In another incredible pickup, the Buffalo Beauts have signed defender Blake Bolden for the 2018-19 season.
Bolden spent two years with the Boston Pride, and played her first NWHL game on HarborCenter ice when the Pride opened the 2015-16 campaign in Buffalo. In both Boston seasons, she was elected to the NWHL All-Star game. Last year, she was a part of HC Lugano in the Swiss Women’s Hockey League. Bolden lit the lamp 16 times in 20 games and added 11 assists.
Bolden’s lauded NCAA career was followed by two productive seasons for the CWHL’s Boston Blades. The Ohio native sent a special message out to Beauts Nation via Twitter: “I’m super excited to join you guys for the 2018-19 season. I CANNOT wait!”
BEAUTS NATION, LET’S GO!! 🔥🔥@SportBlake can’t wait to see you! pic.twitter.com/Joz4yfx4WX
— Buffalo Beauts (@BuffaloBeauts) August 15, 2018
The former Isobel Cup champion joins a loaded roster that reads as a veritable who’s-who of women’s hockey. Bringing Bolden back to the NWHL is huge news in the community; getting her to sign in Buffalo is an epic move by rookie general manager Nik Fattey. There are just a handful of roster spots remaining, but surely Fattey’s got a few more fireworks in the mortar as the free agency period wraps up and the teams begin to skate together for the first time.