PWHL Power Rankings: Fleet pace the field into the New Year

Just a couple of days away from the turn of the New Year, we’re starting to see the contenders separating themselves from the pretenders. While there’s still time for teams to turn things around, a couple of squads are looking like forces as we close in on the halfway mark of the year.

Hunter Crowther, Scott Maxwell and Tyler Kuehl give their thoughts on where teams stand heading into 2026.

1. Boston Fleet

Record: 6-0-1-1, +9
Last Week: 1st
Hunter’s Rank: 1st
Tyler’s Rank: 1st
Scott’s Rank: 1st

Hunter: One game, one loss, it’s going off the rails! We’re kidding, we’re kidding. The Fleet had a 2-1 lead over the Charge for most of the third period, but Ottawa tied it late and defeated Boston in a shootout. Megan Keller assisted a Haley Winn goal and is now tied for second among all skaters in points with eight (three goals and five assists). Boston now has a league-best plus-nine goal differential and are the only team to hit the 20-goal mark.

Tyler: Even though the Fleet lost again last week, they managed to grab a point against the Charge. Seeing Haley Winn finally get her first in the PWHL was a pleasing sight as well. You can sense this team has a level of confidence that only a few other teams in this league have. Sure, a lot of it stems from their trust in goaltender Aerin Frankel, but you can see other players – Riley Brengman, Olivia Mobley, Daniela Pejsova – have a pep in their step that gives the team the depth it has been lacking over its first two years of existence.

The Fleet will have one game again this week, not coming until Saturday night when they take on the Vancouver Goldeneyes in the first Detroit Takeover Tour game of the season.

2. Montreal Victoire

Record: 3-1-0-3, +5
Last Week: 2nd
Hunter’s Rank: 3rd
Tyler’s Rank: 2nd
Scott’s Rank: 2nd

Tyler: I know I might be a little overzealous on a team that lost twice, but when you look at how the Victoire played in the matchups with the Torrent and Sceptres, there’s no question that Montreal looked like the better team most of the time. There’s a little bit of concern with the lack of scoring in the two losses, scoring just once in each game. Yet, getting Abby Roque going on the goal-scoring side of things only makes that top line with Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey even more dangerous.

Hunter: For those reading this: Did you have to do a lot of travelling for the holidays? I know I filled up the gas tank a few times, but it was nothing compared to what the last two weeks have been for Montreal, who after their Dec. 17 win over Toronto in Halifax flew cross-country to take on Vancouver and Seattle on the west coast before playing at home. 

Last week, they lost twice in regulation to the Torrent and Sceptres, both 2-1 finals, with Abby Roque scoring the lone goals for the Victoire. Breaking news: Ann-Renee Desbiens remains elite, as she hasn’t given up more than two goals in any of her six appearances, posting a .952 SV%. 

The Victoire is off until Friday afternoon, when the team visits the New York Sirens.

3. Minnesota Frost

Record: 3-1-1-2, +6
Last Week: 3rd
Hunter’s Rank: 2nd
Tyler’s Rank: 4th
Scott’s Rank: 3rd

Hunter: The Frost won their only game last week, a 2-1 overtime victory on the road against the Goldeneyes. Taylor Heise scored the OT winner, her first goal of the season, which hopefully will open the offensive floodgates. Maddie Rooney got her third start of the year, stopping 27 of 28 shots and making her case to earn more playing time.

Tyler: The Frost looked excellent against the Goldeneyes in Edmonton on Saturday. You could see, as the game wore on, Minnesota show why it is the two-time Walter Cup champions. Had it not been for Emerance Maschmeyer, the Frost could’ve A. won the game in regulation, and B. won by a lot. The line of Denisa Krizova, Dominique Petrie and Grace Zumwinkle has been fun to watch when it’s going. If that line can find ways to produce, to complement Frost’s top stars, this group will be very difficult to start.

The Frost is back in action on Tuesday night when it visits the Sceptres.

4. Toronto Sceptres

Record: 4-0-2-2, -1
Last Week: 
Hunter’s Rank: 4th
Tyler’s Rank: 3rd
Scott’s Rank: 5th

Tyler: I really liked the Sceptres’ performances last week, despite only picking up four of a possible six points. However, that win against the Victoire, at Centre Bell, without the likes of Allie Munroe and Renata Fast, shows that this team has what it takes to be one of the best in the PWHL, regardless of what it lost after last season. Also, I think it’s time we start having the conversation that Elaine Chuli should be Toronto’s No. 1 goaltender. I know the 1A-1B system is working for Troy Ryan’s team, but the former Toronto Six star has shown she still has what it takes to be a starting netminder in the PWHL.

Hunter: The Sceptres earned points in both of their games this week, including a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Victoire that saw Elaine Chuli outduel Desbiens in the crease, stopping 29 of 30 shots for her third win of the year. After a sluggish start, Daryl Watts scored in both games last week, giving her three on the season. She is averaging four shots a game and looks like she’s ready to go on an offensive tear. With Renata Fast out of the lineup, Toronto will need to find ways to generate production. 

