Minnesotan through and through, Natalie Darwitz helping build the PWHL in the State of Hockey
It’s only fitting that Minnesota’s PWHL team – one of the best in the league from Day 1 – is run by a Minnesota native.
Natalie Darwitz has had a decorated career, both as a player and a coach. Born in Eagan, Darwitz won two national championships at the University of Minnesota, and was a three-time world champion with the American senior national team.
After years of both coaching collegiately and at the high school level, Darwitz accepted the challenge of helping build a franchise in her home state. She signed on to be the general manager of PWHL Minnesota last July for the league’s inaugural season. The soon-to-be IIHF Hall of Famer saw it as a chance to build something new, and further helping grow the women’s game.
“It was an opportunity I just could not pass up,” Darwitz said. “To push [women’s hockey] forward.”
The 40-year-old admits she feels like a hypocrite. Before signing on with Minnesota, she accepted an opportunity to be the head coach at the prestigious Hill-Murray School in Maplewood, stepping down from her post as associate head coach with the Golden Gophers. The idea was so she could have a more manageable schedule and spend more time with the family.
But it’s hard to do that when you’re running a professional hockey team. But Darwitz admits the opportunity was one she couldn’t let get away.
“It lit a fire, a passion about it,” Darwitz said. “It hit home. If this were around when we were playing, it would’ve been a dream. For me it was an opportunity, a great way to push the needle forward for women’s hockey. A part of it is, our generation paved the path to get here, a lot of generations did…a lot of people did.
“These athletes today are reaping what past generations showed. So, it’s up to us, and the players, to plant another seed so the future generations can reap what we sew.”
Led by the first overall pick Taylor Heise, as well as captain Kendall Coyne Schofield, and goaltenders Nicole Hensley and Maddie Rooney, Minnesota started the season with wins in their first three games. They didn’t lose in regulation until Jan. 24, the team’s sixth game of the season. They currently sit tied for first with Montreal with 15 points, led by five wins split between regulation and overtime.
Given her extended experience as a coach, Darwitz was careful in how the team was constructed and was very confident with her lineup heading into the season.
“I don’t mean to sound cocky,” Darwitz chuckled. “I think it’s important, not only to draft players that have a high level on the ice, I look at it more importantly off the ice. I believe that, when we drafted this team, our locker room would be really great. We have great leaders in Kelly [Pannek], Lee [Stecklein] and Kendall [Coyne Schofield]. We also have great leaders in rookies Grace Zumwinkle and Taylor Heise. For me, it was, ‘what ingredients go well together?’ You have to be able to pair things with each other well, that compliment each other.”
It wasn’t a smoothly paved road for Darwitz and Co., as she had navigated through uncharted waters before the season even started. Sydney Brodt suffered a lower-body injury during preseason camp and became the first player to be placed on long-term injured reserve. Then, just a week before their first game, Charlie Burggraf resigned as head coach, which led to the team hiring former NHL defenseman Ken Klee.
Darwitz admitted that facing unwelcomed surprises before game one was a challenge.
“A hockey season is unique,” she said. “Whatever you prepare for, it’s not gonna happen. You got to go with the hand you’re dealt with. It was unfortunate with Charlie…it felt like a new start when Ken came in. [The league] interviewed him for the GM position, so they were comfortable with bringing him in.”
Darwitz explained that Brodt is expected to start skating with the team after the All-Star break, with the hopes that she will be able to join the lineup after the World Championships in April.
While the team’s success on the ice is impressive, the reception for the franchise has been even more fascinating. Minnesota had the daunting task of playing in the Xcel Energy Center, an arena with a capacity of over 18,000. Yet, they proved many skeptics wrong when 13,316 showed up for their home opener against Montreal on Jan. 6, setting the record for the largest crowd to watch a professional women’s hockey game.
While the attendance hasn’t quite reached those levels since, Minnesota has averaged 7,743 per game – good for first in the league. Darwitz says the passion for the sport, along with the buzz about the new league, has carried interest through Minnesota’s first four home games.
“The product on the ice has been great. The build-up surrounding it got people excited, and they’re continuing to show up. I think when something’s new and exciting, it gets people excited and gets them into the building.”
Darwitz says that attendance might grow past its record-setting home opener if the team makes the playoffs.
One thing that has caught her off guard is how even casual fans and sports media are paying attention, talking about the team in the same light as they would the Wild or the Vikings.
“After our last home game, on the way home, I just turned on the radio, and ‘well, the Wild lost, 3-2, but the PWHL Minnesota team won.’ Just to hear that on a normal broadcast of what you hear every day, like the weather, it was so cool.”
Darwitz knows the tough part will be keeping interest through the regular season.
“I’m not being pessimistic, I’m being realistic. The newness will be gone. Now, it’s about sustaining [interest] and continuing to build it. We got a couple of great ideas in our organization of how we’re going to get out into the community and get people in our seats to watch the games.”