Week two of the PWHL season is in the books, and teams are beginning to find their rhythm. Here's a look at the risers and fallers in the PWHL this week in THN's PWHL Power Rankings.
Week two of the PWHL season is in the books, and teams are beginning to find their rhythm. Here's a look at the risers and fallers in the PWHL this week in THN's PWHL Power Rankings.
Week two of the PWHL regular season is in the books. There's no longer an undefeated team, although Minnesota has yet to lose in regulation, and every team has now played both at home and on the road. While the league is still in its infancy in all ways, the level of play has been nothing short of impressive. Here's a look at The Hockey News' week two Power Rankings for the 2024 PWHL season.
1. Minnesota (Previous Week #1)
It took memorable comeback and overtime to hand Minnesota their first loss of the year. No one expected their season opening win streak to continue indefinitely, and Minnesota still showed signs of strength. Minnesota's second line of Kelly Pannek, Susanna Tapani, and Grace Zumwinkle have been a trio of wrecking balls and play drivers for the team. They're emerging as one of the best two-way lines in the league, and Taylor Heise remains a leading candidate to be a league leader in every way. The play of Nicole Hensley and Maddie Rooney in net should give Minnesota fans hope that even on a bad night, this team will have a chance to win.
2. New York (Previous Week #2)
They beat Minnesota, and they did it without captain Micah Zandee-Hart and veteran Jill Saulnier. Saulnier looks to be out for the long run this season as New York signed Alexa Gruschow to fill her spot. The rapidly approaching return of Zandee-Hart will be a game changer. New York's strength remains the diversity of their attack. Alex Carpenter and Jessie Eldridge remain top threats, but Emma Woods and Jade Downie-Landry have proven one of the most effective duos in the league. The loss of Saulnier from that line is notable. Corinne Schroeder continues to rise as the league's most impactful netminder and one that as we saw in New York's win over Minnesota, can give her team a larger window to win each night. Abby Roque has remained quiet for New York, but a break out from the American forward is inevitable.
3. Ottawa (Previous Week #6)
Their first win of the season was a memorable one, beating Toronto in convincing fashion. This team is living proof that being a good professional is not defined by where you can from previously. Many of the players stepping up are bringing unique styles and experiences. Gabbie Hughes, Mikyla Grant-Mentis, Katerina Mrazova, Hayley Scamurra, and Daryl Watts have been top threats, while Emily Clark and Brianne Jenner, despite being held off the scoresheet through two games are impact players. Akane Shiga has opened eyes across the league with her play, and Ashton Bell is stepping forward as a top pairing blueliner, and Zoe Boyd is making considerable strides. Add in the bullish play of Lexie Adzija, and this team continues to impress. They've grabbed points off bottom teams, now they need to take points from the top teams.
4. Boston (Previous Week #3)
There's cause for celebration and cause for concern in this roster. In the concern column is the fact that Hilary Knight, Loren Gabel, and Sophie Jaques have not registered a point yet. Similarly, Boston only has two points to date from their blueline with one from Megan Keller and one from Sidney Morin. Getting more from the back end will be a boost. With all that said, it's only a matter of time until some of these players make their break. On the positive side, Aerin Frankel continues to be a difficult goalie to beat. Another positive this week was the character they showed fighting back into a game with Montreal after falling down 2-0, appearing to lose in overtime, and then finishing with a win.
5. Montreal (Previous Week #5)
From the highs of a Marie-Philip Poulin hat trick, to the lows of a blown two goal lead in their home opener, Montreal's biggest need at the moment is consistency. If there are points to address early in Montreal's season, defensive depth is one, as there's a marked drop in play beyond Ambrose, Tabin, and Laskova so far. Similarly, Montreal has offensive talents in Jillian Dempsey and Kennedy Marchment's they've yet to activate fully, although it was promising to see Marchment get her first of the year this week. The ins and outs of Laura Stacey and Ann-Sophie Bettez from the lineup haven't helped the team building consistency, but Montreal has had flashes of brilliance, and flashes of mediocrity this season.
6. Toronto (Previous Week #4)
An early season win over New York kept Toronto out of this basement spot last week, but there was no hiding their issues this week. From the net out, consistency has been a challenge for Toronto, who often looked slow and disjointed. Kristen Campbell had one strong start this year, but in a 24 game season, waiting for anyone to heat up is a risk. The problem for Toronto, unlike other teams in the league, they don't have another netminder who can step in and steal games. Up front, Emma Maltais and Natalie Spooner have been bright spots. Blayre Turnbull certainly has made her presence felt physically, but has yet to register a point four games in. Perhaps more problematic among their star players is the struggle of their top pairing of Renata Fast and Jocelyne Larocque, who have not just found themselves on the ice for several goals against, but at times are uncharacteristically coughing up pucks. Troy Ryan can certainly get his team moving in the right direction, but the clock is ticking. Aside from the crease, one point that may not be fixable this season is a lack of team speed in some areas. Toronto certainly has players who can fly, but they also have multiple players just can't keep up