The Sceptres get set for a marquee matchup with the Frost on Tuesday night, before facing the Torrent in the Takeover Tour game in Hamilton.

5. Seattle Torrent

Record: 3-0-1-3, -2
Last Week: 5th
Hunter’s Rank: 6th
Tyler’s Rank: 5th
Scott’s Rank: 4th

Tyler: Big week for Seattle, probably its best of the season so far. Following that loss to the league-leading Fleet last week, the team showed some grit against the Victoire and Sirens. Even though the Torrent dropped a tough 4-3 decision to New York in Dallas, this expansion team showed glimpses on being capable of making a run to the postseason. Seeing their depth players – Mikyla Grant-Mentis and Lexie Adzija – contribute against the Sirens could be important in giving this team a boost heading into the New Year.

Hunter: On one hand, their 2-1 regulation win over the Victoire was a massive three points, especially when you consider Montreal outshot them 30-11 in the second and third period. But with a 3-2 lead over the Sirens midway through the third period, New York scored twice to earn a 4-3 win. Full marks to Hannah Murphy, who made 37 saves in both games and has looked strong in her first four appearances. 

The Torrent doesn’t play again until Saturday afternoon, when they take on the Sceptres in Toronto.

6. New York Sirens

Record: 3-0-0-5, -3
Last Week: 6th
Hunter’s Rank: 7th
Tyler’s Rank: 6th
Scott’s Rank: 6th

Tyler: If Casey O’Brien can find a way to score three goals a game, I think the Sirens will be in good shape for the rest of the season.

In all seriousness, how the Sirens came to play in Dallas on Sunday portrayed the effort that many of us expected from the revamped roster heading into the season. Kayle Osborne was great between the pipes, and the special teams were on point. You can tell this group is also more of a team than a club by how they responded to Sarah Fillier being run by Aneta Tejralova. Those intangibles give me hope for the Sirens to turn things around.

Hunter: After a tepid start to her rookie season, Casey O’Brien made her presence felt last Sunday, recording a hat trick in a 4-3 Sirens win over Seattle, which included the game-winning goal with just over three minutes to go in the game. New York snapped a four-game losing streak and hope they can carry the momentum into New Year’s Eve when they face the Goldeneyes at home. 

The Sirens get set for a New Year’s Eve showdown with the Goldeneyes.

7. Ottawa Charge

Record: 1-3-0-5, -7
Last Week: 8th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 5th
Tyler’s Rank: 7th
Scott’s Rank: 7th

Hunter: Don’t look now, but the Charge have won three straight, albeit each coming in overtime or a shootout. Gwyneth Philips looks like the goaltender that led Ottawa to last spring’s Walter Cup final, stopping 34 shots in both game wins last week. She now has a .930 SV% through eight games. While Gabbie Hughes stepped up with a two-goal performance against the Sceptres, it’s captain Brianne Jenner who really stepped up through the first third of the season, with eight points in nine games and is averaging nearly 3.5 shots per game.

Tyler: Are the Charge back? Maybe, maybe not. Yet, the team certainly had some gutsy wins against two of the best teams in the league last week. They went chance for chance with the Sceptres, using heroics from Rebecca Leslie and Gwyneth Philips to come away with an overtime win. Then, in a battle of Team USA netminders, Philips outdueled Frankel in the longest shootout in the PWHL history, giving Ottawa three wins in a row.

Ottawa still has a long way to go to be back in the playoff race (needing some regulation wins as well), but it’s starting to look a little more confident as we approach January.

The Charge are off until Saturday, when they host the Frost.

8. Vancouver Goldeneyes

Record: 2-1-1-4, -8
Last Week: 7th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 8th
Tyler’s Rank: 8th
Scott’s Rank: 8th

Hunter: Vancouver ended a four-game home stand with a 2-1 overtime loss to the two-time defending champs in the Frost, a game that saw them get lots of chances on Minnesota’s Rooney but they were unable to capitalize. Hannah Miller, Tereza Vanisova and Michela Cava have one goal between them, despite scoring a combined 34 last season. The Goldeneyes will need to find their offense in their upcoming five-game road trip. 

Tyler: As I stated earlier, the only reason the Goldeneyes managed to get a point in Edmonton on Saturday against the Frost was because of Maschmeyer. You just have to think this team has another gear. Tereza Vanisova has been silent, Hannah Miller has been mediocre compared to her production in Toronto, and Michelle Karvinen is looking like another example of a Euro that struggles to adapt to the PWHL game. Still a lot of time for this team to right the ship, but they need to find a spark to get things going.

The Goldeneyes visit the Sirens on New Year’s Eve before heading to Detroit on Saturday for a Takeover clash with the Fleet.

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