Frost re-sign Mae Batherson, Claire Butorac to contact extensions
Two players who have been part of the championship culture in the Twin Cities are sticking around.
On Sunday, the Minnesota Frost announced that the team has re-signed forward Claire Butorac and defender Mae Batherson to contract extensions. Butorac is back on a one-year deal for the 2025-26 season, while Batherson has signed a two-year contract that carries through the 2026-27 campaign.
Both players were on the Frost team that won the franchise’s second Walter Cup this past spring, taking down the Ottawa Charge in four games.
Batherson finished up a promising rookie season on one of the better blue lines in the league. She was taken by the Frost in the sixth round of the 2024 PWHL Draft, spending most of her time in a depth role for a team that had Claire Thompson, Sophie Jaques and Lee Stecklein.
The New Minas, Nova Scotia native registered three assists in 25 games during the regular season, posting a plus/minus of +13. She appeared in three of the team’s eight playoff games, but didn’t score a point.
“I’m so pumped to be back in the State of Hockey and playing in front of the best fans in the league,” Batherson said in a release. “I’m looking forward to continuing with the Frost organization and working towards another Walter Cup.”
The former Syracuse and St. Lawrence star will certainly have an elevated role with Jaques and Thompson both signing with the expansion team in Vancouver.
Butorac has been with Minnesota since the league’s inception. She earned a spot on the main roster thanks to an impressive training camp before the inaugural season. After scoring just three points during the 2024 regular season, the Andover, Minnesota native notched three points in the first-ever PWHL Playoffs, including a huge double-overtime goal against top-seeded Toronto.
This past year, Butorac doubled her scoring total from year one, notching two goals and four assists for six points in 29 games. She played six games in the playoffs, but went pointless as the Frost went on to win another title.
“I’m so excited to be back for another season in Minnesota and to be able to play in front of our amazing fans,” Butorac said. “I can’t wait to get back to work with the team and continue to add to the success of our organization in Season Three.”
In 50 regular-season games with the Frost, the 25-year-old has posted three goals and six assists for nine points.
As it stands, Minnesota has nine of a possible 23 players signed through next season. They still have this week’s draft to help bolster the team’s roster, along with re-signing and adding players through free agency.