Madison Packer, a nine-year professional veteran, has announced her retirement ahead of the 2024-25 PWHL season.
Packer, 33, was a founding member of the NWHL, spending eight seasons with the New York Riveters and Metropolitan Riveters of the NWHL and PHF, including four seasons as captain.
Most of these start out ‘it’s with great pride’ or something like that, but I’m not going to lie, today is tough. That said, I was recently asked what I wish I could tell myself looking back and ironically it was just that – be proud, and that’s the heartfelt truth, so with that said, it is with both great pride and a bit of sadness that I announce my retirement,” Packer wrote on social media. “I gave it all I had, and as a mom I know I set an unmatched example for my kids that we can do hard things.”
She retires sitting second all-time in points in the PHF / NWHL behind only Jillian Dempsey. In her eight seasons with the Riveters, Packer totalled 129 points in 131 career games. During that time she captured the 2018 Isobel Cup title, was an All-Star several times, and was honored with the PHF Foundation Award.
Last season Packer suited up for the New York Sirens as an inaugural member of the PWHL appearing in 23 games for New York.
Prior to turning pro Packer won an NCAA national championship with the University of Wisconsin Badgers, and also won two gold medals as a member of USA’s U-18 national team.
Perhaps as important as her on-ice career, the Detroit, Michigan product was a paramount figure in maintaining and building a professional environment for women in hockey. Packer was a leader in the NWHL and PHF for players, and in advocating for more professional environments and wages for women in hockey helping to drive up the salary cap in the PHF and building the league’s value prior to its acquisition by the Mark Walter Group for the purposes of absorbing the league into the PWHL.
Prior to that announcement, Packer had signed a two-year extension with the Metropolitan Riveters worth $92,500 per season. It’s a contract that would have been in the top 10% of the PWHL’s wages.
Packer has also served as an important voice for equity and inclusion in sport, advocating not only for women’s rights in sport, but also as a crucial voice in supporting LGBTQ+ youth and athletes.
Packer recently started a podcast alongside her wife and fellow former professional women’s hockey player Anya Packer called “Moms Who Puck.”
Photo by PHF