PHF free agency opens with an Olympic gold medalist and eight-time World Champion making her official return to the ice
BOSTON, MA – (April 20, 2023) – The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) in association with the Connecticut Whale Hockey Club has announced that defender Kacey Bellamy has signed a one-year contract to play for the Whale in the 2023-24 PHF season. Terms of her agreement include a salary of $122,000 plus a signing bonus of $7,000. The Olympic gold medalist and eight-time World Champion with the U.S. National Women’s Team is the league’s first official free agent signing of the offseason and will make the transition back to the ice after serving the last year as the PHF’s Scout and Player Relations Liaison.
“Roster building is underway for the 2023-24 PHF season and Kacey’s decision to return proudly reflects the league’s momentum heading into our ninth season,” said Reagan Carey, PHF Commissioner. “Kacey is a uniquely versatile asset to any team, program, and league, and we are genuinely grateful for her unwavering commitment to advancing the professional game and supporting the growth of the PHF both on and off the ice during this new era for the league. While we will miss her experience, presence, and dedication to our hockey operations staff, her return to the PHF is a win for fans, for our league, and certainly for the Connecticut Whale. I’m excited to see her love of the game restored in a way that brings her back to competition at the pro level!”
Bellamy’s commitment to return to the ice comes nearly two years after announcing her retirement from the U.S. National Women’s Team where she was an instrumental leader over a 15-year period. During that time, she helped the program achieve unprecedented success highlighted by Olympic gold as an alternate captain in 2018 along with silver medals at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Games. She made nine IIHF World Championship appearances where she won gold eight times including three-straight tournaments in 2008, 2009, and 2011, followed by five-straight in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2019, along with a silver medal in 2012. Over the last year in her PHF hockey operations role, Bellamy harnessed in-depth knowledge of the player pool including collegiate and professional prospects while actively communicating with NCAA and U SPORTS coaches and serving as an additional resource for athletes aspiring for careers in the PHF. She also served as a coach for PHF Team USA at the 2023…
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