The NHL is well underway, the PWHL is just around the corner, and it’s also time for the women’s Rivalry series to get underway. For those who don’t know about the Rivalry Series, it’s exactly as it sounds: a set of games between two of the biggest rivals in hockey history, the United States and Canada. There will be four games played over November and December, and the rosters are a mix of PWHL and college players.
The first two games will be held on Thursday, Nov. 6, in Cleveland, Ohio, and Saturday, Nov. 8, in Buffalo, New York, with the latter two games being on Wednesday, Dec. 10, and Saturday, Dec. 13, in Edmonton, Alberta. Team Canada took the series 3-1 over Team USA last season. It’s no surprise that the Minnesota Frost have quite a few players in this series. This season, they only have players on Team USA, as both Canadian’s the Frost had in Sophie Jacques and Claire Thompson have moved on. In this article, we’ll take a look at who they are, starting with the forwards.
Frost Forwards Represent
Despite all the changes the Frost have had to go through this offseason with the expansion and free agency, they have still managed to keep some of their core scoring in place. They still have Taylor Heise, Grace Zumwinkle, Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Britta Curl-Salemme. All four of these players, plus Kelly Pannek, have all made the Team USA roster for the Rivalry Series this season.
Heise is no shock at all, as well as Coyne-Schofield; those two players were the rocks for the Frost last season and are known for their strong offensive capabilities. Curl-Salemme has strong scoring skills, but she also provides a physical side that is needed at times, especially for Team USA. Pannek was more behind the scenes but stepped up big when it counted, and her defensive abilities as a forward are just as important as her points.
That leaves Zumwinkle, who was also more of a behind-the-scenes player for the Frost last season, but that was mainly due to battling some injuries. When she is 100 percent healthy, she can be a force, and hopefully, Team USA will be getting that version of her and the Frost as well.
Frost’s Lone Defensive Player
The Frost only have one player between the defenders and the goaltenders on Team USA, and that is Lee Stecklein. It’s no surprise that Stecklein has made this list; she’s easily the Frost’s best defender now, especially after losing Jacques, but she also has a strong offensive side to her game. She can score goals, and that’s something every team’s defense could use.
Stecklein also has some size that can help her be physical, maybe not quite as much as her teammate Curl-Salemme, but helpful regardless. It may seem surprising that the Frost have only one defender on the list, but when looking at their roster, they have Natalie Buchbinder and newcomer Sidney Morin for veteran players who are American. While those two are good defenders, they aren’t quite ready for Team USA. It’ll be interesting to see if any of the Frost’s rookies this season make Team USA in years to come.
In the past, both of the Frost’s goaltenders, Maddie Rooney and Nicole Hensley, have played in the Rivalry Series for Team USA, but neither of them made the roster this season. Hensley played the last few times, and the last time Rooney played was in 2022-23. Now they’ve handed the reins over to Aerin Frankel, Gwyneth Philips, and Ava McNaughton.
Frost Connections Helpful
While they may not have many defenders on the team, having five forwards can only help, as they’re already familiar with playing with each other. While most of Team USA has played together before over the years, the Frost players have been together more recently, and several of them have been on lines together.
They have that extra layer of chemistry that can help the team click quicker since they already know how their linemates operate. Even with just one Frost defender in Stecklein, she knows how to break out the puck to her teammates, and her teammates know her tactics as well. Of course, they have to blend this in with their new Team USA teammates from around the PWHL and college, but it shouldn’t be too difficult.
Related: 3 Ottawa Charge Players to Take Part in USA-Canada Rivalry Series
It’ll be interesting to see how this Team USA adjusts and how they’ll stand up against Team Canada in this Rivalry Series. Frost fans will have to keep a close eye on their players and see how productive they are throughout the series.
