PWHL Minnesota | |
---|---|
City | Saint Paul, Minnesota |
League | PWHL |
Founded | August 29, 2023 |
Home arena | Xcel Energy Center |
Colors | Purple, black, white |
Owner(s) | Mark Walter Group |
General manager | Natalie Darwitz |
Head coach | Ken Klee |
Captain | Kendall Coyne Schofield |
Website | minnesota.thepwhl.com |
Current season |
PWHL Minnesota [1] is a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They are one of the six charter franchises of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).
It was revealed on August 29, 2023, that one of the PWHL's first six franchises would be located in Minnesota. [2] Natalie Darwitz, former captain of the United States national team and three-time Olympic medalist, was named the team's general manager. [3] [4] On September 15, former Bethel University men's and women's head coach Charlie Burggraf was announced as the first head coach of the team. [5] However, it was announced on December 27 that Burggraf was stepping down as the team's head coach, and would be replaced by former US national team coach Ken Klee. [6]
The team's three signings in the league's initial free agency period were US national team players Kendall Coyne Schofield, Kelly Pannek, and Lee Stecklein. [7] Minnesota was awarded the right to select first overall in the inaugural PWHL draft through a lottery; with the pick, the team selected Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Taylor Heise. [8]
In November, it was revealed that PWHL Minnesota's colors would be purple, black, and white, and that the team would play at Xcel Energy Center, home of the NHL's Minnesota Wild, in Saint Paul. [9] [10]
Ahead of the team's inaugural game in January 2024, it was announced that Coyne Schofield would serve as team captain, with Pannek and Stecklein serving as assistant captains. [11] The team played its first game on January 3, facing Boston in Lowell, Massachusetts. Heise scored the first goal in franchise history, and Minnesota went on to win by a score of 3–2. [12] Minnesota made its home debut three days later on January 6, defeating Montreal by a score of 3–0 in front of 13,316 fans, which set a new record for attendance at a professional women's hockey game. [13] Grace Zumwinkle recorded a hat-trick in the game, and Maddie Rooney recorded the shutout. [14]
On May 5, 2024 the team secured the fourth seed in the first ever PWHL playoffs. [15] [16]
No. | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
33 | Lauren Bench | G | L | 26 | 2024 | Eagan, Minnesota | |
5 | Nikki Nightengale | D | R | 26 | 2023 | Bloomington, Minnesota | |
24 | Abigail Boreen | F | R | 24 | 2024 | Somerset, Wisconsin | |
Held on September 18, 2023, the inaugural PWHL draft used a "snake draft" format, where the selection order reversed each round. [4] PWHL Minnesota was awarded the first overall selection through a draft lottery. [20]
Rd | Pick | Player | Nationality | Position | Previous team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Taylor Heise | United States | Forward | Minnesota (WCHA) |
2 | 12 | Nicole Hensley | United States | Goaltender | Team Sonnet (PWHPA) |
3 | 13 | Grace Zumwinkle | United States | Forward | Minnesota (WCHA) |
4 | 24 | Maggie Flaherty | United States | Defence | Minnesota Duluth (WCHA) |
5 | 25 | Susanna Tapani | Finland | Forward | KRS Vanke Rays (ZhHL; 2021–22) |
6 | 36 | Clair DeGeorge | United States | Forward | Team Harvey's (PWHPA) |
7 | 37 | Natalie Buchbinder | United States | Defence | Wisconsin (WCHA) |
8 | 48 | Denisa Krizova | Czech Republic | Forward | Minnesota Whitecaps (PHF) |
9 | 49 | Sidney Morin | United States | Defence | Minnesota Whitecaps (PHF) |
10 | 60 | Sophia Kunin | United States | Forward | Team Harvey's (PWHPA) |
11 | 61 | Amanda Leveille | Canada | Goaltender | Minnesota Whitecaps (PHF) |
12 | 72 | Michela Cava | Canada | Forward | Toronto Six (PHF) |
13 | 73 | Liz Schepers | United States | Forward | Minnesota Whitecaps (PHF) |
14 | 84 | Minttu Tuominen | Finland | Defence | Kiekko-Espoo (NSML) |
15 | 85 | Sydney Brodt | United States | Forward | Minnesota Whitecaps (PHF) |
Kendall Coyne Schofield is an American professional ice hockey player and captain for PWHL Minnesota and the United States national team. With the national team, she has won six gold medals at the IIHF World Women's Championships and the gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics. In 2016, she was the winner of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. In January 2017, Coyne was recognized as the recipient of the NCAA Today's Top 10 Award.
