PWHL Power Rankings: Frost are showing why they are two-time champs
In the last full week of PWHL action before the Olympic break, we saw some more standout performances from some of the game’s best, along with some more teams continuing to show why they are favorites to qualify for the playoffs.
Hunter Crowther, Scott Maxwell and Tyler Kuehl come together to see how the teams are looking heading into the final day of action before the pause.
1. Boston Fleet
Record: 8-1-2-2, +10
Last Week: 1st
Hunter’s Rank: 1st
Tyler’s Rank: 1st
Scott’s Rank: 1st
Hunter: The Fleet didn’t play last week, so it would be rude to bump them from the top spot. Would that be a “Wally Pipp” type of move? Does anyone reading this even know who Wally Pipp is?! Tyler, explain to the folks at home who Wally Pipp is.
Anywho … Boston has just one game before the Olympic break, as they host the Sirens on Wednesday. Aerin Frankel, who will represent the U.S. in Milano-Cortina, stopped 35 of 36 shots in her last outing on Jan. 18. I wonder if the Fleet will give her the crease against New York or if they will turn to Abbey Levy, who has started just one game this season.
Tyler: Nothing new in terms of game action from the Fleet, as they had the entire week off. Yet, it doesn’t change the narrative the team has created in the first half of the season. The team has found an offensive mojo that is far removed from the team’s first two seasons. The goaltending remains up to par with Aerin Frankel establishing herself as a Goaltender of the Year and MVP candidate. The important thing for Boston heading in, and coming out, of the break is if they can stay healthy and keep up their pace of success through the end of the regular season.
The Fleet gets set to host the New York Sirens in Lowell on Wednesday before heading into the break.
2. Minnesota Frost
Record: 6-2-3-3, +14
Last Week: 2nd
Hunter’s Rank: 2nd
Tyler’s Rank: 2nd
Scott’s Rank: 3rd
Hunter: The Frost were at home for both their games last week, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Victoire in overtime then storming back with a 6-2 win over the Sirens over the weekend. I’ll give credit to Kelly Pannek and co. for tying it against Montreal with a minute to go and earning at least a point.
Katy Knoll scored twice against New York and now has six on the season, a massive increase over her one-goal rookie campaign in 2024-25. Her productive first-half highlights Minnesota’s depth up front, as the Frost now have five players who are on pace to hit the double-digit mark in goals.
Tyler: I know the Frost falling to the Victoire on home ice might not have been ideal, but then again, how was anyone going to stop Poulin from scoring that ridiculous winner? Minnesota was able to show that championship pedigree in its next game. Taking on a streaking New York Sirens team, the Frost ran away late to win 6-2, marking the fifth time this season the team has scored at least five goals in a game.
What has been a huge difference compared to last year is that the Frost have shown few signs of wearing down. The way the team has played, it doesn’t look like Minnesota will be fighting for a playoff spot like years past.
Also, Heise and Pannek…props for speaking their minds about the ICE crisis in Minneapolis.
The Frost are at home on Wednesday night, hosting the Goldeneyes in their final game before heading to the Olympics.
3. Montreal Victoire
Record: 6-3-0-5, +11
Last Week: 4th
Hunter’s Rank: 3rd
Tyler’s Rank: 3rd
Scott’s Rank: 2nd
Scott: It’s nice to see the Victoire finally playing like the team I’ve said they are capable of being in recent weeks. Actually, they were playing like that team, they just weren’t getting the results. With wins in five of their last six, they’re back in a playoff spot and looking like one of the top teams in the league. For my money, they’re the best all-around team in the league, and with Ann-Renee Desbiens in the net, they’re going to be a tough out in the playoffs. Maybe this season is the one where “Captain Clutch” finally adds to her legacy in the PWHL postseason.
Hunter: In last week’s power rankings, Tyler and Scott highlighted the Victoire’s lack of finish and how their offense always left you wanting more. That same sentiment carried into their game against the Frost, as they could only score one goal in regulation, despite generating some high-quality chances.
However, they flew back home to Montreal and hosted the Charge over the weekend, peppering Gwyneth Philips with 35 shots and getting two past her in the first period, which wound up being the difference. What stood out to me was that they went into the third period with a 2-1 lead and put the pedal to the metal, getting 15 shots on net and going for the kill, instead of playing a prevent defense.
The Victoire now have five wins in their last six games, keeping them on pace with the Frost and Sirens.
