Desbiens, Frankel, Pannek named finalists for 2026 PWHL MVP
Three of the top players in the game are being recognized for their incredible seasons.
On Wednesday, the PWHL announced that Montreal Victoire goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens, Boston Fleet goaltender Aerin Frankel and Minnesota Frost forward Kelly Pannek are the three finalists for the 2025-26 Billie Jean King MVP Award.
All three players are up for other hardware as well. Desbiens and Frankel are in the running for the Goaltender of the Year, while Pannek is a favorite to be named the league’s Forward of the Year.
Desbiens was a key cog on a dominant Victoire team that won the Walter Cup for the first time this season. She led the league in wins, goals against average (1.11) and save percentage (.955), sitting second behind Frankel in shutouts (7). The Quebec native is trying to be named Goaltender of the Year for the second year in a row, making her the first player in league history to earn the achievement in consecutive seasons.
For Frankel, it was another year where she was the backbone of the Fleet and was one of the main reasons for the team’s success. The Green Monsters’ play led Boston to one of the best seasons in league history. Not only were the fleet the first team to clinch a playoff spot this year, doing so in record time, but they also challenged for first place in the PWHL with the Montreal Victoire, despite finishing second place on the final day of the season.
Frankel set a new PWHL record with eight shutouts this past season. She finished tied with Desbiens for the most wins (19), ending the campaign with a 19-4-1-2 record. The 27-year-old finished second in the PWHL with a 1.17 goals-against average and .953 save percentage.
Pannek was the league’s best offensive weapon this season. The Plymouth, Minn., native had posted a combined 27 points across her first two seasons in the league, but exploded for an incredible 16 goals and 17 assists for 33 points in the 30-game season, setting a new PWHL record for points in a single season and leading the league in goals. It earned Pannek both the Top Goal Scorer and Points Leader Awards, making her the second player in league history to accomplish the feat.
The 2026 PWHL Awards ceremony will take place in Detroit on June 16.