PWHL Players of the Week: Pannek, Thompson, Kirk bring some holiday cheer

Though there have been just a few games since the PWHL’s return to play after the international break, a few players made considerable impacts on their teams, including a “rookie” who is one of the best at her position.

Let’s look at three players who were standout performers heading toward the holiday break.

Kelly Pannek (F, Minnesota Frost)

In their one game since the break, the Minnesota Frost came away with a convincing 5-2 win over the Ottawa Charge on Thursday night on home ice. One of the key players that powered the team to victory was Kelly Pannek.

After the Frost fell behind in the first period, the 28-year-old helped turn the tide with her first two goals of the season, including a slick play to beat rookie netminder Gwyneth Philips early in the second period.

With the big night, the former PWHPA veteran is now one of four players on the Frost roster to have four points through the team’s four games. Her efforts are part of the reason Minnesota has won three of its first four games, picking up points in each contest.

Pannek, a U.S. National Team mainstay, was a big part of Minnesota’s run to the Walter Cup last year, and is showing why she’ll be a factor if the team wants to go back-to-back.

Claire Thompson (D, Minnesota Frost)

While she is technically a first-year player in the PWHL, Thompson has been one of the better players in the game for the past few years. Yet, some wondered what condition the 26-year-old would be in after taking the entire 2023-24 season off to pursue her studies.

Those doubters were quieted on Thursday night.

The Toronto native scored a huge goal to put the Frost up by two against the Charge in the third period, ripping a shot by Philips with just a few minutes to go in regulation to put the game away.

The goal was just part of the big night for the Frost’s top pick in this year’s draft. Thompson ended the game with four points, the most any player has posted in a single contest so far this season.

After establishing as a reliable blueliner with Team Canada, Thompson is showing that she has the tools to be one of the best defenders in the PWHL as well.

Raygan Kirk (G, Toronto Sceptres)

When the Toronto Sceptres took Raygan Kirk with the final pick in the 2024 PWHL Draft, I personally wondered how the team would use the NCAA champion goaltender, especially after riding Kristen Campbell almost into the ground during the inaugural season.

Well, Troy Ryan might be more willing to use Kirk after her first-ever start in the league.

The former Ohio State Buckeye had already made her debut in relief earlier this season, but Kirk didn’t look like a fish out of water against the Montreal Victoire on Saturday. Even though she allowed four goals in an overtime loss, she played well enough to give the Sceptres a chance to win.

The Victoire outchanced Toronto on Saturday and controlled the play for most of the contest. Kirk ended up making 35 saves in the losing effort but made some nice stops to give her team some confidence.

With the Sceptres having lost four of their first five games, it will be interesting to see if Ryan puts Kirk and Campbell in a rotation until he gets a definitive No. 1 goaltender because (similar to last season) Campbell has had a bumpy start to the campaign, opening the door for the rookie.

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