Ranking the top 20 PWHL players in league history
As we grind through the summer months and wait for the puck to drop on the fourth season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, it’s time to briefly look back on the names who have stood out in the league’s short history.
No one could’ve predicted the success of the PWHL, and it has led to players taking their talents to the big stage. Great players have made themselves superstars, and the Olympic heroes have solidified their legacies with the league’s platform.
Today, we look at the top 20 players who have laced up their skates in the PWHL so far.
Honorable Mention
Kristyna Kaltounkova (New York Sirens), Nicole Gosling (Montreal, Hamilton), Casey O’Brien (New York Sirens)
I had to mention these two youngsters, as they both made significant impacts in their first years in the league. Kaltounkova came out guns-a-blazing, and had it not been for a knee injury, she might’ve been in the running for Rookie of the Year. Gosling was actually one of the three finalists for the honor, as she played big minutes on a Victoire team that won the Walter Cup for the first time. O’Brien was also a finalist for the RoY after a strong second half of the season, leading all rookies with 22 points last year.
20. Alina Muller, Forward (Boston, Hamilton)
Muller has been one of the best Europeans in women’s hockey for close to a decade. In the first few years of the Boston Fleet, she was a catalyst for an offense that struggled at times, scoring clutch goals as the team managed to make it to the playoffs twice. This past year, she posted a career-best 21 points, adding to a memorable year where she helped Switzerland win the bronze medal at the Winter Olympics. Muller is tied for 10th in league history with 56 points.
19. Renata Fast, Defender (New York, Toronto)
Fast was very high up on my list last year, but dipped after what was a rough season with the Toronto Sceptres. The 2025 Defender of the Year struggled to find the same level of success on what was a bad year for the Sceptres. Yet, Fast’s ability to be an efficient two-way blueliner has kept her status as one of the best players at her position in the world. With 45 points in 80 regular-season games, Fast is the third-highest scoring blueliner in league history.
18. Brianne Jenner, Forward (Ottawa, Hamilton)
It’s crazy to think that Jenner wasn’t even on this list last year, but a sensational 2025-26 campaign reassured many that she still is one of the best players in the game today. With a career-high 26 points last year, the former Charge captain finished fourth in the league in scoring and was named a finalist for Forward of the Year. She has also played an important role in leading Ottawa to consecutive Walter Cup Finals, despite losing both times.
17. Kelly Pannek, Forward (Minnesota Frost)
She might not have the same “name brand” as some of her American teammates, but Pannek’s scoring ability finally came to fruition last year. She led the PWHL in goals (16), while setting a new league record with 33 points. It helped the Minnesota native earn both the Points Leader and Top Goal Scorer Award, and was named Forward of the Year. With the fact that she’s only going to see more top-line minutes next year, Pannek will have an even better chance to pad her stat line.
Cap Summary
Draft Picks
16. Hilary Knight, Forward (Boston, Seattle, Detroit)
I wasn’t sure if I should have Knight this high up after this past season, but she was still a bright spot on a terrible Seattle Torrent team. The fact that she managed to post 14 points in 22 games on that squad, while coming back from a torn MCL that she suffered at the Winter Olympics, is worth recognizing. The 2025 Co-Points Leader Award winner ranks 12th all-time in league scoring with 54 points, and tied for 13th in points per game (0.71).
15. Haley Winn, Defender (Boston Fleet)
What a great first impression, eh? We knew how great Winn was through her first years with the U.S. National Team and at Clarkson, but how she made the transition to the professional ranks look so seamless is astounding. Winn immediately played a top-pair role alongside captain Megan Keller (more on her in a minute) and helped run one of the best defenses in the league last year. Her 19 points placed her second among rookies, and third among rearguards. The Rochester, N.Y. native also led the league in average time on ice (26:45), was a finalist for Defender of the Year, while being named Rookie of the Year.
14. Jessie Eldridge, Forward (New York, Seattle, Boston, Montreal)
Quietly one of the most consistent offensive weapons in the league over the course of three years. Even after two years on lackluster teams in New York, Eldridge has found ways to put the puck in the back of the net on a consistent basis. She finally found herself on a good team last year, as she was traded to the Fleet by the Torrent ahead of the trade deadline. Eldridge immediately became the team’s top scorer, finishing tied for second with 14 goals and tied for fifth in the league with 23 points. She’s also tied for seventh in PWHL history with 61 points in 84 games.
13. Sarah Nurse, Forward (Toronto, Vancouver)
While she might not be the same player that she was four or five years ago, Nurse is still out there showing that she has the skills to be a star in this league. After a down season with the Sceptres two years ago, the Hamilton, Ont. native almost averaged a point per game with the Goldeneyes, despite nearly missing half the season due to injury. With 52 points in 64 games in the league, Nurse is sixth in points per game (0.81).
12. Gwyneth Philips, Goaltender (Ottawa Charge)
I don’t think there’s a bigger workhorse in the league right now than Gwyneth Philips. After an eye-opening rookie season, where she dragged the Charge to the Walter Cup Final, taking home the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP Award in the process, the right-handed netminder played in all but two games during the regular season and outplayed her U.S. goaltending partner, Aerin Frankel, in the semifinals. She then gave the Victoire a run for their money in the final. Philips ranks fourth all-time with a .928 save percentage.