Lee Ethel Stecklein is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for PWHL Minnesota of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and a former member of the United States women's national ice hockey team. Stecklein first represented the United States at the 2011 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship, and went on to play at the Winter Olympics in 2014, 2018 and 2022. She played college ice hockey at Minnesota. Stecklein is the only player to win both the NCAA national championship and the IIHF World Women's Championship three times.
The Boston Pride were a professional women's ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They were one of the four charter franchises of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF). The Pride played at Warrior Ice Arena, which is also the practice facility for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. The Pride won the inaugural Isobel Cup in 2016 and became the first professional women's ice hockey team to win three championship titles when they claimed consecutive victories in 2021 and 2022.
The Connecticut Whale were a professional ice hockey team based in the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF). They played in Simsbury, Connecticut at the International Skating Center of Connecticut. The team was established in 2015 as one of the four charter franchises of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL), which became the PHF in 2021. Their name and colors paid homage to the Hartford Whalers, a former NHL and WHA franchise based in Connecticut. The team folded along with the PHF in 2023 as part of the creation of a new, unified women's league, the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).
The Lady Isobel Gathorne-Hardy Cup, often shortened to Isobel Cup, is the championship trophy that was awarded annually to the now defunct Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) playoff winner. The trophy is named after Lady Isobel Gathorne-Hardy, the daughter of Lord Stanley—former Governor-General of Canada and namesake of the Stanley Cup—and one of the first women known to play the game of ice hockey.
Kelly Pannek is an American professional ice hockey player for PWHL Minnesota of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). She previously played in the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association.
Rebecca Leslie is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for PWHL Toronto of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).
Kassidy Sauvé is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender. She is signed in the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL) with SDE Hockey through the 2025–26 season.
The Montreal Force were a professional women's ice hockey team in the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF), based in Montreal, Quebec. The team was established in 2022 and debuted in the 2022–23 PHF season. The Force played only one season, as the PHF's assets were purchased, and the league dissolved, at season's end. This was part of the creation of a new, unified professional women's league, the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).
The Professional Women's Hockey League is a professional women's ice hockey league in North America, wholly owned and operated by the Mark Walter Group. It consists of six franchises, three each from Canada and the United States, who play a regular season to earn one of four places in a postseason tournament that determines winner of the Walter Cup. Differences between the PWHL and other professional hockey leagues include a 3-2-1-0 points system, terminations of penalties following a short-handed goal, best-of-five shootouts, and greater restrictions on body checking. The league's matches are broadcast nationally in Canada by the CBC and TSN, their French-language affiliates Radio-Canada and RDS, and Sportsnet. In the United States, it is broadcast in syndication, while worldwide it is streamed on YouTube.
The 2023–24 PWHL season is the first season of operation of the Professional Women's Hockey League, and began play on January 1, 2024. Six teams compete during the inaugural season, located in Montreal, Toronto, New York, Boston, Ottawa, and Minneapolis–Saint Paul. The season will culminate with a two-round best-of-five playoff including the top four teams to determine the season champion.
Ottawa are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario. They are one of the six charter franchises of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). Ottawa plays its home games at TD Place Arena.
Montreal are a professional women's ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec. They are one of the six charter franchises of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). They play home games at the Place Bell in Laval and the Verdun Auditorium in Verdun.
Toronto are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are one of the six charter franchises of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).
New York is a professional ice hockey team based in the New York metropolitan area. They are one of the six charter franchises of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).
Boston are a professional ice hockey team based in Lowell, Massachusetts. They are one of the six charter franchises of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).
The 2023 PWHL draft was the first draft in Professional Women's Hockey League history, and took place on September 18, 2023, at the Canadian Broadcasting Centre in Toronto, Ontario.
The 2023–24 PWHL Minnesota season is the team's inaugural season as a member of the newly created Professional Women's Hockey League. They play their home games at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
The 2023–24 season is the inaugural season of PWHL Toronto as a member of the newly created Professional Women's Hockey League. They play their home games at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto.
The Professional Women's Hockey League Players Association (PWHLPA) is the labour union for the group of professional hockey players under contract with member teams of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). The Association serves as PWHL players' exclusive collective bargaining agent. Leadership consists of an executive committee and player representatives from each of the six PWHL teams; Brian Burke serves as the executive director.
Teams will also carry 3 reserve players for 2024 season