Tyler: Yeah, yeah. I know I’ve been very hard on the Victoire this year. How could I not? This is a group that is too good to miss the playoffs. They have started to change my tune over the past week. Not only was that win over the Frost a good step in the right direction, but putting the surging Ottawa Charge in its place on Saturday shows Montreal is turning the corner.
While scoring goals is still a bit of a mess, you can tell there’s a sense of urgency with the team, especially since they don’t want to head into the break on a low note.
The Victoire takes on the rival Sceptres on Wednesday night in Laval.
4. New York Sirens
Record: 7-0-2-6, -3
Last Week: 3rd
Hunter’s Rank: 4th
Tyler’s Rank: 4th
Scott’s Rank: 4th
Hunter: Despite losing both their games last week, I’m giving credit to the Sirens for coming back from a 3-0 deficit to force overtime against the Charge. After a tough start that saw Callie Shanahan give up three goals on less than 10 shots, New York got one in the second then scored twice in less than two minutes midway through the third to force OT. Even though they loss, the Sirens highlighted that when they want to turn the offense on, they can.
Even after an ugly road loss in Minnesota over the weekend, New York is in a playoff spot at the midway mark of 2025-26, an enormous step forward after the previous two seasons.
Tyler: I will say, for as impressive as that win looked for the Frost on Sunday, a couple of those goals were in garbage time. That said, in a measuring stick game against the two-time defending Walter Cup champions, the Sirens didn’t bring the mustard. Also, falling behind 3-0 on home ice to the Charge isn’t doing them any favors in staying in the top four, regardless if NY managed to come back to get a point.
Obviously, New York was destined to regress after its hot streak, but the team really doesn’t want to come out of the Olympic break trying to end a losing skid.
The Sirens have one more try to get back in the win column before the pause, visiting the Fleet on Wednesday night.
5. Ottawa Charge
Record: 3-5-0-7, -3
Last Week: 5th
Hunter’s Rank: 5th
Tyler’s Rank: 5th
Scott’s Rank: 6th
Hunter: Last week felt like a bit of a step back for the Charge, who blew a 3-0 lead but pulled off an overtime win against the Sirens, then were outplayed by the Victoire almost immediately after puck drop. Ottawa has been heavily outshot in four straight games (32-18, 31-18, 36-24, 34-21) and minus a shaky start from New York’s Callie Shanahan last Tuesday, have struggled to score.
Wednesday’s game against the Torrent will be a good chance for this Ottawa group to find its game and get a much-needed three points to keep up in the standings. The real test will be to see how this team comes out of the Olympic break; if it’s more of what we’ve seen in January, the Charge likely won’t finish as one of the league’s top-four teams.
Tyler: It was a tale of two games for the Charge. On one hand, the team missed out on a chance to grab three points on the road, blowing a 3-0 lead to the Sirens last Tuesday. Yet, Ottawa managed to grab the OT win. I know that Montreal has been great at home this season, and that the Charge haven’t had much luck against the Victoire, but they didn’t look like the same team in Laval on Saturday. The confidence they had during their point streak was stuck at the Ontario-Quebec border.
There’s still half the season to go, but Ottawa has to be wary not to let a couple of imperfect results spiral into something more.
The Charge are at home in their final game before the break, taking on the Torrent.
6. Toronto Sceptres
Record: 4-1-3-7, -15
Last Week: 6th
Hunter’s Rank: 7th
Tyler’s Rank: 7th
Scott’s Rank: 5th
Scott: I complained last week about the Sceptres struggling to score more than two goals in a game, and they immediately proved me wrong by putting four goals past the Torrent. The problem is that they still didn’t win, allowing a season-high six goals in the loss. They then followed that up with a 5-0 loss to the Goldeneyes, giving them now three games this season where they’ve allowed five or more goals.
Before they couldn’t score, but now they can’t prevent goals either, and it feels like something has to happen to turn this season around, and yet the easiest solution is firing the coach, which is a non-starter when he’s set to coach Canada’s women’s team at the Olympics next month. So then what do they do? I guess we’ll wait and see.
Oh, by the way, with another two goals against her former team in the 5-0 rout, Sarah Nurse’s four goals would be tied for second with Jesse Compher and Blayre Turnbull (who was protected over her) and her five points would be tied with Savannah Harmon for sixth. Nurse has played four games this season.
