The PWHL has hit their second international break, marking the midway point in the PWHL season. Here's a team-by-team review.

The PWHL has hit the midway point in their season. Montreal sits comfortably atop the PWHL regular season standings, while the Ottawa Charge has slipped into last. Each team has had their highs and lows through the first half of the 2024-2025 campaign. Here's a look at each team thus far.

Montreal Victoire - 8-3-1-2 - 1st Place

There are several factors that have catapulted Montreal into first place in the PWHL. First, this team is extremely well coached. Kori Cheverie is the leading candidate for coach of the year, squeezing every bit of potential out of her lineup, and effectively making in game changes that are giving her team the boost. Montreal is opportunistic, physical, and their depth players know their role, and play it without fail. Second is Marie-Philip Poulin. She was quiet in the opening weeks of the season, but has shown time and again why she's the best player in the world and now leads the league with 10 goals. Respected on and off the ice, Poulin's leadership has also lifted this team at times. When Poulin walks into a room, people listen, but at the same time, you can see the fun the veteran is still having on the ice. Alongside Poulin the young duo of Jennifer Gardiner and Abby Boreen have found impressive chemistry alongside Poulin, and they've played well enough that the duo could be legitimate options for their nation's internationally. Next, Ann-Renee Desbiens was good but not great in year one, but this season, she's been lights out. Desbiens has proven that she's still among, if not the, best in the world in net. She leads the PWHL with a 1.77 GAA and .935 save percentage. It's hard to argue with those numbers. Finally, Montreal's defensive group has been quietly effective. While other teams struggle watching defensive groups roam every inch of the ice, Montreal's group is able to balance offensive contributions without sacrificing defensive awareness or positioning. Erin Ambrose, Cayla Barnes, Kati Tabin, Mariah Keopple, Anna Wilgren, Anna Kjellbin, and Amanda Boulier are a top to bottom group that does their job as well as any core in the league.

Midseason MVP: Marie-Philip Poulin

Minnesota Frost - 5-4-2-4 - 2nd Place

Minnesota's top line of Taylor Heise, Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Michela Cava picked up where they left off in the playoffs last season. Minnesota has shown an ability to weather injuries as well watching Grace Zumwinkle, Dominique Petrie, and Sophie Jaques miss considerable time. Perhaps the biggest revelation for Minnesota this season has been the success out of the gate for first round pick Claire Thompson. She's quietly powered Minnesota's offense this season and provided a valuable boost to their attack on the ice, and their locker room off the ice. If there is a question mark in Minnesota, it's who will emerge as their starter in net down the stretch? Maddie Rooney has clearly been the better of their two netminders as Nicole Hensley continues to fight her game. Right now it's Rooney, but the way Minnesota utilizes their tandem, they'll continue to ride the hot hand even if that turns out to be Hensley down the stretch.

Midseason MVP: Claire Thompson

New York Sirens - 4-3-2-5 - 3rd Place

New York's top line of Sarah Fillier, Alex Carpenter, and Jessie Eldridge has driven this bus. The line is providing the bulk of New York's offense, which has been valuable, but beyond the group, the team is actually struggling significantly to develop secondary offense. Their secondary players have provided one significant boost as the team has the league's best penalty kills operating at a 91.4% efficiency. New York's blueline has looked better this season, particularly with the renewed play of Micah Zandee-Hart, but also with the contributions of newcomers Maja Nylen Persson and Ally Simpson. In net, Corinne Schroeder remains a contender for goalie of the year, but rookie counterpart Kayle Osborne has claimed the team's second spot and has played very well. New York looks confident in spelling Schroeder off, which is another significant boost to this lineup.

Midseason MVP: Sarah Fillier

Toronto Sceptres - 5-0-4-6 - 4th Place

It was an incredibly slow start for Toronto, but they've come on of late, and they have something special to look forward to in the near future: the imminent return of Natalie Spooner. The addition of Megan Carter upon her return to the lineup has been a significant boost to Toronto, but nothing has helped turn their season around more than the recent improved play of Sarah Nurse and Blayre Turnbull. The team has been lucky to have Jesse Compher and Hannah Miller contributing as they have up front, and they hit the jackpot in getting Savannah Harmon and Hayley Scamurra from Ottawa in an early season trade. Julia Gosling looks poised to break out, Daryl Watts continues to electrify, and beyond Renata Fast who remains the leagues best all-around defender, their second pairing of Kali Flanagan and Allie Munroe have carried a heavy load for this team. The biggest issue in Toronto remains their goaltending. Kristen Campbell has struggled well beyond the point where she was able to turn it around last year, and it cost her a spot on Team Canada at the most recent Rivalry Series. Raygan Kirk has stepped in and been better, but not exceptional. Toronto will need a goaltender to step forward most consistently if they want to challenge for a Walter Cup.

Midseason MVP: Hannah Miller

Boston Fleet - 3-3-2-5 - 5th Place

Boston continues to underperform, but they also remains close in almost every game they've played. The recent revival of Alina Muller bodes well for the Fleet in the second half of the PWHL season, and rookie Hannah Bilka continues to get better. Boston's secondary scoring has been nearly non-existent, and it would not be surprising to see them attempt another trade to shake up their depth up front. Aside from scoring, Boston also needs to figure out an option for their backup goaltending spot. It's certainly time to give Klara Peslarova a start, as Boston can't keep going back to Emma Soderberg without results. Boston will need to find more ways to score to get back to where they ended last year, or to earn a playoff spot for that matter.

Midseason MVP: Hilary Knight

Ottawa Charge - 5-0-2-8 - 6th Place

Ottawa is struggling. They're struggling to score, sitting last in goals for, they're struggling on their special teams, sitting last in power play success (9.7%), they're struggling to remain disciplined, with the most power play opportunities against, and they've struggled to defend, allowing the most shots against by far this season. Ottawa's stars including Brianne Jenner, Emily Clark, and Katerina Mrazova just haven't produced enough, but when you look at the top to bottom struggles of this team, it goes beyond the sum of their parts, and much of the critique needs to land on their coaching staff. Like every other team in this league, Ottawa added talented players like Danielle Serdachny, and Ronja Savolainen in the draft, and they've been lucky to have Emerance Maschmeyer in net, keeping them in games more than this team deserves at the moment. The trade sending Harmon and Scamurra away for Jocelyne Larocque and Victoria Bach didn't help immediately, and it certainly won't help long term. This team needs a shift in strategy from the stop down, including much more structure, and more specific guidance in game. But they also need their big names to step forward and be better, or to give a few players who look uncomfortable in depth roles to be given another look in the top six. Ottawa is banking on a long home stand in February to help turn things around, but they should be turning their focus internally and realize that they can't do the same thing night in and night out and expect different results.

Midseason MVP: Emerance Maschmeyer