PWHL Power Rankings: Victoire continue to set the pace in three-horse race
With the New Year in full swing, we see three times attempting to separate themselves from the rest of the PWHL, making the playoff race very intriguing as we trek through the frigid month of January.
Hunter Crowther and Tyler Kuehl lay out where the teams are after the first few days of 2025.
1. Montreal Victoire
Record: 3-2-1-1, +2
Last Week: 1st
Hunter’s Rank: 1st
Tyler’s Rank: 1st
Hunter: Even after losing in a shootout to Boston on Sunday, the Victoire is the best team in the PWHL after a month an chdange. But what stands out is how they don’t have any one player who is pulling away in goals or points: in fact, Montreal’s leading scorer – Abby Boreen and her five points – is tied for 15th in league scoring.
No, what stands out for the Victoire is how they bring a team effort every night, with eight players recording at least three points. It doesn’t hurt to have two all-world netminders in Ann-Renee Desbiens and Elaine Chuli, leading the club with a .920 save percentage (SV%) and a combined goals against average (GAA) a shade over two.
Side note: when the league expands, will a team try to add Chuli? There’s a case to be made she’s one of the game’s best and she deserves a starting role.
Tyler: As much as I want to harp on Montreal for squandering a two-goal lead to the Fleet, letting its four-game win streak wither away with a shootout defeat, there is still a lot going right with this team. The stars are scoring, Abby Boreen has certainly thrown any and all doubts of her commitment out the window with how she’s played over the past few games and they have the grit to win close games.
Not to mention, we saw some vintage Ann-Renée Desbiens in Seattle on Sunday. Even though she came up on the losing end, the Team Canada backstop made numerous 10-bell saves to keep that game from ending in regulation and overtime. If she can bring that A-plus-level of play every game, Montreal might never lose again.
The Victoire continues their Western road trip when they face the Toronto Sceptres in Vancouver on Wednesday.
2. New York Sirens
Record: 3-1-1-2, +6
Last Week: 3rd (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 2nd
Tyler’s Rank: 2nd
Tyler: Every time I think the Sirens are about to take a downturn like last year, they do something like they did on Saturday against the defending champs. Injuries aside, New York went into St. Paul and hammered the Frost. It was the first time this season that New York actually looked like the better team.
After losing back-to-back games, doing so in a close manner, you could’ve thought this was how things were going to be for the Charge. Yet, not only did Sarah Fillier, Jessie Elridge, and Alex Carpenter step up, but Abby Roque (who’s been quiet) scored, and Chloe Aurard’s line looked a lot better. Seeing production from the expected secondary scorers is crucial for the Sirens’ future success.
Hunter: I remember after the Sirens beat the Frost in the season opener, part of me thought, “It’s nice they got off to a good start, hopefully they can be competitive this season.” Then they won another, then they played well in their losses, and now, seven games in, New York has 12 points, third in the standings with a game in hand over second-place Minnesota.
We’re not even a quarter into the year, but it’s just nice to see a team that was a “deserved” last-place team improve the following season. Also, apart from the stars like Carpenter and 2024 No. 1 pick Fillier, it’s nice to see increased production from the likes of Eldridge and Micah Zandee-Hart.
The Sirens take on the Ottawa Charge on Tuesday night.
3. Minnesota Frost
Record: 3-2-1-2, +2
Last Week: 3rd (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 3rd
Tyler’s Rank: 3rd
Hunter: The Frost squeaked out a win after being outplayed by the Fleet and were subsequently stomped out by the Sirens, marking the second of back-to-back weeks Minnesota looked…meh.
Claire Thompson continues to look like one of the game’s best players after stepping away from the game for medical school, and Britta Curl-Salemme seems comfortable at the professional level. She missed Saturday’s game vs. New York due to suspension, but after losing 5-0, it might have highlighted her value to the lineup.
The Frost face the Fleet again this Wednesday, then take on the Victoire on Sunday. Both games will be a good test for a Minnesota group looking to regain its footing.
Tyler: With how many injuries this team has, I have no idea how they continue to stay afloat. Rookie of the year Grace Zumwinkle is still out with an injury, though the team isn’t sure if they are going to put her on LTIR or if she’s returning soon. With Nicole Hensley randomly leaving Saturday’s game due to injury, it has put the Frost’s seemingly top-notch goaltending tandem into disarray.
