Yahoo Sports Which Current PWHL Players Will Someday Be Hall of Fame Bound?
With the dawn of the PWHL, how players are evaluated for the Hockey Hall of Fame will be changed forever. International accolades used to be the primary determinant, and will certainly help, but achievement in the PWHL will be the women's hockey standard for Hall of Fame inclusion moving forward.
There are still players like Jenni Hiirikoski, Lara Stalder, Noora Raty, and Michelle Karvinen who could find their way into the Hall without playing in the PWHL. Hiirikoski and Raty in particular are locks. For all players moving forward, however, not only playing in the PWHL, but thriving, challenging for awards, and earning All-Star recognition will be required for a Hall of Fame career to be considered.
In the PWHL today, there are at least a half dozen future Hall of Famers who have built the international resume, and are now looking to validate it with their PWHL play.
Here's a look at the leading candidates in (and coming to) the PWHL for the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The Sure Things
Marie-Philip Poulin, Montreal Victoire - All the hockey world can do is hope we get a few more years of Captain Clutch the player, and MPP the person. She's done more, quietly, for the game, than many of her peers who have placed themselves in the limelight. Poulin is the greatest player in the world, and built a guaranteed Hall of Fame resume before the PWHL came into existence.
Hilary Knight, Boston Fleet - The all-time leading scorer at the World Championships, Knight has achieved it all internationally. She was a central figure from the PWHPA's side in keeping pro women's hockey moving forward. Whenever Knight calls it quits, the Hall will be waiting, and few in the game are as deserving.
Kendall Coyne Schofield, Minnesota Frost - Her decorated career is unquestionable. While Coyne Schofield hasn't helped her personal legacy in recent years, there's no doubt her playing career will place her as a first ballot Hall of Famer. Both individually and on the team level, there's little Coyne Schofield has not achieved.
The Should Be
Natalie Spooner, Toronto Sceptres - Given the Hockey Hall of Fame's history of excluding worthy women, Spooner might not get first ballot recognition, especially if she retires the same year as some of the above players. She's been an All-Star multiple times on the World stage, was named the IIHF Player of the Year and PWHL's inaugural MVP. There's no questioning the player she is, and Spooner as a person has been a positive leader for the sport.
Brianne Jenner, Ottawa Charge - Jenner's Olympic MVP honor in 2022 should be the icing on the cake in her career. She's highly decorated at the team level, but had lacked the individual accolade until that moment that the Hall has used to justify (and exclude) qualified women. Jenner has been a model of international consistency, and as a founding captain in the PWHL, has earned her place.
The Could Be
Sarah Fillier, New York Sirens - She's likely going to add her first PWHL award this season with Rookie of the Year honors. Already with a World Championship MVP to her name and two World All-Stars, Fillier is stockpiling personal awards. "Should" she win any other individual awards in the PWHL, we can start looking at moving her up a category, but Fillier still has a very long career ahead.
Taylor Heise, Minnesota Frost - Like Fillier, Heise is well on her way to the Hall despite her young career. World Championship MVP, Patty Kazmier Award, PWHL playoff MVP, gold medals and a Walter Cup. Assuming Heise stays healthy and plays out her pro career at a high level, she looks Hall worthy. Similar to Fillier as well, with a long career ahead and the PWHL becoming the new bench mark, should be can move to could be, or it can move to sure thing. The future is yet to be determined.
Ann-Renee Desbiens, Montreal Victoire - Goaltenders are hard to judge, but Desbiens is teetering between "could be" and "should be." She has a World Championship Best Goalie to her name, and is one of the few goaltenders ever to win the Patty Kazmaier. Adding a few All-Star nods in the PWHL would help.
Erin Ambrose, Montreal Victoire - She was the CWHL Defender of the Year, PWHL Defender of the Year, U-18 Worlds Best Defender, and a World Championship All-Star. It's a lot, but the Hall has traditionally used major awards at World tournaments as a determinant. Ambrose has remained world-class throughout her career.
Alex Carpenter - Best Forward at Worlds, a PWHL First Team All-Star, and a Patty Kazmaier, Carpenter has built a good beginning to her resume. She might win the PWHL's scoring crown this season, which would be a major boost to her hopes. Carpenter is in her prime and is one of the most dangerous scorers in the world. A few more individual accolades should boost this up.
Renata Fast, Toronto Sceptres - Best Defender at the World Championships this year, and consistently one of the world's top blueliners for years. If she can add a PWHL Defender of the Year Award, Fast will be a Hall of Famer. Individual accolades might become less important now that the world can see these players on display regularly, but Fast's career is trending toward the Hall.
Sarah Nurse, Toronto Sceptres - Nurse has a few All-Star nods to her name, and has put together a strong career internationally. The next five years in the PWHL will define her Hall status.
The Future Pick
Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin - If this were a year ago, Harvey would already have achieved what she needed in the eyes of the Hall. Three-time World Championship All-Star, Best Defender, USA Hockey Player of the Year, First Team All-American. She's the likely first overall pick for the 2026 PWHL Draft and will immediately be one of the best defenders in the league. She's also arguably the best defender in the world and she's still in college.
Other Names To Watch
Megan Keller, Boston Fleet
Claire Thompson, Minnesota Frost
Aerin Frankel, Boston Fleet
Alina Muller, Boston Fleet
