Women's hockey embracing new era, striving for history this season

A lot has changed since the last time the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women's hockey team stepped on the ice back in March. A new name, a fresh logo, and a long list of new faces have highlighted the changes for the group; a group which is eager to embrace the challenge.

Coming off a pandemic plagued season in 2021-22, it is a return to regularity that remains so polarizing to the Bold and its personnel, setting forth a clean slate for the team to indulge in as the season rolls along.

A long list of changes is something the Bold wish to take head on, with fifth-year forward Olivia Giardetti being one of the leading members of the team ready for something new. In her long tenure with the program, Giardetti has seen several different eras come and go, yet marks last season as "a little bit of a mess" after dealing with a mid-season hiatus that she believes disrupted a lot of the team's momentum last year.

Giardetti wasn't the only witness to the pandemonium of last season, as head coach of the Bold, Lisa Haley, seconded her veteran forward's sentiments towards last year's shortened season, believing her team "never really hit [their] midseason stride or 'best game.'"

"You never knew what was coming around the corner," Haley added.

With the pandemic now looking to be less disruptive, Giardetti and her teammates are not just looking to leave an impact on the ice, but within the local communities that surround it as well. Among the many communal aspects in which the team embraces, none compares to the 'Do It For Daron' campaign that Giardetti credits as a "no brainer" when it comes to what her and the team look forward to this season.

"It's always in the back of our minds, one that we always enjoy doing," said Giardetti.

On the ice, however, the Bold have goals that they wish to achieve as a unit, with bringing home a championship being something they believe has already become a reality throughout the preseason.

Being one of the top three teams in the OUA East is one of the initial goals Giardetti and her side wish to achieve before the holiday break, with home-ice advantage being an even greater stepping stone towards the team's first ever appearance in the McCaw Cup final.

As well, eight new faces will suit up for TMU this season, two of which being first-year goaltenders in the OUA. Second-year netminder Jayden Lawson will be accompanied by Lauren Griffin and Alexia Stratos this season as the competition for the crease gets underway.

Welcoming this competition with open arms, Haley sees an abundance of promise within her young goaltenders and credits them with being a vital "team within our team".

"It's hard to replace experience, but I think we have the talent to do so, as long as we get consistent, high-level performance," added Haley.

Last season, the team posted an overall record of 6-9, falling in the semifinal to the Nipissing Lakers. The loss marked the third consecutive year in which the team was unable to advance past the semifinal, as the Lakers joined both Toronto and Guelph in having defeated the former Rams side in the semifinal stage.

That chapter in the program's history is an identity that the group believes has been put to rest following the passing of the torch from Rams to Bold. It is through this new identity that the Bold wish to change their team identity, as well as the way in which they are perceived both on and off the ice.

"We've written some great chapters as the Ryerson Rams, and it's a special privilege to write the first chapters of the new TMU Bold legacy," said Haley. The longtime head coach of the Bold believes this off-ice change strikes a similar chord to when the team was conceived nearly eleven years ago.

Even before their opening faceoff on opening night on October 20th, the Bold believe they have already separated themselves from the rest of the pack in the OUA, with their new identity and fresh start allowing them to strictly focus on the present, while taking the games as they come.

With Laurier posing the initial threat to the Bold in their season opener on Thursday, the team's bench boss believes having an unfamiliar opponent in the way remains a testament to the dual sided sword in which the OUA has to offer. Last season the squad only battled within their division, meaning they haven't played Laurier since the 2019-20 season.

Following their quick trip to Laurier, the Bold follow up their season opener with a trio of consecutive home games against Nipissing, Toronto, and Windsor, starting this Saturday. Giardetti and the group believe the tough competition out of the gate will be "a good gage...to see where our team is at."

Tickets for all home games are now on sale. Follow @tmubold and @tmuboldwhky for updates throughout the season and catch the team on OUA.tv

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#12 Olivia Giardetti: F; 5' 5"; 5

#29 Alexia Stratos: G; 5' 8"; 1

#31 Jayden Lawson: G; 5' 9"; 2

#39 Lauren Griffin: G; 5' 5"; 1

Players Mentioned

#12 Olivia Giardetti
: 5' 5"; 5
: F

#29 Alexia Stratos
: 5' 8"; 1
: G

#31 Jayden Lawson
: 5' 9"; 2
: G

#39 Lauren Griffin
: 5' 5"; 1
: G