PWHL Teams’ Underlying Narratives So Far

With each team seven or eight games into the 2024-25 season, there are definite storylines taking shape. With every one-goal, overtime, and shootout game, the PWHL continues to give us compellingly close matchups and dramatic results. That hasn’t changed from season one.

For each of the six teams, however, there are some “big stories” grabbing attention while the subplots are different and less obvious. Let’s take a look at the fine print for all of them.

Boston Fleet

The headline might be their slow start and lack of scoring. The Fleet sits tied for last with some disappointing results, and the objective is simply to try to get points.

The subplot: Hilary Knight is back and gives them real hope at offense. Last year, Knight didn’t have a goal until game six. Observers were speculating about the loss of her impact, possible injury, lack of chemistry, and declining skill. It turns out that Knight was indeed battling a foot injury, and has shown up this season healthy. Surprise! She suddenly has her scoring touch back and is making a difference in every single game for the Fleet. She already has seven points, more than half of what she had last year in 24 games.

Boston is not struggling as mightily as last year just to put the puck in the net as long as Knight looks more like herself. Unfortunately, now it’s Alina Müller who needs to find her game in order for the Fleet to climb out of the bottom.

Montreal Victoire

For the Victoire, their early season is a story of success. They’ve grabbed points in four of their six games, and have been alternating at the top of the standings along with Minnesota.

The subplot: they finally have the depth they didn’t have last year. With some injuries and inconsistencies, their bottom-six forwards were the least used of any team’s, and the falloff after their top D Erin Ambrose (and an injury to Dominika Laskova) left them exposed and relying too heavily on their top players. Perhaps Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey and others spent too much energy getting into the playoffs and when overtime games confronted them against Boston, coach Kori Cheverie didn’t have enough trust in her depth players. This year, with the additions of Cayla Barnes, Jennifer Gardiner, Lina Ljungblom, and Abby Boreen, the forwards are nicely rounded out. Mariah Keopple’s ascension to top-four defender helps as well, and the Victoire look like they can remain in the fight for the top all season.

Ottawa Charge

Emerance Maschmeyer has been the big story in the team’s start. She’s simply stood on her head and gotten the team points in some games that they might have outright lost otherwise. There remains some dissension about whether the team might overuse Maschmeyer again, however.

The subplot: the Charge is gaining points in the one-goal games that they had a knack for giving away last year. It might be the reason they qualify for the the playoffs this season. They lost six games in overtime or shootouts last season, often forfeiting a tying goal late, or blowing leads in spectacular fashion. Those five or six extra points would’ve surely gotten them into the top four teams by season’s end. This year, they’ve already won two games by one goal, including both of their wins against Toronto, although they have also lost three, including a shootout defeat to familiar extra-time foe, Montreal, in the first game of the season.

Minnesota Frost

Just win. The main headline shows that the Frost is cruising along as the best team in the league.

The subplot: Depth is bailing them out as injuries and missing players occur all over the roster. Illness has filtered through several players lately, leaving Taylor Heise, Maddie Rooney, and others out for at least one game. Star defender Sophie Jaques is on LTIR, and was joined there by impressive rookie Dominique Petrie. Grace Zumwinkle was injured in a game this past week against Boston.

But it’s “next player up” for the Frost, with Claire Thompson jumping into a tie for the league’s scoring lead with some brilliant performances. Britta Curl-Salemme has scored several important goals already, and even third goaltender Lucy Morgan stepped up when the two netminders ahead of her were out. It’s not a recipe for long-term success, but creating wins by committee is working right now for the defending champions.

Toronto Sceptres

Their slow start is the surprising headline for last year’s top team, obviously missing the league’s most valuable player, Natalie Spooner, who led them in scoring.

The subplot: The Sceptres have not lived up to the lofty expectations that were created when we looked at their stacked roster of forwards. But the defense has also been under the microscope, and their goaltending has been inconsistent. To help propel the team, GM Gina Kingsbury pulled the trigger on a trade for Savannah Harmon and Hayley Scamurra.

The good news is that last season’s coach of the year, Troy Ryan, is still at the helm and has been working diligently to improve the problem areas that have tripped up the Sceptres. Their penalty killing, faceoffs, and breakouts have been the focus, and if he’s able to continue sorting out these issues, the team can pull itself out of the basement.

New York Sirens

Headline? That’s easy - it’s rookie Sarah Fillier simply blasting out of the gate with four goals and nine points in her first seven games. The chemistry she’s displayed with Alex Carpenter is what everyone is talking about.

The subplot: until the most recent game when Ella Shelton returned (to limited ice time), one of the best defenders in the game was lost to LTIR after just one game. Meanwhile, New York’s defense corps had to adapt on the fly, and Micah Zandee-Hart, Jaime Bourbonnais, as well as rookie Maja Nylen Persson, stepped in beautifully to absorb the minutes that Shelton ate up last season. Persson in particular (last year’s defender of the year in the SDHL) has been quietly immensely impressive. Along with the offense from Fillier and Carpenter, the Sirens’ defense is what has brought them early season success.