Hunter: With two losses in regulation last week, the Sceptres have now dropped eight of their last nine and sit dead last in both goals for and goals against. What’s extra frustrating for fans is that their underlying numbers are nothing to sneeze at, as they’re on par with the Fleet and Sirens, but their 96.6 PDO indicates unlucky shooting percentages and below-average goaltending.
Toronto is the direct antithesis of Vancouver in that the Olympic break couldn’t have come at a better time. Six of their players — and what feels like their entire coaching and management staff — will head to Italy in February. Maybe the cure to fixing your offensive woes is a European vacation?
Tyler: If that defensive showing is what we’ll continue to see from Troy Ryan-coached teams…Canada is in for a world of hurt in Milan. The one time Toronto’s offense comes to life, Raygan Kirk plays one of the worst games of her PWHL career (three goals allowed in the third against the Torrent on Tuesday). Then, against the Goldeneyes, Elaine Chuli doesn’t do much better, ending up on the wrong end of a 5-0 loss.
The more I watch this team play, the less I’m convinced they’re a playoff team. While Daryl Watts and Emma Maltais are trying to play spirited hockey, there are times when the Sceptres just look unenthused. That needs to change in the second half.
The Sceptres’ final game before the break sees them visit Laval to take on the Victoire.
7. Vancouver Goldeneyes
Record: 5-1-2-7, -5
Last Week: 8th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 6th
Tyler’s Rank: 6th
Scott’s Rank: 8th
Hunter: Did the Goldeneyes get their swagger back with the return of Sarah Nurse? After scoring in the regular-season opener, then missing the next two months with injury, Nurse has four goals in her three games since returning, including a two-goal performance against her former team in the Sceptres in a 5-0 win last Thursday.
While I’d like to see a bit more from Vancouver before we bring out the “We Are So Back O’Meter” (can you be “so back” if it’s your inaugural season? I think so?), you can’t help but root for a team that struggled out of the gates and is now starting to produce. That being said, you couldn’t have picked a worse time to go on a hot streak than right before the Olympic break.
Tyler: What’s this? The Goldeneyes not being at the bottom? I’m as shocked as you are.
Granted, maybe we shouldn’t be surprised to see Vancouver get back on the winning side of things, given where their games were located. The team’s dominance on home ice was restored with a 5-0 beating of the Sceptres on Thursday. Then, in Denver, Emerance Maschmeyer did what Emerance Maschmeyer does, and came up with some big saves in the Takeover Tour game against the Torrent. As long as this team doesn’t play away games, they’re one of the best in the league.
This team has a chance to really make some hay coming out of the break, as they will be playing five straight games at the Pacific Coliseum in March.
Scott: Turns out all the Goldeneyes needed was Nurse to return to the lineup. They’re now 2-1-1-0 with the center in the lineup (and 3-0-1-7 without her), and their recent success has them four points out of a playoff spot. Nurse is also the only player not on the Frost to score at a point-per-game pace (albeit in 10 fewer games). Vancouver just looks like a different team with her in the lineup, although a 110.8 PDO in their last three games plays a large role in that, as their underlying numbers still haven’t been great. Still, they’ll be a team to watch after the Olympic break.
Vancouver is on the road on Wednesday night, taking on the Frost.
8. Seattle Torrent
Record: 4-1-2-6, -7
Last Week: 7th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 8th
Tyler’s Rank: 8th
Scott’s Rank: 7th
Tyler: I thought about keeping Seattle where it was last week, but how the team let an opportunity slip through its fingers on Sunday in Denver reminded me that this team couldn’t find consistency if it slapped them in the face like a flying salmon at Pike Place Fish Market. How the Torrent rallied to beat Toronto last Tuesday gave me a little faith, but if they can’t start putting together the same effort night in and night out, those three games in hand on half of the league won’t matter.
Hunter: The Torrent played like a desperate group in their 2-1 shootout loss to the Fleet, throwing 36 shots on Aerin Frankel and trying to salvage any type of points in the standings. They carried that momentum into the week with an impressive 6-4 win over the Sceptres, a game that saw
You’re also starting to see some Seattle players get on the scoresheet: Julia Gosling has goals in two of her last three games; Jessie Eldridge has three goals and five points in her last four, and Hilary Knight — coming off a 15-goal 2024-25 campaign — scored just her second of the season in their win over Toronto.
The Torrent are in Canada’s capital on Wednesday night, facing the Charge.