2024 PWHL Walter Cup playoff predictions, storylines and picks
Four teams are looking to carve out a path to becoming the first-ever Walter Cup Champions.
Heading into the inaugural PWHL Playoffs, there are plenty of questions that will be answered over the next few weeks. Hunter Crowther and Tyler Kuehl dive into some burning questions heading into the postseason.
Which team has nothing to lose?
Hunter: Boston. The club picked up points in their last five games, including four regulation wins, and jumped over a hard-working Ottawa team to clinch a spot in the playoffs. In fact, you could make the case that Boston played so well toward the end of the season that Toronto wanted nothing to do with a team that’s coming into the postseason red-hot. Add in Aerin Frankel (more on her later) and you have a recipe for postseason magic.
Tyler: Boston has seemingly been playing with house money for the last month of the season. They had to almost win out to earn a playoff spot, winning four of their last five games coming out of the Women’s Worlds break. Courtney Kessel’s team is loose and playing their best hockey at the right time of year, which is important when going against a solid Montreal team.
Which team has the most to lose?
Hunter: Toronto. The league’s first-place team had a winning streak that lasted 11 games and became the de facto marquee team in the league as the season progressed. With several Team Canada players and executives, including the likely first Billie Jean King MVP Award-winner in Natalie Spooner, who finished as both the Top Goal Scorer and Points Leader. Anything short of first-round dominance would be a colossal failure.
Tyler: I know it’s the boring pick, but Toronto has been the best team in the PWHL for the last two months of the year. From having the league’s leading scorer in Natalie Spooner to quietly having one of the top goaltenders in Kristen Campbell, Toronto clinched first place with over a week left in the regular season.
Given that they got the chance to pick who they play in the first round, there is an elevated expectation that they will follow through on their decision. As we have seen with teams in the hockey mecca of the world, pressure during playoff time can force even the best players to crumble.
Who has the money goaltender?
Hunter: Boston’s Aerin Frankel. In a league with only six teams, the goaltending is bound to be elite, and we saw that in the inaugural season. However, going into this postseason, Boston’s Frankel and her .929 SV% could be the difference maker, especially when the checking gets tighter and goals are harder to come by. Just look at her World Championship performance for the U.S.: a 5-1-0 record with a .917 SV% and 1.46 GAA. When the pressure is on, Frankel shines.
Tyler: Her numbers have not been the greatest this season, but for me, it is Montreal with Ann-Renée Desbiens. She has proven time and time again that when the chips are down, she can make the big save, and her medal count backs that claim up. Desbiens has the ability to steal games, which is vital to a team’s success in the playoffs.
Which player has to step up?
Hunter: Montreal’s Erin Ambrose. There’s no question the likes of Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey are going to be important for Montreal’s forward group, but the two-way dominance of Ambrose can zap any of the opponent’s offense and channel it into your own with a blast from the point or a spectacular pass.
Tyler: I called her out during the regular season and will call her out again. Hilary Knight needs to be at her best. To the casual fan, that might seem like a safe choice, but if you look at Knight’s line of work during the regular season, she hasn’t been a factor some nights. For the captain of a team and the reigning IIHF Female Player of the Year, Knight has to prove she can be as much of a difference-maker in the pro ranks as she has in the international game.
She certainly showed a glimpse of that heading into the playoffs, scoring two goals and four points in the final three games of the regular season.
Who wins Toronto vs. Minnesota?
Hunter: This should be easy, right? Minnesota lost its last five games of the season, and it took Toronto defeating Ottawa in the last game of the season for it to clinch a playoff spot. Sure, Minnesota has some talent, with the likes of Grace Zumwinkle, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Taylor Heise, and Sophie Jacques on the backend providing an offensive boost, but I got Toronto winning, 3-1.
Tyler: Considering that Minnesota had to quickly get on a flight and travel to Toronto for the first game of the series, that will leave a few players trying to find their legs in Game 1. That said, I think Toronto will let them back into the series once the teams head to St. Paul, but Toronto wins the series 3-2.
Who wins Montreal vs. Boston?
Hunter: As much as I liked Boston’s game towards the end of the season, Montreal has too much talent as a group. Take away the brief stretch where Montreal lost four straight and Poulin was injured, and there’s a case they were the best team in the league. While Frankel may steal a win for Boston, a healthy and motivated Montreal squad should come out on top, 3-1.
Tyler: If the regular season showed anything between these two teams, it will be a tight series. Montreal has a clear skill advantage with a healthy Poulin who can take over a game by herself. However, Boston comes in with a recent win over Montreal and a ton of momentum.
Yet Montreal has more depth up front and a strong enough blueline to dictate an extended series. Montreal wins, 3-1.
Who wins the Walter Cup?
Hunter: I believe Toronto will have the easier path to the finals with a first-round matchup against Minnesota, and if and when they eventually play Montreal, they’ll come in knowing they’ve had their number all season. They were my pick at the beginning of the year, so I’m sticking with them now.
Tyler: A Toronto/Montreal final would be insane. Before I even get to my pick, can I just say that if it happens, the league should find a way to move the teams into Scotiabank Arena and the Bell Centre? I guarantee there would be sellouts for all five games.
Yes, you read that right, five games. The Canadian rivals will go the distance in an entertaining series, and with Toronto having home-ice advantage, they will win the series and the Cup, 3-2.