Top 10 Women's Hockey Stories Of 2024

2024 will forever be remembered as the founding year of the PWHL. Puck dropped on New Years Day 2024, which was followed by one of the most exciting and compelling seasons of hockey, in any league, ever.

Speckling the season were achievements at all levels from the NCAA, to international competition, and everything in between. Here's a look at the 10 ten women's hockey stories that made headlines in 2024.

10. Close But No Kessel

Fans were excited to learn that Amanda Kessel had declared for the PWHL Draft. The American national team star has been considered one of the best players in the world for a decade. She was also currently working for the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. Due to her status as an elite forward, fans were shocked to see Kessel slip from the opening rounds, and the middle rounds of the 2024 PWHL Draft, and fall all the way to the second last pick of the draft when the Montreal Victoire chose the star. Sadly, the result was predestined as Kessel had no intention to play for any other team than the Boston Fleet, meaning she chose not to play, and instead took an assistant general manager role within the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. We were so close to seeing Kessel in the PWHL, but sadly, it wasn't meant to be.

9. Bringing Back The Body

Body checking was removed by men from women's hockey in 1992. 32 years later, the artifact was returned by the founding women of the PWHL who wanted it back in the game. There were alterations made, restricting opposite direction open ice hits that are most likely to cause injury, and far stricter protections against head contact, but the game returned with a noticeably physical flavor. Fans loved it, and more importantly, the powerful players competing in the game loved it. Body checking will likely find its way into IIHF competition, and more physical styles of women's hockey are likely to be implemented into NCAA and elite Junior competitions to help prepare athletes for the pros. Fast and physical, the PWHL's level of excitement was off the charts.

8. New Rules Continue To Interest Fans

Fans were enthralled with the jailbreak, as the most notable adaptation to the sport in year one. The rule allowed teams to "free" penalized players by scoring while shorthanded. There was also the choose your own opponent rule for playoffs, a 3-2-1 point scheme, and the Gold Plan for deciding the draft order. In year two, it was the novel 'No Escape Rule' that interested fans, coaches, and players trapping players on the ice after a penalty was assessed. For better or worse, the PWHL seems intent on putting their own spin on the sport and innovating away from the uncreative path the NHL has followed.

7. First Overall Fillier

After Taylor Heise became the PWHL's first ever first overall pick in 2023, there were big shoes to fill in 2024. Sarah Fillier stepped up to the plate and hit a home run earning a consensus look at the PWHL's first overall pick for the 2024 Draft. She was selected by the New York Sirens, who won the first overall pick by earning the most points after their elimination from the playoffs under the PWHL's innovative Gold Plan. In her opening games of the 2024-25 season, Fillier did not disappoint.

6. Finally, Team Names Are Unveiled

After an initial batch of proposed PWHL team names were leaked, and then swiftly criticized to the point of no return, the PWHL went back to the drawing board. It resulted in a full season of nameless teams, but leading into the PWHL's second season, six logos, names, and new jerseys were announced. The team names the league settled on where the Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montreal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Sceptres.

5. Canada Wins Gold In Utica

Not to be outdone, Canada and USA put on an epic display at the 2024 World Championships battling to a 6-5 overtime final in the gold medal game. After the back and forth of the game, Danielle Serdachny, who would go on to be the second overall pick in the 2024 Draft, scored the golden goal for Canada in overtime in Utica, New York. With the PWHL, there were many changes to international play, including the shortening of the Rivalry Series, and Canadian and American involvement at the Women's Euro Hockey Tour. The international stage was set in 2024 as the world moves toward the 2026 Olympic Games.

4. Attendance Records Smashed Time and Time Again

Attendance records fell first in Ottawa, then Minnesota, then Montreal, followed by Toronto, in Detroit and Montreal again in year one. At the end of the day, the Canadian attendance record was broken four separate times topping out at 21,105 fans to watch Toronto and Montreal play at the Bell Centre. Minnesota briefly held the all-time professional women's hockey league attendance record and American attendance records. The American record was broken by a neutral site game in Detroit with 13,736 in attendance at Little Caesars Arena to see Ottawa play Boston.

3. Darwitz Drama Unfolds In Minnesota Power Struggle

There was no more talked about, read about, or debated about story in the PWHL in 2024 than how the league dealt with Hall of Famer Natalie Darwitz. According to numerous reports, head coach Ken Klee and captain Kendall Coyne Schofield were part of a push to oust their general manager only days after Minnesota won the first ever Walter Cup. In fact, many of Minnesota's on and off ice staff either quit or were removed in year one as an internal power struggle between Minnesota's veteran players and management unfolded. Coupled with reports of a toxic environment and bullying in Minnesota, the PWHL's success in year one was rapidly tarnished by the off ice antics and drama in Minnesota.

2. Minnesota Wins First Ever Walter Cup

It took until game five of the Walter Cup finals, but PWHL Minnesota hoisted the first Walter Cup beating Boston three games to two. It was an exciting run that saw Taylor Heise named Playoff MVP, and heroics from Michela Cava for Minnesota, while Boston rode the goaltending of Aerin Frankel to the finals before falling to Minnesota. Minnesota entered the playoffs as the fourth ranked team, barely squeaking in before upsetting Toronto in the opening round.

1. Puck Drops On First Ever PWHL Season

There was no bigger story in 2024 than the PWHL's inaugural season. It all started on January 1, 2024 when Alex Carpenter and Blayre Turnbull stepped in for a draw at Mattamy Athletic Centre to drop the puck between the then named PWHL Toronto and PWHL New York. Season one played 70 games in Boston, New York, Minnesota, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa in front of passionate fans. Season two expanded the season schedule from 24 games to 30 per team, as more talent continued to flow into the world's new best league. Toronto would finish atop the PWHL standings in year one with Natalie Spooner leading the league in scoring, and being named MVP.