Elaine Chuli
Canadian ice hockey player (born 1994)
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Elaine Monica Chuli (born May 16, 1994) is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Toronto Sceptres of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). She played college ice hockey for the UConn Huskies where she is the all-time saves leader for both the Hockey East (WHEA) conference and the Huskies program. She won the Isobel Cup with the Toronto Six in 2023.
| Elaine Chuli | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Chuli with PWHL Montreal in 2024 | |||
| Born |
May 16, 1994 | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | ||
| Weight | 132 lb (60 kg; 9 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Catches | Left | ||
| PWHL team Former teams |
Toronto Sceptres | ||
| Playing career | 2012–present | ||
Playing career
College
Elaine Chuli was a member of the UConn Huskies women's ice hockey team during 2012 to 2016.[1][2] In her senior year, she was named to the 2016 CCM/AHCA All-American Second Team.[3][4][5]
CWHL
She was drafted by the Vanke Rays in the second round of the 2017 CWHL Draft and signed with the Rays for the 2017–18 season.[6] In her first season, she played 1516 minutes in net, more than any other goalie in the league, though the team missed the playoffs.[7]
After the Rays were merged with the Kunlun Red Star WIH to become the Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays, Chuli signed with the Toronto Furies, where she would play for the 2018–19 season before the CWHL folded.[8]
PWHPA
In May 2019, Chuli joined over 200 women's ice hockey players in forming the PWHPA.[9] She played for Team Knox at the Unifor Showcase in Toronto in September 2019, the first showcase of the PWHPA's Dream Gap Tour, and then for Team Spooner at the Secret Women's Hockey Showcase in January 2020.[10][11]
NWHL/PHF
In April 2020, she signed with the first Canadian expansion team of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL), the Toronto Six.[12] Starting in the Six's first game, a January 23, 2021 affair versus the Metropolitan Riveters, Chuli was recognized as the Second Star of the Game in a 3–0 loss.[13] Against the eventual Isobel Cup champion Boston Pride, the Six enjoyed their first win. Opposing the Pride on January 26, 2021, Chuli recorded 24 saves in the win.,[14] a 2–1 final with third period goals by Brooke Boquist and Mikyla Grant-Mentis, whose goal stood as the game-winner.[15]
PWHL
Chuli was selected in the thirteenth round, 78th overall by PWHL Montreal in the 2023 PWHL Draft and signed a one-year contract with the team.[16] She made her PWHL debut on January 10, 2024 with a 5–2 win over PWHL New York.[17]
On June 17, 2025, she signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Sceptres.[18]
International play
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Canada | ||
| Women's ice hockey | ||
| World U18 Championships | ||
 | 2012 Czechia | |
Chuli competed as member of Team Canada at the 2012 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship. She joined a roster filled with other future hockey stars, including Cayley Mercer, Laura Stacey, Erin Ambrose, goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer, and future Toronto Six teammate Taylor Woods.[19] Chuli was in the crease for two of Team Canada's five games, playing the full 60 minutes in each. Against Germany in the group stage she posted a 6–0 shutout and, five days later, she posted a 7–0 shutout against Sweden in the semifinals, cementing herself as the top goaltender of the tournament, with a 1.000 save percentage and 0 goals against average.[20] Her performance helped Team Canada sweep the tournament and win the gold medal that year.[21]
Personal life
Chuli holds a degree in accounting from the University of Connecticut.[22]
She is a member of the LGBTQ community and in a relationship with PWHL Montreal Victoire forward Shiann Darkangelo.[23]
Elaine has one sister, Ericka Chuli.[24]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | Min | GA | SO | GAA | S% | GP | W | L | Min | GA | SO | GAA | S% | ||
| 2012–13 | UConn Huskies | NCAA | 27 | 1 | 21 | 3 | 1,491 | 98 | 0 | 3.94 | .892 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | UConn Huskies | NCAA | 24 | 7 | 16 | 1 | 1,402 | 60 | 2 | 2.57 | .929 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | UConn Huskies | NCAA | 25 | 8 | 12 | 5 | 1,500 | 73 | 1 | 2.92 | .924 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | UConn Huskies | NCAA | 26 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 1,587 | 61 | 3 | 2.28 | .941 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Vanke Rays | CWHL | 27 | 14 | 11 | 1 | 1,516 | 74 | 4 | 2.94 | .913 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Toronto Furies | CWHL | 14 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 773 | 39 | 2 | 3.03 | .899 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 58: | 3 | 0 | 6.14 | .912 | ||
| 2020–21 | Toronto Six | NWHL | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 298 | 8 | 1 | 1.61 | .936 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 5 | 0 | 6.81 | .762 | ||
| 2021–22 | Toronto Six | PHF | 17 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 988 | 30 | 2 | 1.82 | .931 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 60 | 5 | 0 | 5.00 | .821 | ||
| 2022–23 | Toronto Six | PHF | 19 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 1,127 | 49 | 2 | 2.61 | .917 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 245 | 9 | 1 | 2.20 | .920 | ||
| 2023–24 | PWHL Montreal | PWHL | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 484 | 13 | 0 | 1.61 | .949 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | Montreal Victoire | PWHL | 11 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 595 | 24 | 0 | 2.42 | .910 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| PWHL totals | 19 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 1,079 | 37 | 0 | 2.06 | .929 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| CWHL totals | 41 | 20 | 18 | 1 | 2,289 | 113 | 6 | 2.97 | .909 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 58 | 3 | 0 | 6.14 | .912 | ||||
| PHF totals | 42 | 33 | 7 | 0 | 2,414 | 87 | 5 | 2.16 | .924 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 349 | 19 | 2 | 3.26 | .882 | ||||
International
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | ref |
|---|---|---|
| NCAA | ||
| CCM/AHCA All-American Women's University Division - Second Team |
2016 | [29] |
| Hockey East All-Star First Team |
2016 | [30] |
| Hockey East All-Star
Honorable Mention |
2014, 2015 | [31] [32] |
| WHEA All-Tournament Team | 2015 | [33] |
| Hockey East All-Academic Team | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 | [34] |
| Hockey East Goaltending Champion Runner-up |
2016 | [35] |
| CoSIDA Academic All-District™
At-Large Team – District 1 |
2015–16 | [36] |
| University of Connecticut Women's Ice Hockey | ||
| Most Valuable Player | 2014, 2015, 2016 | [34] |
| Pat Babcock Award
Player who best exemplifies the team |
2016 | [34] |
| Letterwinner | 2012–2015 | [34] |
Monthly collegiate honours and awards
- Hockey East (WHEA) Goaltender of the Month (2)
