The PWHL handed out their annual awards in Detroit with stars from across the league being feted for their 2025-26 PWHL performances. Boston Fleet netminder Aerin Frankel was the big winner of the night being named league MVP and Goaltender of the Year.
The PWHL held their third annual award ceremony honouring the league's best players and coaches from the 2025-26 PWHL season.
With the league moving into a new phase adding four teams via expansion, including in Detroit where the award ceremony was held this year, it was a final opportunity to recognize the teams and athletes from the PWHL's eight teams from 2025-26, before moving to the 2026 PWHL Draft and 2026-27 season.
Aerin Frankel was the big winner of the night winning both MVP and Goaltender of the Year.
The PWHL opened the evening with the All-Star and All-Rookie teams.
The 2026 PWHL All-Rookie team included Casey O'Brien (New York), Kristyna Kaltounkova (New York), Abby Newhook (Boston), Nicole Gosling (Montreal), Haley Winn (Boston), Hannah Murphy (Seattle).
First Team All-Stars were Brianne Jenner (Ottawa), Kelly Pannek (Minnesota), Taylor Heise (Minnesota), Megan Keller (Boston), Sophie Jaques (Vancouver), Aerin Frankel (Boston).
Second Team All-Stars were Laura Stacey (Montreal), Rebecca Leslie (Ottawa), Britta Curl-Salemme (Minnesota), Nicole Gosling (Montreal), Haley Winn (Boston), Ann-Renee Desbiens (Montreal).
Ottawa Charge forward Rebecca Leslie was the PWHL's Hockey For All Award winner. Leslie gave back in her hometown of Ottawa, specifically giving to the DIFD.
PWHL Coach of the Year went to rookie head coach Kris Sparre. After many predicted that Boston would finish last in the PWHL, the team out performed every expectation tying the Montreal Victoire for most points in the PWHL. Sparre left Boston shortly after the season to become the new head coach of PWHL Hamilton. Kori Cheverie, who won the award last season, and Carla MacLeod, were the other nominees.
PWHL Rookie of the Year was awarded to Haley Winn after a spectacular season where the Defender of the Year finalist led all players in time on ice, and recorded 19 points in her rookie campaign. She was one of Boston's three initial protections during expansion. Nicole Gosling and Casey O'Brien were the other finalists for the award.
In net, Aerin Frankel was named the PWHL's Goaltender of the Year. As the only goaltender nominated in each of the PWHL's three seasons, this was Frankel's first award after serving as the backbone of the Boston Fleet this year. She set a new single season record for shutouts, recording eight shutouts in 26 appearances this season. The nominees for PWHL Goaltender of the Year were Aerin Frankel, Montreal's Ann-Renee Desbiens, and Ottawa's Gwyneth Philips. Desbiens won the award last season.
On the blueline, Megan Keller was named PWHL Defender of the Year. Keller captained the Boston Fleet to a second place finish this season, and led all PWHL defenders in scoring with 22 points while playing more than 26 minutes per game. Boston's Haley Winn and Vancouver's Sophie Jaques were the other nominees for the award, while Renata Fast was last year's winner.
Up front, Kelly Pannek was named PWHL Forward of the Year. Pannek set a new PWHL single season scoring record recording 33 points in 30 games. It was the first time any PWHL player had topped the 30-point mark in a season. Her Minnesota Frost teammate Taylor Heise also hit the mark scoring 30 points. Heise and Ottawa's Brianne Jenner were the other Forward of the Year finalists. Marie-Philip Poulin won the award last season.
The PWHL's MVP award, the biggest award of the night, saw Frankel, Desbiens, and Pannek were the three nominees for league MVP. Frankel was ultimately named the Billie Jean King MVP Award winner as the most valuable player to her team in the PWHL after she helped lift the Boston Fleet above all expectations through her record shutout streaks and totals.