The PWHL's 2025 rookie class are making their mark. They may not be leading the league in scoring, but they're leading their teams in impact.
The PWHL's 2025-26 rookie class is already making an impact in the PWHL. While we're not likely to witness another league leading output like 2025 Rookie of the Year Sarah Fillier's first season, the competition within this year's rookie class for who will make the biggest impact, is already fierce.
Young Blueliners Carrying The Load
With little surprise, the four young defenders selected in the first round of the 2025 PWHL Draft are making their mark. Leading the way in that discussion are second overall pick Haley Winn and fifth overall selection Rory Guilday.
Guilday is currently leading all rookies in scoring with three points through four games and leads all Ottawa Charge players in time on ice averaging more than 22 minutes on ice per game.
Topping Guilday in time on ice is Haley Winn who is averaging 27:26 per game for the Boston Fleet. She's playing nearly half a game, and has been a paramount feature in Boston's early season success.
Winn's ability to control the game from the offensive blueline, use her feet on retrievals to quickly transition the puck back up ice, and to cut off plays in the neutral zone has been crucial to the execution of Kris Sparre's plans t suffocate opponents.
In Minnesota, Kendall Cooper's impact has been noticeable as well. She started the season alongside Lee Stecklein on Minnesota's top pairing, which is a compliment in itself. The real vote of confidence fr Cooper however, came following her introduction to the league when coach Ken Klee showed his trust in Cooper by shifting her away from Stecklein because the belief is that she's already capable of anchoring a top four pairing herself.
Nicole Gosling is the other name to watch in Montreal where she's looked steady early, with the expected ability to contribute offensively as well.
Kaltounkova, Cherkowski, O'Brien Sharing The Spotlight
The first, third, and tenth overall picks for the New York Sirens in Kristyna Kaltounkova, Casey O'Brien, and Anne Cherkowski have been at the core of New York's competitiveness. O'Brien has spent the first batch of games centering New York's top line between Sarah Fillier and Cherkowski. The trio hasn't been as productive as New York would hope, but it's not for lack of trying. Cherkowski has been one of New York's more active shooters and she's picked up two assists in her first four games. Cherkowski impacts the game with not only her ability to drag or delay to open a shooting lane, but through her pace on both sides of the puck. O'Brien has fallen into more of a playmaker role, and it's likely the Sirens will ask her to shoot more. This team needs active creation from their young trio who are all capable of producing.
Kaltounkova has lived up to her billing, and were she alongside Fillier, it's almost a certainty the duo would be producing at a higher rate. Spreading their attack however, has created a second line in New York that is not only hard to play against offensively, but hard to play against physically, hard to contain with their pace, and hard to expose defensively. Kristin O'Neill down the middle between Kaltounkova and Levis has been an effective trio for the Sirens. Kaltounkova is still finding the line of her physicality. As a rookie, she's already one of the most imposing players in the league who will push the limits, as we saw with her ejection against Seattle for a check from behind. One thing is for sure, when she's on the ice in possession, teams are watching her, and when she's in pursuit, opponents are starting to show their awareness that she's not going to turn away from contact, and that if they aren't moving the puck quickly with their head up, Kaltounkova will make them pay.
Across the league, Abby Hustler has perhaps been the next most impactful forward. She's used her physicality to become a noticeable presence in Minnesota and as she becomes more confident offensively, Hustler has the upside to develop into one of the league's most potent power forwards.
Murphy The Only Rookie Goalie, So Far
Hannah Murphy heard her name being reigned down from all corners of Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle as she made 23 saves and was named the game's third star in the Torrent's first ever win. After a pair of rocky starts from veteran Corinne Schroeder, it might be enough to get Murphy a return feature in Seattle's crease when they return to action on December 17.
No other rookie has appeared in net this season for any PWHL team. In Ottawa, Sanni Ahola has been injured and may not be able to suit up any time soon. She was left off Finland's Women's Euro Hockey Tour roster for December showing she's still some time away from being ready to return.
In New York, the Sirens have rested on sophomore Kayle Osborne for good reason, but there's a chance Callie Shanahan or Kaley Doyle get a game before the New Year.