Counting Down The Top Ten Former PHF Performers From The PWHL This Season

The inaugural season of the PWHL brought together players from the NCAA, the Professional Hockey Federation (PHF), Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA), and elsewhere. A real showcase of the best players from all environments, it was a chance for those former PHF players to step up and prove they belonged.

Here is a list of the top ten who had the most successful seasons in 2024:

23 GP 6 G 12 A 18 pts 16 PIM

Mrázová was the best of the very impressive group of Czech players who made the jump to the PWHL. She started a little quiet, but made her way to the top line with Brianne Jenner and Daryl Watts which was a consistent threat down the stretch. Before February 2, in the team’s first 10 games, she had two goals and one assist, but in the final 13 games, she totaled four goals and 11 assists and ended up tied for 9th in points. She had a statement game in a shootout win against Boston on April 24 when she shot twice and scored with two great moves, helping to secure the win for Ottawa.

24 GP 10 G 7 A 17 pts 8 PIM

Watts arrived in Ottawa after winning the Isobel Cup with the PHF’s Toronto Six. Her reputation as an elite offensive player made Ottawa’s GM Mike Hirshfeld scoop her in the sixth round. Her 297 points with Wisconsin and Boston College rank second in all-time NCAA scoring. Watts showed that she is simply one of the most dangerous scoring forwards in the league, and formed that great line with Jenner and Mrázová. The trio hit their stride in the last weeks of the season and should be a lethal combination next year as well.

8 GP 6 W 1 L 0 OT 0 SO

One of the steals of the draft, Chuli was selected 78th overall after backstopping her team to the PHF’s Isobel Cup. Although she posted good numbers (2.61 GAA, 0.917 save pct.) she was not as highly touted as some of the other goalies available. Montreal wisely gave her the backup job to Ann-Renee Desbiens, and she proceeded to nearly steal the show from Team Canada’s #1 goalie. Chuli was first in save percentage at 0.949 as well as first in goals-against average (1.61). Could the starter’s job be hers next season?

15 GP 7 W 7 L OT 0 SO 0

Drafted in the sixth round, Schroeder made a statement in her very first contest, with a shutout on January 1 in the league’s opening game in Toronto. She graduated from Quinnipiac in 2022 and played one season for the Boston Pride last year, where she posted a 0.955 save percentage. Although PWHL New York struggled to find offense, Schroeder consistently gave the team a chance to win, and finished second in save percentage (0.930) and eighth overall in goals against (2.40).

23 GP 2 G 6 A 8 pts 8 PIM

The Czechs were one of the highlights of the first PWHL season, as they outperformed many of their more highly drafted counterparts from the PWHPA and NCAA. Tejralová was a solid defender, and provided some timely offense, playing top-pair minutes with PWHL Ottawa. She also captained the Czech team in the World Championship. Coach Carla MacLeod will certainly continue to rely on Tejralová’s leadership as they look to fast-track a more successful season.

24 GP 8 G 5 A 13 pts 18 PIM

Downie-Landry was one of the pleasant surprises this season for New York, emerging as a timely scorer and energy booster for her team during some difficult parts of the year. She particularly had her way with PWHL Boston, scoring a hat trick against them on January 20, and then posting another three-point game (2G, 1A) on March 25.

23 GP 2 G 10 A 12 pts 37 PIM

Just a notch below her countrywoman Mrázová, Vanišová looked like she had similar scoring abilities in Montreal early in the season. When the team needed to add to their blueline at the trade deadline, Vanišová was the asking price in exchange for Amanda Boulier. She fit in nicely as a third-liner and should continue to be a solid contributor if she returns to Ottawa.

24 GP 2 G 1 A 3 pts 26 PIM

Fratkin is a veteran defender at 32 years old and brought her Isobel Cup-winning experience to the Boston blue line (she won twice with the Boston Pride in 2021 and 2022). She has a physical game that translated well to the PWHL, and became even more noticeable as the playoffs got underway. Her Boston pedigree should have the team looking to re-sign her as soon as possible.

23 GP 1 G 8 A 9 pts 2 PIM

Some were surprised when Boulier was the return for Vanišová in Montreal’s trade with Ottawa, but the 30-year-old defender (who played in 2023 with the Minnesota Whitecaps) was almost exactly what the team needed. GM Daniele Sauvageau had to deal with multiple injuries on the back end, and Boulier, with her feisty game and surprising knack for getting shots through from the point, was a great fit. It remains to be seen where she will land next year, but she should be a coveted free agent.

13 GP 2 G 3 A 5 pts 4 PIM

Grant-Mentis has the most up-and-down season of any player in the league. She went undrafted, but followed her friend and teammate Daryl Watts to Ottawa. She looked to have scored the first goal ever for her team (it was disallowed) and then proceeded to go scoreless the rest of the way until the very end of the season when she scored two goals in her final game. She parted ways with Ottawa at the end of January after only three assists in six games played but was picked up by Montreal shortly afterward. Her robust game fit in well in their lineup and she was slotted on the top line with Marie-Philip Poulin by the last game of the playoffs.

Dominika Laskova - PWHL Montreal

Loren Gabel - PWHL Boston

Injuries limited the action of these two PHF alumnae, but both have the potential to be very important players for their PWHL clubs next season once they are in full health and able to post a full season.