The season is almost over, and a number of rookies have put themselves into the conversation for tops in the PWHL. Here's a look at 10 of those players.
A lot has changed among the PWHL's crop of first year professionals. Some who were off to hot starts have slowed, while others are just finding their stride. Of the players coming directly out of the NCAA last season, here's a look at who is leading the way in the PWHL with only five games remaining for each team.
1. Grace Zumwinkle, PWHL Minnesota - She's the leading scorer from last year's NCAA class with nine goals and 16 points in 19 games for PWHL Minnesota, and it's hard to imagine Minnesota being where they are at this point in the year without her play.
2. Ashton Bell, PWHL Ottawa - Her play this year helped Bell reclaim a spot on Team Canada, and she's been a stalwart in Ottawa's top four averaging more than 21 minutes per night.
3. Alina Muller, PWHL Boston - She leads Boston in scoring, and is undeniably their best forward. Muller's fire has been bubbling to the surface more often recently, and if she starts to shoot more, she could be even more dangerous.
4. Emma Maltais, PWHL Toronto - On another team, a player like Emma Maltais is probably producing even more, but with Toronto, she's been kept within her national team role. Within that however, Maltais has been completely effective, and uses her speed each night to create opportunities both on special teams and even strength. She's finding ways to score, while also being one of the league's most impactful two-way players.
5. Taylor Heise, PWHL Minnesota - A lot of expectations came with being the first overall pick, and if Heise hadn't missed five games, she'd be in the top ten in scoring in the league. Since her return, she's continued to look dangerous, and is beginning to heat up again.
6. Sophie Jaques, PWHL Minnesota - From a forgettable start, Jaques is experiencing a turn around in Minnesota. Alongside Lee Stecklein who can provide the consistency and defensive coverage to soften Jaques concerns, she's playing roughly 21:30 a night, has started to chip in offensively, and has gone from a -4 in Boston to a +2 in Minnesota. The learning curve continues, but the curve is heading up.
7. Maureen Murphy, PWHL Montreal - Trailing only Marie-Philip Poulin in scoring on PWHL Montreal, Murphy has performed well. She sees the ice well and is a good distributor. While she's certainly benefitted from her linemates, her linemates have also benefited from Murphy.
8. Mariah Keopple, PWHL Montreal - From an undrafted free agent almost no one predicted to make the league to playing top pairing minutes alongside Erin Ambrose. Few better success stories this season in the PWHL.
9. Gabbie Hughes, PWHL Ottawa - Watch out, Gabbie Hughes coming through. You won't get the luxury of that announcement as Hughes bowls over her opponents to get to a puck. She's played a powerful game all season thriving out front and in the corners.
10. Natalie Buchbinder, PWHL Minnesota - Playing more than 20 minutes per night, Buchbinder has been a staple of Minnesota's blueline. She doesn't produce a ton of points, but she's an effective defender and a strong skater who gets the puck moving up ice and out of danger.