PWHL Minnesota will be without Taylor Heise for the immediate future after the star suffered an upper body injury at the Rivalry Series. How will PWHL Minnesota manage in her absence? Alex Wauthy takes a look.
PWHL Minnesota will be without Taylor Heise for the immediate future after the star suffered an upper body injury at the Rivalry Series. How will PWHL Minnesota manage in her absence? Alex Wauthy takes a look.
Sixteen. That’s the number Sophie Jaques will wear for PWHL Minnesota in her debut.
Eleven. That’s the number of days since Minnesota’s last contest.
Twenty-seven. That’s the number of Taylor Heise, Minnesota’s superstar forward, who is sidelined with an upper-body injury tonight.
A lot has happened during the PWHL’s near two-week hiatus, which left fans turning towards the 2023-2024 Rivalry Series to get their hockey fix. Now, Minnesota and Ottawa hit the ice at the Xcel Energy Center on Valentine’s Day, looking to get back in the win column.
Taylor Heise Sidelined
Minnesota will be without their top center against Ottawa. The Lake City, Minnesota native left game seven of the Rivalry Series with an upper-body injury and didn’t return.
As reported by the Star Tribune, Heise is wearing a sling for her injury, which will keep her out of Wednesday’s game and likely Saturday, too.
"Given this high level of hockey — with international hockey and the PWHL — she's just taking a beating with these open-ice hits they're allowing," Darwitz told the Star Tribine. "It doesn't bode well for the skilled players who carry the puck. Knowing Taylor, she's superhuman. She'll probably be back sooner than what her prognosis is."
With Heise sidelined, look for Kelly Pannek and Abby Boreen to step up in her absence. Pannek is the easy choice to fill in for Heise. The 28-year-old is playing consistent second-line minutes, providing stout two-way play, and sneakily sits second in team scoring with seven points — just one point shy of Grace Zumwinkle’s team-leading eight.
Boreen is still on the 10-day contract she signed on Jan. 24. While she only has one goal through four games, her energy, tenacity, and forechecking ability is undeniable. After starting on the third line, the University of Minnesota alum slotted nicely in the team’s top six over the last few games. Watch for her to continue being a nuisance around the net using her skill to create scoring chances.
Minnesota, Boston Make History
During the break, Minnesota and Boston made history by completing the first trade in league history hours after the conclusion of the Rivalry Series and mere moments before the 2024 Super Bowl kicked off.
The trade featured Susanna Tapani and Abby Cook shipping off to Boston with 2023 Patty Kazmaier Award winner Sophie Jaques heading to the State of Hockey. Losing a top-six talent in Tapani and defensive depth in Cook is tough for Minnesota, but in the eyes of their general manager, it’s clear what they’re getting in Jaques.
“We consider her a franchise player,” Minnesota general manager Natalie Darwitz told The Hockey News' Ian Kennedy following the move.
Jaques’ offensive game is where she shines. Of course, the defender is without a point through her first seven games. But some of that can be attributed to poor puck luck and not being the primary offensive defender on Boston’s roster — that role understandably went to Megan Keller.
Her being a right-handed shooter lends itself to greater opportunity, too. Lee Stecklein and Maggie Flaherty, Minnesota’s top two defenders, are left-handed. While Natalie Buchbinder and Mellissa Channell are quality two-way, right-shooting defenders, neither has the high-end offensive upside of Jaques.
A pairing with either Stecklein or Flaherty in the top four will give her a welcome boost in ice time, newfound responsibility, and a prime opportunity to get her feet wet by playing in a role better suited for her skillset.
It’s easy to be excited about this trade if you are a Minnesota fan, despite the associated risks of trading away Tapani and Cook. With Minnesota’s glaring need for offense, especially from the backend, the Toronto-born defender might have a chance to shine now that she’s not behind Keller on Boston’s depth chart.
Tale of the Tape
Minnesota won an overtime thriller 3-2 at TD Place the last time they played Ottawa. However, now-former player Tapani notched two goals in that match, including the game-winner in the extra frame. Without their first-line center and Tapani, Minnesota will look to other players on the roster to step up in their absences.
Ottawa, who sits at the bottom of the PWHL standings, will continue to lean on Lexie Adzija and Co. Adzija, a surprising omission from Canada’s Rivalry Series roster, scored the last time she played Minnesota. Ottawa’s team leader in goals and points will look to keep the good times rolling as she suits up south of the border Wednesday.
PWHL action returns to Xcel Energy Center as Minnesota hosts Ottawa in a Valentine’s Day showdown. Catch the game on Bally Sports North Extra or stream it on TSN+ or the PWHL’s official YouTube channel. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. CT, 8:00 p.m. ET.