Simsbury), 7 p.m. Sunday’s game All-Star Game in Toronto |
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| Teams earn 3 points for a win in regulation and 2 points for a win in OT or shootout. Teams earn 1 point for a loss in OT or the shootout. | ||||||
