One Weakness Each PWHL Team Must Improve Upon From Last Season

Each of the PWHL's six teams had strengths in year one, but as it often is, it was the weaknesses that changed the course of the game, and season for some. Here's a look at the main area of weakness for each PWHL team from last season, and the importance of them finding a way to adapt and improve heading into year two.

At this point in the lifespan of professional hockey players, it's nearly impossible to say that Boston can improve this aspect of their game internally. But Boston went out and grabbed a few players, notably Hannah Bilka, Daniela Pejsova, and Sydney Bard who are all excellent skaters. It's Bilka who will make the most noticeable difference up front. Her addition on Boston's left wing may allow the team to shuffle their forward groups giving by shifting Alina Muller into the middle of the ice. It's a move that will allow her to cover more ground on both sides of the puck than Boston's centers were capable of last season. This will continue to be a consideration for Boston who over the coming drafts will look to get younger and faster.

Minnesota managed to win the inaugural PWHL title, and they did it with the worst power play and the worst penalty kill in the league. It's rare a team hold both of those dubious distinctions, and even more rare to see them winning in spite of it. Minnesota's power play sat at only 8.2%, while their penalty kill was a horrific 67.2%. Both of those numbers are incredibly low. It will be on Minnesota's coaching staff to re-write the narrative on their special teams. Presumably with players like Taylor Heise and newly drafted Claire Thompson, Minnesota already has the pieces in place for a power play. And the team has always had a solid group of checking forwards. If the pieces are present, it must be the structure and strategy. The Frost will need to fix these woes as the talent level in the league is on the rise again this season.

By the end of the season, depth caused this team to look more like the Montreal Défaite than the Montreal Victoire. In the post season in particular Montreal saw their top line playing mind blowing minutes. Some of that may have been a strategic decision by head coach Kori Cheverie, but there is no getting around the clear message that Montreal didn't believe their depth could win games. While she performed well enough to earn another contract, the fact that Mikyla Grant-Mentis, who only weeks prior was a reserve, was playing top six minutes was a clear message the team didn't have the depth they'd like. Montreal answered some of these questions in the offseason bolstering their blueline, drafting Jennifer Gardiner, and bringing over Lina Ljungblom from Sweden. Abby Boreen remains the wildcard in this, along with the health of Kennedy Marchment. With those two players in the mix, Montreal will be fine. Without them, depth will remain a question mark.

If you watched the New York Sirens play last season, they were often a high risk, high reward team...that rarely got the rewards. Their coaching staff failed to rein in New York's blueline to be defenders who actually defend. Often, New York's back end found themselves well ahead of the puck, leading the rush, or pinching down without any awareness of the opposition. New York averaged a league worst 33.63 shots against per game last season. The team was also second last in the PWHL in blocked shots. It was a forgettable year defensively for Micah Zandee-Hart, Jaime Bourbonnais, and Ella Shelton who will need to lock in their own zone first. Adding Maja Nylen Persson and Ally Simpson to the roster, along with returning blueliner Brooke Hobson means the Sirens have a plethora of talent on the back end. But they'll need to evolve from being a strike first defensive group who gives up position for the chance to score, to a group who can more adeptly pick their places to join the attack, and who makes New York much harder to play against.

By the end of the season, Ottawa's blueline was so depleted they were playing with reserves and converted forwards trying to push for a playoff spot. In the end it resulted in an epic collapse. The gamble looked like a good one when Ottawa acquired Tereza Vanisova for Amanda Boulier; that is until Zoe Boyd went down with a season ending injury. Ottawa enters this campaign with an abundence of blueline depth, most notably adding Ronja Savolainen, Stephanie Markowski, and Madeline Wethington in the draft. While the blueline had holes, Ottawa will also need more from starting netminder Emerance Maschmeyer. Maschmeyer was good, but didn't steal games for Ottawa, particularly when they needed it most. It seemed like those big moments where a key save could change the course of Ottawa's game, it just didn't come. And Ottawa refused to play Sandra Abstreiter. This year with Gwyneth Philips pushing Maschmeyer, we'll likely see more from their starter, and when Philips is given her chance, there's a chance she won't give up the crease again.

Luckily for Toronto, they often didn't need secondary scoring with Natalie Spooner driving the team. Their top group of Spooner, Sarah Nurse, and Emma Maltais were perhaps the best line in the league. This season, the team will look for more secondary scoring to support their top group, especially if Spooner misses time. The Sceptres cannot expect Spooner to repeat her heroics night in and night out. They went out and added plenty of punch in Izzy Daniel, Daryl Watts, Emma Woods, Julia Gosling, Noemi Neubauerova, and Anneke Linser. That said, returning players including Blayre Turnbull, Jesse Compher, and Victoria Bach should all be counted upon for more offense than they contributed in year one. If Toronto has any other point of concern, it's the potential for a lack of depth on the blueline or in net to hurt the team if injuries strike. Up front they look locked and loaded to score at will this year.