Les Canadiennes Acquire Kayla Tutino from Boston
Former Boston University Terrier to join former teammates Poulin and Lefort in Montreal
Montreal acquired forward Kayla Tutino from the Boston Blades on Tuesday. The acquisition of the Montreal native ties a bow around the team’s trade last September of defenceman Nachi Fujimoto to the Blades; Montreal made the deal at the time for “future considerations.”
It has been just under two months since Les Canadiennes hoisted the Clarkson Cup trophy after defeating their rival Calgary Inferno in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League final in Ottawa. Now in the offseason, the team is already looking ahead towards next season in hopes of repeating as champions.
“Kayla is a solid, poised forward with a right-handed shot who will help us maintain our depth up front,” said Canadiennes general manager Meg Hewings in a press release.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to return home and play in my hometown with Les Canadiennes,” said Tutino in a written statement. “I can’t wait to wear the bleu-blanc-rouge and continue my professional career in Montreal.”
Tutino was a bright spot on a struggling Blades team, recording two goals and three assists for a total of five points in her rookie year with Boston. While she did finish with a -28 plus/minus differential this year, the stats don’t tell the full story.
Tutino was selected to play in the league all-star game at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The Blades struggled this year, winning only two games, scoring only 32 goals as a team in 24 games.
“Living in Boston playing the game I love at Boston University and then with the Boston Blades was a great experience,” said Tutino. “I want to thank everyone in the Blades organization for treating me so well.”
The 24-year-old was selected with the first overall pick in last year’s CWHL Entry Draft after a stellar five-year NCAA career with the Boston University Terriers. She racked up 144 points in 164 games throughout her tenure with the team, winning four consecutive Hockey East championships in the process. Tutino captained the squad during her final year with the program.
Tutino won’t be the first Terrier to join the ranks of Les Canadiennes. Captain Marie-Philip Poulin and last year’s rookie sensation Sarah Lefort also graduated from the program.