The drubbing at the hands of the Sirens shows this team struggles when all hands aren’t on deck and gives us a glimpse of what we saw in the second of the last season before their run to the championship. If they don’t get healthy soon, Ken Klee and Melissa Caruso better start making calls to get some talent in there to avoid disaster.
The Frost are back in action on Wednesday when they host the Boston Fleet.
4. Ottawa Charge
Record: 3-0-1-3, -2
Last Week: 4th
Hunter’s Rank: 4th
Tyler’s Rank: 4th
Tyler: This team is stressing me out.
The Charge’s wins last week show they can be that plucky team they were last year. Hanging on by the skin of their teeth to beat the better teams in the league. Even though they were brutally outplayed in victories over the Sirens and Sceptres, Emeranche Maschmeyer saved the day. While that’s great, if they cannot find a way to give their star netminder a break, the wheels might fall off.
Now, there is still time for things to change, and I believe Victoria Bach can be a viable asset upfront once she finds her footing, but Ottawa is playing with fire right now, and they’ll get burned eventually if they’re not careful.
Hunter: In a six-team league, you’re going to have games where a goalie steals a win for their team, and that’s what the Force had when Maschmeyer stopped 38 of 39 shots against the Sceptres last week. The 30-year-old netminder has a .938 SV% and 2.00 GAA through six appearances and was singlehandedly the reason for their wins against Toronto and the Sirens.
As I mentioned last week, the addition of Jocelyne Larocque needs to jumpstart improved defensive play for Ottawa if they want to sustain any long-term success. Brianne Jenner needs to find the back of the net, and the likes of Danielle Serdachny and Katerina Mrazova have to generate more on net, but they’ve got some ingredients. They just need to forge the recipe.
The Charge gets ready to battle with New York on Tuesday night.
5. Boston Fleet
Record: 2-1-1-4, -4
Last Week: 6th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 5th
Tyler’s Rank: 5th
Hunter: After losing two games to close out 2024, the Fleet has earned points in both of their 2025 contests and, in my view, been the far better team. Hilary Knight and Alina Muller are taking plenty of shots, and Megan Keller is on pace to pass last season’s point totals by the end of February.
I also think this team has some grit to them: it feels like they’re clearing Aerin Frankel’s crease after every whistle, and they’re intentionally creating havoc in front of the opponent’s net every chance they get. They’re in one, alright.
Tyler: I was ready to send this team to the bottom of the Seattle Sound the way they started against the Victoire on Sunday. However, Courtney Kessel’s team showed me something last week that we’ve only seen a few times this year. Fight, but with merit. They erased a two-goal deficit to salvage a point against the Frost last Thursday, before coming back from 2-0 down to beat Montreal in a shootout.
I will say that the lack of finish is still concerning (except for you, Susanna Tapani). However, if Aerin Frankel can hold firm and keep them in games like she did last week, Boston can creep back into the playoff conversation.
Boston will be visiting Minnesota in its next game on Wednesday.
6. Toronto Sceptres
Record: 2-0-1-4, -4
Last Week: 5th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 6th
Tyler’s Rank: 6th
Hunter: It’s funny, everyone and their Aunt Sue thought the Sceptres won the blockbuster trade between them and the Charge, and if you watched the two teams play on New Year’s Eve, you’d think they were the better team. But a regulation loss leaves you with less than nothing, and this talented Toronto squad now finds itself with just two wins in its first seven games.
In the NHL, U.S. Thanksgiving is the quarter-season mark, and how your team has performed up until that point, well, that’s who you are. We’re at the seven- or eight-game mark for a lot of these teams, which is the quarter-season equivalent. If that’s the case, Toronto has not played up to what we expect of them. You can blame injuries or a lack of finish, but at some point, you are what you are. Is it too early to say this is who Toronto is? Time will tell.
Tyler: Four losses in five games.
I don’t care if they don’t have Natalie Spooner. The excuses are out the door. This team needs to figure it out and fast. Yes, they got goalie’d by Maschmeyer on New Year’s Eve, but this team is good enough that they should be skating circles around their opponents. In a way, they did that against the Charge, but they need to do it more often if they want to be playoff threats.
Sticking with the Toronto theme, the Sceptres are looking like the Toronto Blue Jays. Tons of talent, but zero results. If they want to climb up these rankings, let alone the standings, Troy Ryan needs to get this team playing at a top-tier level every night. Hopefully, the week off pays dividends.
Toronto heads to Vancouver for the second stop of the Takeover Tour, taking on the rival Victoire on Wednesday.