DETROIT – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) today announced its award winners for the 2025-26 regular season during the 2026 PWHL Awards presented by Ally Financial. The event was held Tuesday evening in Detroit.
2026 PWHL AWARD WINNERS AND ALL-STAR TEAMS
Billie Jean King MVP Award and Goaltender of the Year presented by Rogers:
Aerin Frankel (Boston Fleet)
Frankel, a 26-year-old from Chappaqua, NY, is the first goaltender in league history to earn MVP honors and was instrumental in Boston’s record season, posting multiple PWHL single-season benchmarks including 19 wins in 26 starts (tied with Ann-Renée Desbiens), eight shutouts, and 18 games allowing one or fewer goals against. She is the first goaltender in PWHL history to post three consecutive shutouts, spanning a streak of 226:09, and finished the season with a career-best 1.17 goals-against average and .953 save percentage.
MVP finalists were Desbiens (Montréal Victoire) and Kelly Pannek (Minnesota Frost), with Desbiens also voted a finalist for Goaltender of the Year along with Gwyneth Philips (Ottawa Charge). Montréal’s Marie-Philip Poulin was the 2025 recipient of the MVP award and Desbiens was the 2025 recipient of Goaltender of the Year.
Forward of the Year:
Kelly Pannek (Minnesota Frost)
Pannek, a 30-year-old from Plymouth, MN, also took home the league’s Points Leader and Top Goal Scorer awards after pacing the league with 16 goals and a PWHL single-season record 33 points in 30 games for Minnesota. The Frost alternate captain contributed to 36.3 percent of the team’s record 91 goals this season, leading the league with a 27.6 shooting percentage, seven power-play goals, and a PWHL-record 14 assists on even-strength goals.
Finalists for the award were Taylor Heise (Minnesota Frost) and Brianne Jenner (Ottawa Charge). Poulin was the 2025 recipient of the award.
Defender of the Year:
Megan Keller (Boston Fleet)
Keller, a 30-year-old from Farmington, MI, tied the PWHL single-season record among blue liners with 22 points in 30 games, highlighted by seven goals and 15 assists. The Fleet captain led rearguards in game-winning goals (three) and power-play tallies (four), and on April 25, became the second defender in PWHL history to reach 50 career regular-season points.
Finalists for the award were Sophie Jaques (Vancouver Goldeneyes) and Haley Winn (Boston Fleet). Toronto’s Renata Fast was the 2025 recipient of the award.
Rookie of the Year presented by Ally Financial:
Haley Winn (Boston Fleet)
Winn, a 22-year-old from Rochester, NY, is the first defender in league history to win the award, tying for second among rookies and third among all rearguards with 19 points in 30 games. As a testament to her two-way impact, the Fleet second overall pick became the first rookie defender all-time to record five goals in a single season, while her 802:42 time on ice (26:45 per game), set a new PWHL single-season record.
Finalists for the award were Nicole Gosling (Montréal Victoire) and Casey O’Brien (New York Sirens). New York’s Sarah Fillier was the 2025 recipient of the award.
Coach of the Year:
Kris Sparre (Boston Fleet)
Sparre, a native of Mississauga, ON, led Boston to second place in the PWHL standings with a 16-5-4-5 record, good for a share of the league’s all-time single-season-best of 62 points while showing the most significant year-over-year improvement with six more wins and 18 more points than the team’s 2024-25 results. The Fleet registered a league-best 23 game-opening goals, and their defense allowed 45 goals against for second fewest in the league and a 31-goal improvement from the 2024-25 season.
Finalists for the award were Kori Cheverie (Montréal Victoire) and Carla MacLeod (Ottawa Charge). Cheverie was the 2025 recipient of the award.
PWHL “Hockey for All” Award presented by Scotiabank:
Rebecca Leslie (Ottawa Charge)
Leslie, a 30-year-old from Ottawa, ON, volunteers with the Ottawa Senators’ Foundation, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, and the PWHL Mentorship Program, driven by her belief in showing up consistently where needed. She is especially passionate about Do It For Daron, founded in memory of her late teammate Daron Richardson, and its mission to support young people on and off the ice. Giving back boosts her confidence in hockey, and she leads by example, encouraging others to get involved in the Ottawa community.
The award recognizes the player who has made the greatest impact in their community during the 2025-26 regular season. The annual recipient is selected by PWHL executives based on nominations from all eight teams. Scotiabank will donate $10,000 to a Canadian charity of Leslie’s choice that supports youth or grassroots hockey, with a focus on accessibility, diversity, and inclusion. Montréal’s Laura Stacey was the 2025 recipient of the award.
First All-Star Team:
Forwards: Taylor Heise (MIN), Brianne Jenner (OTT)***, Kelly Pannek (MIN)
Defenders: Sophie Jaques (VAN)*, Megan Keller (BOS)***
Goaltender: Aerin Frankel (BOS)**
*First Team Selection in 2025
**Second Team Selection in 2024 and 2025
***Second Team Selection in 2024
Second All-Star Team:
Forwards: Britta Curl-Salemme (MIN)**, Rebecca Leslie (OTT), Laura Stacey (MTL)
Defenders: Nicole Gosling (MTL), Haley Winn (BOS)
Goaltender: Ann-Renée Desbiens (MTL)*
*First Team Selection in 2025
**All-Rookie Team Selection in 2025
All-Rookie Team:
Forwards: Kristýna Kaltounková (NY), Abby Newhook (BOS), Casey O’Brien (NY)
Defenders: Nicole Gosling (MTL), Haley Winn (BOS)
Goaltender: Hannah Murphy (SEA)
Intact Impact Award:
Minnesota: Marlène Boissonnault – Hockey 4 Youth Foundation
Montréal: Shiann Darkangelo – LS7
Toronto: Emma Woods – Grindstone Award Foundation
Vancouver: Ashton Bell – HEROS Hockey (Hockey Education Reaching Out Society)
The Intact Impact Award recognizes players who made a meaningful impact through their leadership, support of others, and overall positive influence on team culture. Nominations are evaluated based on excellence, leadership, and integrity. Intact Insurance donates $5,000 on behalf of each of the four winners to a Canadian charity of their choice.