Among the franchise players for the Buffalo Beauts, Dominique Kremer continues to reach new heights. Signed to the first two-year contract in PHF history, Kremer, originally from Fargo, North Dakota, has never missed a game in her professional career.
Undoubtedly an anchor for the club’s defensive unit, growing into a strong leadership role, Kremer’s assiduous approach and strong work ethic has translated into more than the team captaincy. Earning standing as a two-time PHF All-Star, her impact with the Beauts continues to grow.
Among four skaters representing the Beauts as 2023 All-Star, joined by Mikyla Grant-Mentis, skating for Team Canada, plus Team World members Antonia Matzka and Emma Nuutinen, Kremer donned the blue jersey of Team USA. Adorned by her trademark number 13, the honor also marked her second consecutive appearance in the midseason classic. Worth noting, last year’s event saw the Beauts serve as host franchise, adding to the exciting prestige of All-Star status for a jubilant Kremer. Belonging to Team Dempsey’s roster, named after Jillian Dempsey, the league’s all-time leading scorer, she was also joined by Beauts offensive mainstay Taylor Accursi. Gaining the opportunity to return to one of the premier showcases in PHF play, the feeling of fulfillment and achievement encompassed her sentiments.
“While attending the All-Star Game last year was an incredible experience, being recognized this year honestly meant so much more to me. The level of talent within this league has grown exponentially from last year to this year.
Thus, I was extremely honored when I found out I had been selected as a member of the All-Star team. I feel privileged to know that I am still considered one of the top defensemen in the Premier Hockey Federation.”
Along with the opportunity to participate in a pair of outdoor games in one calendar year, part of the highly popular “Buffalo Believes Classic” series, the number of highlights amassed have represented one of the most rewarding times in Kremer’s career.
Adding to the highlights involved a pair of unique aspects, enriching this year’s All-Star experience. From a gala at the Hockey Hall of Fame and an on-ice instructional session with a lical junior team, the combination of celebration and giving back encompassed an important “raison d’etre”.
“This was absolutely a highlight for me. Half of what we play for is the next generation of little girls who will come after we are gone. It is so important for them to have someone to look up to and aspire to become.
Plus, as far as the Hockey Hall of Fame was concerned, it was the perfect venue to encapsulate the magnitude of importance that was this All-Star Weekend.”
With this year’s event staged at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, located inside Maple Leaf Gardens, playing in such an iconic arena provided Kremer with a treasured highlight. The milestone of gracing the ice in a venue with decades of history added an exciting relevance to PHF hockey.
Absorbing the sights and sounds, every moment one filled with fascination, Kremer and her fellow All-Stars became synonymous with history. Marking the first time since 1968 that a professional hockey All-Star Game was contested at one of the sport’s most hallowed shrines, the event served as testament to the PHF’s increasing prominence. Proud to be part of such a special occasion, adding another compelling element to the league’s unfolding narrative, perhaps the most rewarding aspect for a jubilant Kremer sees a strong sense of optimism.
“It was very humbling being able to walk through those doors, knowing many of the great names that had stepped on the same ice in the past.
I really had to sit there for a moment in absolute awe and gratitude towards all those legends that laid the foundation for us. It really puts things in perspective as to how far hockey has come, but also how much more it can grow.”
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“All quotes obtained first hand unless otherwise indicated“
Featured image by Lori Bolliger Photography
