The night before their first home game in 48 days, the Boston Fleet made a big swing, acquiring forward Jessie Eldridge from the Seattle Torrent in exchange for forward Theresa Schafzahl. Less than 24 hours later, Eldridge took the ice with her new team for their game against the Toronto Sceptres, which ended in a 2-0 loss for Boston.
“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind for sure, but special,” Eldridge told reporters after Tuesday’s game. “I mean, obviously not the result we wanted tonight, but can already tell this is a special group. So, [I’m] just really excited to get to work with them.”
The PWHL announced the trade at 8:05 p.m. ET on March 16. Eldridge was on a plane to Boston the next morning, landing around 9:30 a.m. ET. She soon went to the rink to meet her new team, and while she missed morning skate, she quickly got to work learning new systems. Then, the 28-year-old Barrie, ON native was on the ice when the puck dropped at 7:12 p.m. ET.
“I actually kind of enjoyed it, ripped the band-aid right off,” Eldridge said. “Just go play hockey, at the end of it. The girls, coaches were all awesome, just helping [with the] adjustment. [It] kind of [gets in] your head, getting used to different systems, and [I] hesitated a little bit, but it’s part of the growing of it and we’ll continue to go.”
Eldridge lined up alongside Alina Müller and Ella Huber for her debut. With so little time to prepare, it would’ve been understandable for her to have an off game. However, Eldridge quickly earned Fleet head coach Kris Sparre’s trust. She played the second-most minutes among Fleet forwards behind Müller, logging 20:36 TOI while landing one shot on goal and one hit.
“I liked her game,” Sparre told reporters postgame. “She’s really crafty around the net. Already, you can tell that she’s going to boost our offense for sure. [She] got a lot of sticks, a lot of tips in front of the net, got sticks on pucks. I think she had a great chance on the power play in the second period at the side of the net. She has a knack for it and you can sort of tell that. And I thought her and Müller looked good tonight. They had some really good chances together.”
Speaking of Müller, Eldridge had high praise for the Swiss star and the rest of her new teammates after the game.
“Special player,” Eldridge said. “Been playing against them a bit this year and they’ve been a pain to get anything going offensively, so excited to have them on my side now. And Alina is super special, very offensive, and I think [if I] get my stick ready for passes, she’ll find me.”
Eldridge is no stranger to finishing her offensive chances. She’s tallied 51 points (23 goals, 23 assists) in 74 games, which is good for eighth all-time in the PWHL. Her power play stats are even better, with her eight goals part of a three-way tie for second all-time, and her 13 assists are tied for fifth.
However, one thing Eldridge has yet to do in the PWHL is play in the playoffs. In fact, she’s been on the first team eliminated from the race every season. This trade gives her a much better chance to do that. At the time of the trade, Seattle sat last in the PWHL, while Boston held down first. The Gold Plan looms for the Torrent, while the Fleet appear to be headed for their second playoff appearance. Eldridge has tried to keep her mindset consistent regardless of her circumstances. However, the prospect of playing for the Walter Cup is undeniably exciting for her.
“I think it’s exciting,” Eldridge said. “I think it’s been some growing pains for me the past couple years. But I think the process has always been the same for me. You just show up each day with the best job in the world. No matter where you are, our league’s competitive. No matter what, I think past teams I’ve been on, you go in, and they’re close games, tight games. [We] just couldn’t find a way to go on the other side, so just really excited for the final stretch.”
All things considered, while the first game may not have been picture-perfect due to the result, Eldridge’s tenure with the Fleet is off to a strong start. Eldridge’s old Seattle teammates come to town on Saturday, but in the meantime, she gets a few days to practice, learn new systems, and settle into her new home.