After another summer of change, the Montréal Victoire’s blue line is going to look very different this season. New draft pick Zoe Uens is hoping to take advantage of that opportunity.
Uens was selected by Montréal in the third round of this summer’s draft from the Quinnipiac Bobcats. The 22-year-old defender has not officially inked a pre-camp contract with the Victoire, and will fight for one of the remaining spots left on the team this November.
In the meantime, Uens has spent her summer back home in Belleville, Ontario, training hard for her chance at jumping to the pros this season. Earlier this month, Uens spoke exclusively with The Ice Garden to give a glimpse into what that training looks like, her draft experience, and her goals entering the fall.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
First of all, congratulations on getting drafted this summer. Take me back to that night. What was that experience like for you?
Yeah, it was a lot of excitement, obviously nerves going into it. Because you didn’t really know what was going to happen. But all my family was there with me, and so the whole experience was great. Like, seeing my friends who are on Quinnipiac as well, it was a really cool experience and they did a really good job. And then obviously hearing my name called, it was like a dream come true. When it did happen, it was just a lot of excitement and gratitude, especially towards Montréal. I’m really excited to be drafted to Montréal.
Had you had any conversations with the team ahead of the draft?
I didn’t talk to Montréal at all before the draft, which kind of surprised me when I got up on the stage, but in a good way. Obviously, because they just won a Walter Cup, they have a really good reputation going into next season, so I’m really excited about it.
So tell me a bit about what your summer has looked like since then? A lot of training I imagine.
So my summers, I work out first in the morning and then I’ll go skate. Then I work as well, I do some skills with little girls in the Belleville area. I’ve been really into yoga this year as well, so I have a membership there and every couple of days I’ll go to yoga.
Tell me more about that program working with kids — is it something you’ve been doing for a long time?
Yeah, over the past summers, I’ll run some skills for some of the youth (in Belleville). Mélodie Daoust and Hanna Bunton had a camp in Belleville as well. So just been doing little things with some of the girls in the area, just skill-wise. And then at the camp, I was running the off-ice sessions.
That’s great. Pivoting back to your own game, what have been the main areas of focus for you as you look forward to training camp?
Yeah, obviously, the girls are a lot older, they’re a lot bigger. So getting stronger and maintaining things. Knowing what you’re good at and working on what you’re good at. Puck retrievals, shooting, doing everything just a little bit faster, because I know at the next level, that’s what it’s going to be like.
What would you say are those biggest things that are already your strengths?
I think my shot and my skating, and then just the way that I battle and I defend as well.
Is there a player in the PWHL you model your game after?
I think I take pieces of my game from different players. Like, Megan Keller. Just a solid, two-way defender. I might be a little bit more on the defensive side, but I like to take pieces of my game from different players that I like and just play really physical.
Now let’s talk Montréal. Obviously coming off that Walter Cup win, but a lot of big changes after expansion and free agency, and a lot of opportunity on that blue line. How does that affect your mentality entering training camp?
Yeah, I think just going in and doing what I do best is what I’m really looking forward to. Just proving myself at the next level. With confidence, you can say that you’re good enough. When you get there, you obviously have to prove it. So I’m really just excited to show everything that I’ve been doing this summer and prove myself when I come to training camp.
Have you had the chance to talk to any of the Montréal staff or players since joining the team?
I talked to a bunch of them at the draft. There was a dinner afterwards and we all sat down and Laura Stacey was there as well, so that was pretty cool.
I also wanted to ask you about Kati Tabin, a former Bobcat herself. Have you gotten a chance to speak with her yet?
I haven’t met her officially yet, but she sent me a message after the draft and just said, welcome to Montréal, which was really nice of her. It’s going to be cool to play with another former Bobcat.
Have you ever been to Montréal before?
I have been to Montréal before, but just on field trips and stuff like that with school. Maybe once with my family. I haven’t got the chance to look around or anything like that. So I’m excited about that, too.
Last question for you, now just a few months from training camp, is there anything else you’re focused on through the end of the summer?
More from just like a mental perspective, I think I’m just really going into everyday grateful to get better and looking to be in the best possible, confident mindset when I get to training camp.
