PWHL Players of the Week: Fillier, Jaques and Schroeder start strong
Season two of the PWHL is underway and we’ve already seen some big performances throughout the league. This year’s first overall pick already looks like a star, a top pick from last year is thriving on the blue line, and one of the game’s best goalies is starting to get some attention.
Here’s this week’s Daily Faceoff PWHL Players of the Week.
Sarah Fillier (F, New York Sirens)
Taken No. 1 overall in the 2024 PWHL Draft, Fillier has been everything promised and more through her first two professional games. In the season opener, she had two assists and helped the New York Sirens take down the defending Walter Cup champion Minnesota Frost.
The sauce from Sarah Fillier 😮💨😮💨
The 2024 first-overall pick has her first career PWHL point. pic.twitter.com/QOKmUw6Abj
— Hailey Salvian (@hailey_salvian) December 2, 2024
Fillier then followed it up with a two-goal, three-point performance just days later against the Montreal Victoire.
“I don’t know that there’s a person around the hockey world that didn’t think she could come in and dominate,” Sirens Head Coach Greg Fargo said after the game. “I think Sarah was ready for this challenge and for the next level, because she’s been dominating since college prior to getting here.”
Two games in, that much is certain.
Sophie Jaques (D, Minnesota Frost)
The 2023 Patty Kazmaier Award winner was one of Minnesota’s better defenders in the second half of last season and as they reached the Walter Cup finals, and that strong play has carried into 2024-25.
Averaging more than 23 minutes per game, Jaques has been a two-way machine, with a team-leading 14 shots through three games, an assist in all three and responsible play in her own end, with a plus-four rating.
With Claire Thompson and Lee Stecklein by her side, Minnesota may have the strongest defensive corps in the league, an embarrassment of riches for a team that already has its share of gold.
Corinne Schroeder (G, New York Sirens)
Schroeder was arguably the league’s best goaltender last season, but it wasn’t enough to help New York climb from the bottom of the standings. But with two wins in their first two games, and improved talent through the lineup, Schroeder is getting some much-deserved attention.
In the season opener, the Frost were all over Minnesota, scoring two goals quick and outshooting them 15-3 in the first period. But New York came back and Schroeder kept them in the game, stopping 22 of the next 23 shots and getting the Sirens to overtime, where 19 seconds in, Alex Carpenter scored to give New York the win.
Schroeder wound up stopping 35 of 38 shots, and followed that up with a 28-save performance in their 4-1 win over the Victoire a few days later. It’s just two games, but there’s plenty to cheer about in the Big Apple.