11. Laura Stacey, Forward (Montreal Victoire)
The fast and thrilling Laura Stacey is a darling to seemingly all women’s hockey fans. A highlight reel waiting to happen, Stacey has complemented her partner Marie-Philip Poulin since the league’s inaugural season, and has consistently produced at a high level. This past spring, she played a huge role in Montreal’s championship run, posting seven points in nine postseason contests. With 62 points in 80 regular-season affairs, Stacey ranks sixth in all-time scoring and tied for ninth in points per game (0.78).
10. Sophie Jaques, Defender (Boston, Minnesota, Vancouver)
Just a fun and dynamic player to watch on a nightly basis. Even on a Goldeneyes team that was an eyesore at times last year, Jaques proved why she’s so highly regarded by peers and pundits alike. She was a key part of the Frost’s back-to-back Walter Cups, and is expected to play a big role as Vancouver vies for an improved second season in the PWHL. The Patty Kaz winner has scored more points (52) in the regular season, with her 12 playoff points placing her second.
9. Alex Carpenter, Forward (New York, Seattle)
Whenever I watch Carpenter play for Team USA, I wonder how much better she’d be on a good PWHL team. In each of her three seasons, she’s been on a last-place club, but still ranks among the best in the league in scoring. With the awful Torrent last season, the former Siren posted 20 points, finishing tied for sixth in the league with 12 goals. The 32-year-old is tied for third all-time with 63 points in the regular season.
8. Kendall Coyne Schofield, Forward (Minnesota Frost)
One of the stars of women’s hockey for close to a decade, Coyne Schofield has been efficient over the past couple of years. She was an essential cog in the wheel in Minnesota that led to the Frost setting a record for goals in a single season (91), with the 34-year-old finding the back of the net 12 times, posting 23 points. While her future on the ice is unclear, there’s no question that KCS will go down as one of the best ever. She’s tied for fourth with Carpenter with 63 points, and is fourth with 0.82 points per game.
7. Ann-Renée Desbiens, Goaltender (Montreal Victoire)
An all-world goaltender who always finds a way to rise to the occasion, Desbiens finally proved doubters wrong this past spring as she backstopped the Victoire to the Cup. It was a long time coming for the Canadian National Team star, as she has been one of the PWHL’s star netminders since Day 1. Desbiens ranks first all-time in wins (41), goals-against average (1.66) and save percentage (.938).
6. Daryl Watts, Forward (Ottawa, Toronto, Detroit)
Watts is a little bit lower down the list compared to last year, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think any less of her. Even on a Scepters team that posted a league-worst 51 goals last year, the Toronto native managed to score 10 goals, making her the only player in PWHL history to have hit double digits in each of the first three seasons of the league’s existence. Her play led to her earning a four-year contract with Detroit, the longest deal in PWHL history.
5. Megan Keller, Defender (Boston Fleet)
Keller is just head-and-shoulders above the rest. An outstanding blueliner with so many intangibles, there are very few flaws in her game. She can score, defend, make plays, and lay the body. She was able to put it all together this past season, posting a career-high 22 points, good for the lead among defenders, and earning the title as Defender of the Year. Keller is second to Jaques in defensive scoring, with 50 points in 84 regular-season contests.
4. Taylor Heise, Forward (Minnesota Frost)
The first-ever draft pick in the PWHL remains one of the best players the game has ever seen. Heise has all the tools and is already a future Hall of Famer. She joined her Frost teammate, Kelly Pannek, as the first two players in league history to reach 30 points in a single season, with Heise showing her goal-scoring prowess with a career-best 13 goals, placing her tied for fourth in the league. Heise’s 65 career points place her second all-time, with her 40 points placing her tied for the most in league history with Alina Muller.
3. Aerin Frankel, Goaltender (Boston Fleet)
I know what you’re thinking, “But Tyler, why is Frankel ahead of Desbiens with the latter having better stats?” Well, random reader, if you’ve watched what Frankel has been able to do with the Fleet, you’d understand why she’s many people’s choice as the best goaltender in women’s hockey. The Green Monster helped Boston deliver its best season in franchise history, posting a league record eight shutouts, earning both the Goaltender of the Year and Billie Jean King MVP honors.
2. Sarah Fillier, Forward (New York Sirens)
Just a thrilling player to watch, especially since Fillier manages to make it look so effortless. Even while the Sirens remain a doormat for the rest of the league, the Princeton grad has continued to be a bright spot with her extensive skill and offensive pizzaz. Thankfully, she’s finally getting some support in the ways of O’Brien and Kaltounkova. With 52 points in 59 regular-season affairs, Fillier ranks second in career points per game (0.88), only trailing…
1. Marie-Philip Poulin, Forward (Montreal Victoire)
Once again, Poulin tops the list…though it shouldn’t be a surprise. The GOAT continues to live up to her title, and finally won the big one in the PWHL. After battling injury through the Olympics and missing most of the second half of the regular season. Poulin returned to post eight points in the playoffs, matching herself with teammate Abby Roque, helping the Victoire win the Walter Cup, and earning playoff MVP honors in the process. No. 29 is No. 1 all-time in regular-season goals (38), points (67), points per game (0.96) and game-winning goals (10)…go figure.
