PWHL Minnesota is a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They are one of the six charter franchises of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). In 2024, PWHL Minnesota won the PWHL's inaugural Walter Cup championship.
| PWHL Minnesota | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Saint Paul, Minnesota |
| League | PWHL |
| Founded | August 29, 2023 |
| Home arena | Xcel Energy Center |
| Colors | Purple, black, white |
| Owner(s) | Mark Walter Group |
| General manager | Ken Klee (acting) |
| Head coach | Ken Klee |
| Captain | Kendall Coyne Schofield |
| Website | minnesota.thepwhl.com |
| Championships | |
| Playoff championships | Walter Cup 1 (2023–24) |
 Current season | |
History
Founding
On August 29, 2023, it was announced that one of the PWHL's first six franchises would be located in Minnesota.[1][2] The team immediately filled the void left by the loss of the Minnesota Whitecaps, a long-running club that had most recently played in the defunct Premier Hockey Federation.[3] On September 1, Natalie Darwitz, former captain of the United States national team and three-time Olympic medalist, was named the PWHL Minnesota's general manager.[4][5] On September 15, former Bethel University men's and women's head coach Charlie Burggraf was announced as the first head coach of the team.[6] However, it was announced on December 27 that Burggraf was stepping down, and would be replaced by former U.S. national team coach Ken Klee.[7]
The team's first three player signings were U.S. national team players Kendall Coyne Schofield, Kelly Pannek, and Lee Stecklein.[8] Minnesota was awarded the right to select first overall in the inaugural PWHL draft through a lottery; with the pick, the team selected Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Taylor Heise.[9]
In November, it was revealed that PWHL Minnesota's colors would be purple, black, and white, and that the team would play at Xcel Energy Center, home of the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild, in Saint Paul.[10][11]
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Inaugural season
Ahead of the team's inaugural game in January 2024, it was announced that Kendall Coyne Schofield would serve as team captain, with Kelly Pannek and Lee Stecklein serving as assistant captains.[12] The team played its first game on January 3, facing PWHL Boston in Lowell, Massachusetts. Taylor Heise scored the first goal in franchise history, and Minnesota went on to win by a score of 3–2.[13] Minnesota made its home debut three days later, on January 6, defeating Montreal by a score of 3–0 in front of 13,316 fans, which set a new record for attendance at a professional women's hockey game.[14] Grace Zumwinkle recorded a hat-trick in the game, and Maddie Rooney recorded the shutout.[15]
On May 5, 2024, the team secured the fourth seed in the inaugural PWHL playoffs.[16] PWHL Minnesota beat first-ranked PWHL Toronto in a five-game semifinal series, completing a reverse sweep after losing the first two games and advancing to the finals against PWHL Boston.[17] In the finals, PWHL Minnesota won a close-fought series. The championship came down to a decisive Game 5; Minnesota overcame a double-overtime loss in Game 4 at home to win 3–0 on the road at Boston's Tsongas Center.[18][19] This made Minnesota the PWHL's inaugural Walter Cup champions.[19] Heise led the playoffs in scoring and won the inaugural Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP Award.[20] After the season, Zumwinkle was named the PWHL's rookie of the year.[21]
Natalie Darwitz parted ways with the team in June 2024, with Ken Klee taking over as acting general manager.[22]
Team
Current roster
Reserves
| No. | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 |  | Lauren Bench | G | L | 26 | 2024 | Eagan, Minnesota |
| 5 | | Nikki Nightengale | D | R | 26 | 2023 | Bloomington, Minnesota |
| 24 | | Abigail Boreen | F | R | 24 | 2024 | Somerset, Wisconsin |
Draft history
Held on September 18, 2023, the inaugural PWHL draft used a "snake draft" format, where the selection order reversed each round.[5] PWHL Minnesota was awarded the first overall selection through a draft lottery.[26]
| Rd | Pick | Player | Nationality | Position | Previous team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Taylor Heise |  United States | Forward | Minnesota (WCHA) |
| 2 | 12 | Nicole Hensley | United States | Goaltender | Team Sonnet (PWHPA) |
| 3 | 13 | Grace Zumwinkle | United States | Forward | Minnesota (WCHA) |
| 4 | 24 | Maggie Flaherty | United States | Defence | Minnesota Duluth (WCHA) |
| 5 | 25 | Susanna Tapani |  Finland | Forward | KRS Vanke Rays (ZhHL; 2021–22) |
| 6 | 36 | Clair DeGeorge | United States | Forward | Team Harvey's (PWHPA) |
| 7 | 37 | Natalie Buchbinder | United States | Defence | Wisconsin (WCHA) |
| 8 | 48 | Denisa Krizova |  Czech Republic | Forward | Minnesota Whitecaps (PHF) |
| 9 | 49 | Sidney Morin | United States | Defence | Minnesota Whitecaps (PHF) |
| 10 | 60 | Sophia Kunin | United States | Forward | Team Harvey's (PWHPA) |
| 11 | 61 | Amanda Leveille |  Canada | Goaltender | Minnesota Whitecaps (PHF) |
| 12 | 72 | Michela Cava | Canada | Forward | Toronto Six (PHF) |
| 13 | 73 | Liz Schepers | United States | Forward | Minnesota Whitecaps (PHF) |
| 14 | 84 | Minttu Tuominen | Finland | Defence | Kiekko-Espoo (NSML) |
| 15 | 85 | Sydney Brodt | United States | Forward | Minnesota Whitecaps (PHF) |