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For the first time, the PWHL’s most valuable player comes from the crease.
Boston Fleet goaltender Aerin Frankel took home the league’s biggest prize at an awards ceremony on Tuesday in Detroit, one of the cities that will join the league next season. She was also voted goaltender of the year.
“Playing for the Boston Fleet and representing one of the world’s most incredible cities has been nothing short of a dream come true,” Frankel said onstage on Tuesday.
In both speeches, Frankel credited her teammates for making it such a special season.
“I was so fortunate to be surrounded by the best group of players and people that anyone could have hoped for,” she said.
The awards capped off an incredible season for the 27-year-old, who also backstopped the U.S. national team to Olympic gold in February. She earned three shutouts in that tournament, the most for a goaltender at a single Olympics, and finished with a 0.39 goals-against average.
She carried that into the PWHL, where she was the steady and calm last line of defence and a big part of a massive year-over-year turnaround for the Fleet.
Frankel won 19 of her 26 starts, allowing only 31 goals. It was her third consecutive time nominated for the league’s top goaltending award, and first win.
“She’s always taken my mistakes and turned them into routine saves,” Boston Fleet captain Megan Keller said about her goaltender.
Frankel finished just behind Montreal Victoire starter Ann-Renée Desbiens in both save percentage (0.953) and goals-against average (1.17).
Desbiens was also nominated for both MVP and goaltender of the year, after leading the Victoire to first place in the regular-season standings. She went on to backstop the Victoire to its first Walter Cup. (The votes were cast before the playoffs.)
The Ottawa Charge’s Gwyneth Philips was also a finalist for goaltender of the year for the second consecutive season. She earned 16 wins after facing a single-season record of 844 shots.
Boston Fleet clean up
Frankel’s two wins headlined a big night for the Fleet, which became the fastest team in PWHL history to clinch a playoff spot this past season.
Defender Haley Winn took home rookie of the year honours, edging out New York’s Casey O’Brien and former Montreal Victoire defender Nicole Gosling.
Winn, who was also nominated for defender of the year, logged more minutes than any other player in the PWHL in her first campaign. She added 19 points in 30 games in Boston’s standout season.
Keller took home defender of the year honours for the first time, after a previous nomination in 2024. Vancouver’s Sophie Jaques was also a finalist.
She had her best offensive season yet with Boston, posting 22 points while wearing the captain’s C on her sweater for the first time.
“This was some of the most fun I’ve had playing hockey in my career and it’s because of [my teammates],” Keller said in her speech. “We pushed each other, celebrated one another and went through every tough moment together.”
Former head coach Kris Sparre, who is now the head coach of PWHL Hamilton, was voted coach of the year, over Montreal’s Kori Cheverie and Ottawa’s Carla MacLeod.
“[Boston Fleet GM Danielle Marmer] took a chance on me and I really thank her for that,” Sparre said in his acceptance speech.
Minnesota Frost forward Kelly Pannek was voted forward of the year after having the best offensive season of her career.
She led the league in both points (33) and goals (16) on a high-scoring Frost team. Former Ottawa Charge captain Brianne Jenner and Frost forward Taylor Heise were also nominated.
Caroline Harvey, Abbey Murphy, Laila Edwards lead the pack of players who should get drafted at the top of the PWHL draft.
One of the best two-way forwards in women’s hockey, Pannek’s 341 faceoff wins is a marker that ranks third all-time in the PWHL.
“It was such a special team to be a part of,” Pannek said about this year’s Frost team.
The PWHL Draft is set for Detroit on Wednesday.
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