Laura Stacey honored at annual awards ceremony — Women’s hockey news
The IX: Hockey Friday with The Ice Garden, June 27, 2025
Hey everyone, Elisha Côté here from The Ice Garden, and what a week it’s been for women’s hockey! We had the third-ever PWHL Draft and the league’s biggest stars gathered in Ottawa for the annual awards.
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It’s easy to get caught up in the transactions, the stats, the race to the Walter Cup, but at its core, this league has always been about more than the wins and losses. It’s about trailblazers, community, visibility and building a sport where every kid, no matter where they come from, believes they belong.
Few players embody that more than Laura Stacey and, this week, her work off the ice earned its moment in the spotlight.
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Laura Stacey wins the Hockey for All Award
On Wednesday afternoon, Montréal’s Laura Stacey was named the second winner of the PWHL’s Hockey for All Award, presented by Scotiabank. The award recognizes the player who made the greatest community impact during the 2024–25 season, with a $10,000 donation to a Canadian charity of their choice focused on youth hockey, accessibility, diversity and inclusion.
For Stacey, giving back isn’t a side project — it’s been woven into her career from the start.
“At this point in my career, there’s so much more than just hockey,” Stacey told media after the award ceremony. “That’s why I started my foundation in the first place — how else can I have an impact, how else can I leave a little bit of a legacy behind once I’m done?”
The LS7 Foundation: Sport for Everyone
At the heart of Stacey’s community work is the LS7 Foundation, created to ensure no one is left on the sidelines due to financial or social barriers.
The Mission:
“To help kids and individuals find their passion in sport by having fun and staying active.”
The Vision:
“Every person should have the opportunity to be active and involved in their community through sport, whether chasing a dream, connecting with others, or simply staying active.”
Stacey’s primary fundraiser, Sticks In For Charity, has already raised over $100,000 to support kids across Toronto and Montréal. The 2025 goal is $50,000, with over $30,000 raised so far.
The tournament, featuring 20 teams this year, has quickly become a fan-favourite event, blending street hockey, community fun and some light-hearted competition from PWHL stars.
“Emma Maltais played last year, and I thought she was going to injure a 10-year-old,” Stacey joked. “Some people are like this is a charity I want the kids to play, and others are like no I’m taking the penalty shot.”
There are two tournaments being held this summer — one in Toronto on July 5th and a second one in Montréal for the first time on August 23rd, with Stacey’s foundation growing its impact in both cities she calls home.
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A culture of character in Montréal
For the second year in a row, a Montréal player took home the PWHL’s top community honor, with Stacey following in Maureen Murphy’s footsteps. It reflects the values that run throughout Montréal’s organization.
“We want to bring a Walter Cup to Montréal, but there’s also so much more to this game, to the sport, to this team.” Stacey said. “I think everybody in this organization values character and also how can we have a bigger impact than just wins and losses.”
Laura Stacey’s work with LS7 is a reminder that the most meaningful impact often happens away from the spotlight, in the communities and lives changed along the way.
Womens hockey news
What each team did during the 2025 PWHL Draft — The Ice Garden
A full list of what each PWHL team did at this year’s draft.
Emerance Maschmeyer’s departure leaves a lasting impact in Ottawa — The Ice Garden
Ottawa’s inaugural starting goaltender is Vancouver-bound, but her impact off the ice will be felt long after her departure.
Undeterred by PWHL Draft miss, Kamloops goaltender prospect going free agent route — Radio NL
Despite not hearing her name called at the draft, Kamloops native Kendra Woodland isn’t giving up on her pro hockey dreams and will pursue free agency.
Abby Hustler makes PEI hockey history at PWHL Draft — SaltWire
With her selection by Minnesota, Abby Hustler becomes the first player from Prince Edward Island ever drafted into the PWHL.
PWHL Awards 2025: Full list of winners — CBC Sports
Marie-Philip Poulin headlines this year’s award recipients, but the full list showcases star performances, and the players making an impact beyond the scoresheet.
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