Boston Fleet goalie Aerin Frankel wins PWHL MVP, Goaltender of the Year

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DETROIT — Boston Fleet goalie Aerin Frankel was named MVP of the 2025-26 PWHL season Tuesday night, becoming the first netminder to win the award in the league’s short history.

Frankel finished ahead of Montreal goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens and Minnesota forward Kelly Pannek, who paced the league in both goals (16) and points (33) this season.

The award was presented to Frankel by tennis legend and PWHL advisory board member Billie Jean King, who is also the MVP trophy’s namesake.

The 27-year-old Frankel was steady all year, helping lead the Fleet to a second-place finish in the regular season. Her 19 wins — including 14 in regulation — co-lead the league with Desbiens and set a new single-season record. Frankel led the league with eight shutouts, double the previous single-season high. She also set new benchmarks with three consecutive shutouts and a clean streak spanning 226:09, and finished with a record 18 starts with one or fewer goals against.

Desbiens, who earned her first MVP finalist nod this season, led all goalies with an absurd 1.11 goals-against average and .955 save percentage. Frankel wasn’t far behind, however, setting new career highs with a 1.17 goals against average and .953 save percentage. That Montreal had so much firepower at the top of the lineup, led by 2025 MVP Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey and Abby Roque, likely cannibalized some of Desbiens’ MVP case.

Frankel also won her first Goaltender of the Year award, after being a top-three finalist in three consecutive seasons. This year, she beat Desbiens and Ottawa goalie Gwyneth Philips.

The PWHL announced the winners of four other major awards at a ceremony Tuesday night. Here are the results and the finalists.

Rookie of the Year: Haley Winn​

Nobody logged more ice time this season than Winn, who was also a finalist for Defender of the Year. Her smooth skating and offense translated seamlessly to the Boston Fleet, where she scored 19 points in 30 games, which tied for second among rookies and third among all PWHL defenders.

Finalists: Nicole Gosling (Montreal) and Casey O’Brien (New York)

Coach of the Year: Kris Sparre​

In his first season in the PWHL, Sparre helped led the Boston Fleet to an 18-point improvement over the 2024-25 season, which is the biggest year-over-year jump in league history. Under Sparre, the Fleet were the fastest team in PWHL history to clinch a playoff spot, doing so in just 24 games, and tied the league record for points in a season (62).

The Fleet played a suffocating style of hockey at both ends of the ice with a strong forecheck and the ability to wear down opponents with relentless offensive-zone pressure. Boston allowed the second-fewest goals in the league (45) while scoring the third-most (74). Sparre will be PWHL Hamilton’s coach next season.

Finalists: Kori Cheverie (Montreal) and Carla MacLeod (Ottawa)

Defender of the Year: Megan Keller (Boston)​

Keller had a career year in 2025-26, scoring 22 points to lead all defenders in the PWHL. Her seven goals from the Boston blue line were second behind Vancouver’s Sophie Jaques, who was a finalist for Defender of the Year for a second consecutive season. Keller’s 26:39 average ice time was second only to Winn, her frequent partner.

Finalists: Sophie Jaques (Vancouver) and Haley Winn (Boston)

Forward of the Year: Kelly Pannek (Minnesota)​

Pannek has long been one of the very best defensive forwards in the PWHL, but had a breakout season offensively in 2025-26. Pannek paced the league with 16 goals and a single-season-record 33 points in 30 games for the Minnesota Frost. Pannek was a massive piece of the league’s best offense this season, factoring on 36.3 percent of Minnesota’s 91 goals.

Finalists: Taylor Heise (Minnesota) and Brianne Jenner (Ottawa)

PWHL All-Rookie Team​

Forwards: Casey O’Brien (New York), Kristýna Kaltounková (New York), Abby Newhook (Boston)

Defenders: Nicole Gosling (Montreal), Haley Winn (Boston)

Goalie: Hannah Murphy (Seattle)

First Team All-Stars​

Forwards: Kelly Pannek (Minnesota), Taylor Heise (Minnesota), Brianne Jenner (Ottawa)

Defenders: Megan Keller (Boston), Sophie Jaques (Vancouver)

Goalie: Aerin Frankel (Boston)

Second Team All-Stars​

Forwards: Laura Stacey (Montreal), Rebecca Leslie (Ottawa), Britta Curl-Salemme (Minnesota)

Defenders: Nicole Gosling (Montreal), Haley Winn (Boston)

Goalie: Ann-Renée Desbiens (Montreal)

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Minnesota Frost, Boston Fleet, Women's Hockey

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