Minnesota Frost Can Win Back-to-Back PWHL Walter Cup – Hockey Writers – PWHL

The Minnesota Frost’s first game of the season is less than a month away now, and while there were still a few grades to be awarded, it’s time to get excited about the preseason, which begins on Nov. 20. It is easy to think less of the players who were left to receive their grades that they would all have A or A+ since they were the best players who were left to receive their grades.

In this piece, we’ll explore why Frost can repeat as Walter Cup champions and make history as the first team to repeat. Those top players are one of the main reasons, along with a few others, and those stars will be who starts this article.

Frost’s stars return

Frost may have lost a number of players this off-season, but they are fortunate that their goal-scoring core remains. Taylor Heise, Kendall Coyne-Schofield, Grace Zumwinkle, Kelly Pannek, and Michela Cava all return to wear the purple and white. They led the team last season and may lead the team again.

These players not only scored goals, but also had good chemistry. They always know where the other will be and where to send the passport. Similar to the Minnesota Wild’s line of Kirill Kaprizov, Mats Zuccarello, and Marco Rossi, they have the same chemistry and can do outstanding things.

These players are the main reason for them to become champions again. They led them to their first Walter Cup despite having to come back from both rounds last season. These players never gave up and led the team from the worst to the best.

Frost Add & Maintain High Defense Talent

Frost can have all the offense in the world, but they won’t win games if they don’t have defense. They had a strong defense last season, but they made it even stronger with the addition of Claire Thompson, their first round pick in the 2024 PWHL Draft. He is a skilled defender who can handle things defensively and offensively.

Although his priority will be defense, he can score decent points. Earned 15+ college credits at Princeton University from 2016-2020. He is a fast skater who will add a lot to Frost’s defensive core. Frost’s defense hasn’t changed much from last season to this season, but few players have left, and few have joined, except for Thompson.

They kept Sophie Jacques, Lee Stecklein, Maggie Flaherty, Natalie Buchbinder, Mellissa Channell-Watkins but lost Emma Greco, Dominique Kremer, and Nikki Nightengale. New additions besides Thompson are Mae Batherson and Charlotte Akervik. Fortunately, Frost has his main defenders back, and the new additions will hopefully fit in seamlessly for another strong season.

Frost Knows What It Takes

The first season of the PWHL was a new process for everyone and a learning experience for every team. Now that the first season is over, the core members of the Frost know exactly what it takes to win games in the PWHL and how to get to the postseason. They were not easy either; they had to fight from behind.

With all the difficulties the team has faced, they have been in almost every situation they could be in, and they are able to win. Even during the postseason, they were not only eliminated once but twice and almost eliminated, but again, they came back. That commitment and ability to come back is not easy and requires a team effort. The Frosts believed in themselves and knew they could overcome anything, so they know what it takes to win back-to-back Walter Cups.

Frost Begins Soon

Frost will begin the preseason on Wednesday, Nov. 20, against the Toronto Scepters at the Ford Performance Center in Toronto. They will play again the next day against the New York Sirens at the Ford Performance Center. After those games, they will have practice until their first game on Sunday, December 1, to start the season against the New York Sirens at their home arena, the Xcel Energy Center.

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Hopefully, Frost can show they have retained some of that magic from last season and start off on the right foot with a win. It will be interesting to see how the new players fit into the system and if they can reach the Walter Cup again.