Frost signs Maddie Rooney to three-year contract extension
One of the goaltenders part of the PWHL’s early dynasty is sticking around the Twin Cities.
On Tuesday, the Minnesota Frost announced that the team has signed goaltender Maddie Rooney to a three-year contract extension that will carry through the 2027-28 season.
“It’s been such an honor to play professional hockey in my home state these past two seasons,” Rooney said in a release. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to continue my career in front of the best fans, friends and family. Can’t wait to get started next season.”
The signing of Rooney ensures that the duo, which has tended the Minnesota net since day one, remains intact, as Nicole Hensley is under contract through the 2025-26 campaign.
Rooney and Hensley have been key parts in the Frost winning the league’s first two Walter Cups. During the league’s inaugural season, Rooney appeared in 10 games, with Hensley playing a few more. The two goaltenders split time during the playoffs, with Minnesota going on to beat Boston in a thrilling five-game final.
This past season, while Hensley’s game took a noticeable dip, Rooney took the reins as the starter for long stretches of the regular season. She posted an 8-7-1 record with a 2.07 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage and two shutouts.
The 27-year-old played five of Minnesota’s eight games in the playoffs, winning two of the three games in the final against the Ottawa Charge to clinch the championship.
In 29 career games with the Frost, Rooney has a record of 13-10-3, with a 2.08 GAA, a .910 SV% and four shutouts. She’s 8-2 in the playoffs with a 1.46 GAA and .939 SV%.
Along with her PWHL career, Rooney also has some hardware from the international game. With Team USA, the former Minnesota-Duluth star has won gold at three IIHF Women’s World Championships and the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. She was also on the American team that brought home the silver medal from the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.
With Rooney staying on board, the defending champions have 10 of a possible 23 players signed on through next season.