There’s a feeling around the New York Sirens right now that feels different than any previous stretch in New York’s two-plus year existence. With a club-record four straight regulation victories, a surge up the PWHL standings and the announcement of the team's first game at Madison Square Garden, this feels like a moment that will change the Sirens' fortunes for the near future.
On the ice, a big part of the Sirens' success has been the growth of their offense, spearheaded by a mix of promising rookies and rising stars who are beginning to define their roles. New York GM Pascal Daoust said it himself last fall in our Sirens’ season preview: “we drafted young players with a different vibe and a lot of speed.” He wasn’t kidding.
Take Kristýna Kaltounková, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, whose arrival was billed as a turning point for the club. The Czech forward, who will lead her country into the Olympics next month, is already living up to the hype. Kalty has been a consistent presence on the scoresheet, leading the Sirens and all first-year PWHL players in goals with 7 and playing with a fearless edge that complements her speed and shot.
But Kaltounková isn’t alone; Casey O’Brien, the third-overall pick and another rookie standout, has flashed vision and creativity that give the Sirens a dangerous new dimension in transition and on the power play, and she has notched 7 points this season herself. The native New Yorker is also the most excited Siren about the chance to play at the World’s Most Famous Arena:
There’s also Sarah Fillier, of course. The 2025 Rookie of the Year and a centerpiece of this club’s offense who averages the most time on ice of the team’s forwards, Fillier ‘s playmaking, hockey IQ, and the way she involves her linemates make her the heartbeat of the Sirens’ attack. The Canadian Olympian has missed a game due to injury but still has 4 crucial points and figures to notch more soon.
Beyond those headline talents, the Sirens have flexed some depth as well. Taylor Girard had a breakout moment with a hat trick in the season opener while second-round pick Anne Cherkowski is yet another Sirens rookie making an impact, having played every game and compiled 4 points herself.
Behind them, the Sirens have benefitted from the steady play of veteran defenders such as Maja Nylen Persson and Jaime Bourbonnais and eye-opening play from goalie Kayle Osborne in terms of both durability and effectiveness. Osborne is the only goalie in the PWHL to have started every one of her team’s games this season and is the only goalie to have played for the Sirens thus far...and she’s posted three shutouts already. Said Sirens' head coach Greg Fargo of Osborne recently: “In a short amount of time she’s proven she belongs among the best goalies in the league. She’s shown she can help this team win. Not only is her confidence growing, but our confidence in her has grown ten times.”
Off the ice, fans' confidence in their favorite team is growing, and the word is getting out. The Sirens social media accounts are firing on all cylinders, the “Wee woo” chants at The Rock are louder than ever and the Sirens are popping up everywhere from the iconic New York Post to Newark Penn Station.
What’s more, so many of the team’s remaining games have increased meaning. Highlights before the league breaks for the Olympics on January 28 include games at home Friday night against the two-time defending champion Frost on Hispanic Heritage Night and in Washington, DC Sunday in the latest iteration of the league’s Takeover Tour, where the first PWHL game in the Nation’s Capital may well draw a record crowd.
Then, April 4 brings the big one: the historic first PWHL game at Madison Square Garden, set to bring the Sirens to one of the most renowned stages in all of sports.
There are still games to play, standings to climb and potential to tap, not to mention a first-ever playoff berth to clinch. As alternate captain Bourbonnais put it: “I’m really happy with how this group has shown up over the last couple of games, but I know there’s still untapped potential,” she said.
For now, the Sirens are doing what every young team in Gotham dreams of—stringing together wins, finding their identity, and giving New York sports fans something exciting to cheer for.