The Boston Fleet might not have taken the Walter Cup, but they swept all but one PWHL award.
The Boston Fleet might not have had the Walter Cup victory they wanted, but the team’s stars took home plenty of their own trophies at the 2026 PWHL Awards.
Aerin Frankel won MVP and Goaltender of the Year, and Megan Keller and Haley Winn received Defender of the Year and Rookie of the Year, respectively. Kris Sparre, who has since left to coach Hamilton in its inaugural season, won Coach of the Year.
"When you have [Keller] leading the team, kind of anything's possible," Winn said in a post-awards scrum. "And when you have Aerin Frankel in that, definitely anything's possible."
The team had a record-breaking season, remaining nearly undefeated at home and making the semi-finals before losing out to the Ottawa Charge.
"[Sparre] laid a great foundation for us and I know we’re going to carry this on," Keller said in a post-awards scrum.
While all three Fleet winners were protected in the first round, after one year coaching in Boston, Sparre accepted the head coaching role at Hamilton to be closer to family. Winn described receiving the news as “a rollercoaster," and his change in team loomed over much of Sparre’s celebration Tuesday evening.
“I’ve made some tough decisions,” Sparre said. “Twenty years total [in his hockey career], this was hands down the toughest decision I’ve had to make and it was because of the players.”
The team hopes to build on what they had with new coach François Méthot, a former coach of Winn’s.
"I've been lucky to work with him in the past," Winn said, "and I know he'll pick up where as far as Sparre left off."
The Fleet's famous backstop proved to be the biggest winner of the night. A Northeastern alum, Frankel has been with Boston for three seasons, and the city was a focus in her acceptance speech.
"Playing professionally in Boston has been a dream come true," Frankel said. "I could not be prouder or more excited to represent such an incredible city. Our fans have been an integral part of our continued success."
She was the first goaltender to receive the Billie Jean King MVP award, presented by King at the ceremony. The acknowledgment came after holding a .953 save percentage and 1.17 GAA in 26 games.
"To receive that award, I can’t even put it into words. It’s very special," Frankel said.
The team has naturally seen big shifts due to the four-team PWHL expansion, but with three of the league's most decorated players, they're on their way to building another playoff-ready team.