There are two North American institutions Michelle Karvinen will likely join someday. One is the Hockey Hall of Fame. The other is the PWHL.
While PWHL Draft declarations remain private, it’s believed Karvinen is set to declare for the draft and achieve the final item in her storied career by competing in the PWHL.
At the 2024 World Championships in Utica, New York, Karvinen spoke of her excitement about the PWHL.
“It’s awesome, it’s something we all have been waiting for,” said Karvinen of the PWHL. “It’s super exciting, it’s something we all have dreamt of when we were small hockey girls and then now it’s here.”
At the time however, Karvinen remained under contract with Frölunda for another season, and was therefore unable to declare for the draft. This season Karvinen finished 6th in SDHL scoring with 35 points in 32 games. She followed it up in the playoffs with 12 points in 11 playoff games leading Frölunda to their first ever SDHL championship. With her contract now expired, Karvinen is a free agent able to choose her future.
The 34-year-old is a three-time World Championship All-Star. She was also named Best Forward at the 2014 Olympic Games. Karvinen, a Finnish legend, has accomplished everything there is to accomplish in Europe. Following Frölunda’s season, Karvinen posted a thank you note to fans on Instagram, claiming it was the end of her time with Frölunda.
Karvinen Closes One Chapter As Another Begins
“An adventure with a happy ending,” wrote Karvinen in a translated post. “Thanks to the Team, thanks Frölunda, thanks Gothenburg and most of all thanks to everyone who push women’s hockey forward step by step, you are my heroes!”
Karvinen has played in North American before spending three seasons at the University of North Dakota from 2011 to 2014.
PWHL Declarations close in May. Players are able to remove themselves from declaration until the Draft. Last year Finnish players Ronja Savolainen and Noora Tulus joined the PWHL through the draft. They joined Susanna Tapani who was the lone Finnish player in the PWHL since the league was founded.
