With a lucrative multi-year contract in hand, PWHL star Sarah Fillier is chasing greatness

Four years ago, headlines called her "the next one" and "a rising superstar" in women's hockey.

At her first world championship inside a bubble in Calgary in 2021, then-21-year-old Sarah Fillier put up nearly a point per game as the Canadians won gold.

They were heavy expectations to place on a player who was still in college.

But four years later, no one can argue that Fillier hasn't lived up to the hype. No longer a rookie, Fillier is a bona fide star whose instincts, skill and hunger to get better put her in the sport's top echelon.

In her first season in the PWHL, Fillier tied American superstar, Hilary Knight, for the league scoring lead, putting up 29 points in 30 games for the New York Sirens. She was named the league's Rookie of the Year.

"Any time she's on the ice, magic will happen and magic could happen," the Sirens' GM, Pascal Daoust, said in an interview. "A game is never over when you have players like herself with a single shot that can change the whole rhythm in a game. It's a game changer."

This year could be Fillier's biggest yet. This summer, the Sirens signed Fillier to a two-year deal — the most lucrative one the league has seen yet, though the league doesn't release specific dollar figures.

With several players from last year's team gone via trade or expansion, the Sirens are now clearly built around Fillier, who will be bolstered by top draft picks such as Kristýna Kaltounková, Casey O'Brien and Anne Cherkowski.

The rebuilt Sirens are aiming for the team's first playoff berth, a mark the team missed despite a stellar campaign from Fillier.

The forward will also have a chance to earn her second Olympic gold medal on a Canadian national team where she's now a veteran.

And there's still room to grow.