By: Alexis Caines | Follow me on Twitter/X @alexiscaines_
The Professional Women’s Hockey League officially announced that Alina Müller has signed a three-year contract with PWHL Hamilton. It marks the first loss for the Boston Fleet roster during the Expansion Roster Distribution Process.
Müller will now reunite with former Fleet Head Coach Kris Sparre, who took the job in Hamilton to be closer to family. His move likely made Hamilton a desirable spot for Fleet players. As nearly everyone stated in their exit interviews, he was a highly respected leader.
Müller was the first-ever draft pick in PWHL Boston history, taken third overall ahead of the inaugural season. The 28-year-old Swiss forward spent her entire collegiate career at Northeastern University, so her departure from Boston goes deeper than just the PWHL.
She is a four-time Olympian and two-time Bronze Medalist. In the 2026 Milano Cortina Games, she secured the Bronze for Team Switzerland with the overtime goal. She is seventh all-time in Olympic scoring.
In her three seasons with the Fleet, she finished third, second, and first in team scoring (most recent to earliest), and she is the all-time leading scorer for the club. Müller is tied for most assists in PWHL history with 40. Her offensive power will be tremendously missed, and the Fleet have a big hole to fill.
As Phase One of the Expansion Roster Distribution Process came to a close, each of the existing eight teams protected three of their players. For certain teams, the decisions weren’t surprising; take the Montréal Victoire for example. For others, there was a great deal of skepticism.
Ultimately, for Boston, the decision was made to protect Megan Keller, Aerin Frankel, and Haley Winn this offseason. While leaving Müller unprotected was a risk, Danielle Marmer was ready to take it.
Last season, the Fleet protected Keller, Frankel and Müller with their first three protection slots, later adding Shay Maloney as the fourth and final. Some believed the Fleet would select the same three as last season, but Winn challenged that immensely.
The decision to leave Müller unprotected was not easy. Fleet General Manager Danielle Marmer got emotional when discussing the move with the media on Thursday, saying, “It’s one of the hardest conversations I’ve had to have,” she said. “I let her know that there’s nothing she could have done differently for this decision to have been made differently. It strictly came down to the strategy and path that I felt was best to move forward in rebuilding this team.”
Looking back on the quote now, it leaves a bitter taste knowing how much her loss will sting. Marmer had also stated, “I’m an optimist, so I’m going to say [the odds of Müller staying], they’re good.”
According to the Expansion Roster Distribution Process, the Fleet can only lose up to two more players who are under contract during the next phase. After that, they protect three additional players, bringing their total to six.
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