Jessica Koizumi announced her retirement today from the NWHL. Koizumi, the Connecticut Whale’s first team captain, will join Ohio State University’s women’s hockey coaching squad. She was one of the league’s oldest players last season.
The Whale have decided to replace Koizumi by signing former Riveters’ defender Elena Orlando to a $12,000 contract. Orlando was a popular player with the fans for her physicality and fearlessness on the ice and her and amiability off of it.
Before this recent development Orlando had joined the Whale’s practice squad along with Celeste Brown. Interestingly, Orlando, a natural defender, was listed as a forward/defender in the league’s press release.