Kaleigh Fratkin is looking to continue her hockey career and may end up staying where she's played professionally the last six years.
The Burnaby defender was invited to training camp for Boston's (yet to be named) franchise of the newly-formed Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), set to begin its inaugural season in January.
Fratkin is a free agent heading into camp starting in November.
However, the 31-year-old is considered one of the most highly-touted players available for signing after she wasn't selected at the PWHL Draft on Sept. 18.
Boston was one of six cities that won the bid to make up the first-ever standings for the PWHL.
Fratkin is all too familiar with playing in Beantown after playing six seasons with the former Boston Pride of the debunked Premier Hockey Federation (PHF).
The Burnaby Central Secondary grad is looking to earn a standard player agreement by the end of camp and hopes her experience can play a factor when the new club narrows down its roster to 23 players.
According to the PWHL, training camp lists will be reduced to 27 athletes by Nov. 29 before the first waiver window opens the next day.
"The league will then inform teams of all eligible players for this Waiver Window, and teams may contact eligible players with the intent to offer them a contract," reads a statement from the league.
The PWHL, backed by the Mark Walter Group and Billie Jean King Enterprises, was formed as the new premier women's hockey league in North America after a total of three leagues folded between 2019 and 2023.
Fratkin, a five-time all-star and two-time Isobel Cup champion, began her pro career in 2014 for the Boston Blades of the former Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL).
Before reaching those ranks, Fratkin played four years at Boston University.
A silver medal with Team Canada is also on Fratkin's résumé with the national women's under-18 squad, notching four points in five games at the 2009 tournament in Sweden. She played alongside Marie-Philip Poulin, Brianne Jenner, Melodie Daoust and Jamie Lee Rattray.
The PWHL is set to play 24 games between January and May for its inaugural year, expanding to more contests starting in November in future seasons.
- with a file from Jess Balzer, Burnaby NOW
