The Buffalo Beauts have announced the retirement of defender Sarah Edney from the NWHL. Edney will step away from the league following her acceptance into dental school in Australia.
The veteran blueliner came to Buffalo in the summer of 2017, playing in 24 games for the Beauts in her season and a half. She accumulated seven points in the regular season, but more importantly, was a key contributor in Buffalo’s third run to the Isobel Cup championship, scoring the opening goal of the semi-final game, and adding an assist on the game-tying goal.
Edney came to Buffalo from the Brampton (now Markham) Thunder along with Jess Jones and Rebecca Vint. Edney was clearly a calming presence in the locker room through the transition to new ownership, and served as a mouthpiece for the club, regularly meeting with the media during this time.
She’s been one of Buffalo’s most consistent defenders in 2018-19, lining up mostly with Sarah Casorso on the team’s third pair. Edney is a plus-6 on the year, and will certainly be missed as the Beauts rev up for a playoff run.
There were indications over the summer that the NWHL would have a mandated minimum roster. The release of Edney puts Buffalo one player short. There has been no information regarding the filling of this position at this time. It is expected that Jordyn Burns will step into the lineup, though Jacquie Greco has played defense for the team when called upon.