Around the W: Brendan Shanahan's real job is minding the money

The PWHL didn't hire Brendan Shanahan. Its money did, and that's the part worth watching. Kilmer Sports Ventures, Larry Tanenbaum's investment group, named the Hall of Famer its strategic advisor on PWHL matters Thursday. His job is to mind what Kilmer put in.

That's the lead on a busy off-ice week. Here's the board, plus the one injury that matters.

Shanahan joins Kilmer's PWHL side

Kilmer joined the league in June as a strategic capital partner. It's the PWHL's first Canadian investor since the league launched in 2023, and one report puts the stake around $100 million. Shanahan will oversee that money. He won't run anything day to day, and he keeps his consulting work with the NHL and Hockey Canada.

He ran the Maple Leafs from 2014 until 2025. Tanenbaum said "few people embody" Canadian hockey more than Shanahan, and the résumé backs him up.

The W read: this is a governance hire, not a hockey hire. With league owner Mark Walter facing a growing pile of lawsuits, the outside money wants its own grown-up in the room. Smart, and overdue.

Simms signs for three years in Toronto

The Sceptres signed Kirsten Simms, the eighth overall pick in June, to a three-year deal through 2028-29. She's the first of Toronto's draft class to sign.

At Wisconsin she scored 100 goals and 238 points in 152 games and won three national titles. She also owns Olympic gold from Milan with Team USA.

GM Gina Kingsbury said there's "a lot of upside to her game."

The W read: eighth overall for a four-year Wisconsin scorer with an Olympic gold already looks like a heist. Toronto now has four players signed through 2028-29, and Simms is the only forward in that group. That tells you exactly what Kingsbury thinks of her.

Schroeder hurt at Canada's camp

Corinne Schroeder was hurt in an off-ice warmup before Canada's scrimmage Wednesday night in Quebec City. Coach Kori Cheverie confirmed the injury and didn't give details. Schroeder has left camp.

The bigger worry is in San Jose. She was the expansion team's first signing, on a two-year deal, and the plan was for her to be the No. 1. She owns a .921 save percentage across 52 career PWHL games.

The W read: San Jose built its crease around one goalie. Until there's an update, every other goalie at Troy Ryan's camp is auditioning for a lot more than a backup job. Canada is fine either way: the Worlds open Nov. 6 in Denmark, and Ann-Renée Desbiens is still the starter, with Eve Gascon and Kayle Osborne behind her.

Nobody knows how big the rosters are

PWHL camps open Nov. 18, two days after the Worlds' medal games. Teams still don't know how many players they can keep.

For three seasons the rule was 23 signed players and three reserves. The option with the most support from GMs, agents and players is 25 with no reserves. Adding two full-time spots across the 12-team league would cost about $1.4 million.

The W read: $1.4 million is a rounding error next to the money Kilmer just brought in. Go to 25, kill the reserve tier, and stop asking players on $15,000 deals to wait by the phone. Kilmer's new advisor could start there.