The 2026 Winter Olympics are now over, but that doesn’t mark the end of women’s hockey for the 2025-26 season. The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is currently halfway through its third season as an established league. There is still plenty of time to start watching and supporting the latest women’s hockey league.
Unsure of which team to follow? That’s the whole purpose of this series: to help you get a better understanding of each team so you know who to support now that the league is back up and running. Next up: the Minnesota Frost.
Eight Players Participated in the Olympics
Czechia
Both Klara Hymlarova and Denisa Krizová wanted to bring home a medal for their home country, Czechia. Both players played in all five Olympic games Czechia participated in. Hymlarova recorded one assist, and although Krizova didn’t record any points, she served as one of the alternate captains for her home country.
Krizova has spent all three of her PWHL seasons in Minnesota. So far this season, she has three points in 17 games. She needs to go on a real tear to tie or pass her career high of nine points from last season.
Hymlarova has spent her entire career with the Frost as well. She is in her second PWHL season and currently has three points in 17 games. She has already surpassed her career-high point total of two, so anything else she gets this season is an added bonus.
USA
Kendall Coyne Schofield had a lot riding on these Olympics. As a new mom, Coyne Schofield wanted to go out on the ice and prove she still had what it takes to participate on the international stage. She did just that and more, taking home her second Olympic gold medal.
As the captain of the Frost, she has a great leadership presence both on and off the ice. She currently has 16 points in 15 games, but was placed on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) following an injury sustained at the Olympics. Hopefully, she will return to the ice team soon.
Another experienced player at the Olympic level, Kelly Pannek, participated in her third Olympics this year. She played all seven games and recorded two assists. She has also spent all three of her PWHL seasons with Minnesota and has had an incredible performance this season, with 16 points in 17 games to tie her career-high points total. At the rate she has been performing, she will have a new career-high before the end of the season.
Lee Stecklein also has competed in several Olympics, with this year’s marking her fourth. Like Pannek, Stecklein had two assists. In her 15 games this PWHL season, the defender has four assists. Stecklein isn’t always an offensively-minded player, which is for the best, considering her primary role is to defend the net. She was a major part of Team USA’s defense and continues to carry that with her when playing for the Frost.
The 2026 Olympics marked Taylor Heise’s first time competing at the Olympic level, and it will likely not be the last. She recorded five points in seven games, helping her team bring home the gold.
Heise has spent her entire PWHL career with Minnesota and was the first-overall pick in the first PWHL Entry Draft. She is from Minnesota, so this was a great homecoming for her. Heise currently leads not only the Frost, but the entire league with her 19 points. She will likely be a Frost staple for a long time.
Another newcomer to the international stage, Britta Curl-Salemme, recorded six points in seven Olympic games. She has been a major and lethal offensive threat for the Frost as well, recording 17 points in 17 games.
Grace Zumwinkle got the chance to represent Team USA for the second time in her hockey career at the 2026 Olympics. She only recorded one assist, but don’t let that fool you: She has been a key part of the Frost’s offense this season, recording 10 points in 17 games. She has tied her point total from last season and is on her way to getting close to her career-high of 19 recorded in 2024.
The Rest of the Frost Roster
Veteran Presence is a Major Part of the Frost
Nicole Hensley and Maddie Rooney have been the Frost’s goaltending dream team since 2024, and they continuously prove why. So far this season, Hensley has a record of 5-1-2, while Rooney’s record stands at 5-3-1. Their skill in the crease is a significant factor in why Minnesota has been successful in both the regular season and the postseason. They are tough goaltenders to score on, which makes them a vital part of the Frost.
Related: Guide to the 2025-26 Seattle Torrent
Natalie Buchbinder has played for Minnesota for her past three seasons in the PWHL and continues to prove she is an excellent defender. She has one assist to her name this season, but she has a plus-8 rating. She has been on the ice for a large number of Frost goals and has helped shut down the offense from the opposing team in many scenarios.
Mae Batherson has been another excellent defender for the Frost. This is her second PWHL season, but she has really come into her own. She has not only been a great defender, but she has also excelled offensively. She has 10 points in 17 games, which gives her a new career-high inn points. The sophomore slump has not hit Batherson this season.
This season is Sidney Morin’s first for the Frost, but it is not her first in the PWHL. She spent her first two seasons playing for the Boston Fleet, but during the free agency last offseason, signed a two-year contract with the Frost. She currently has five points in 17 games and a minus-3 rating. Her defensive playshaven’t always been the best with Frost this season, but she is still finding her way with this new team full of new players.
This is Katy Knoll’s second season in the PWHL, but she has already stepped up more than last season. She currently has six goals in 17 games, which is a step up from her two points last season. She has grown to become more comfortable with her team, allowing her to find these scoring chances.
Dominique Petrie is another great forward for the Frost, but her season has unfortunately come to an end. The leg injury she endured on Jan. 4 versus the Montreal Victoire was enough to keep her out for the rest of the season. Hopefully, she’ll have a quick recovery process and will be back in action next season.
Rookies Have Been Finding Their Footing
Kendall Cooper was the Frost’s first-overall pick in the 2025 PWHL Entry Draft, and she has been proving why. The young defender has 10 points in 17 games and a plus-7 rating. Another excellent two-way defender, Cooper is both an offensive threat and a threat on blue line.
Abby Hustler was Frost’s second-round pick in the 2025 Draft and the first forward they selected off the board. With her nine points in 17 games, she is proving why Frost selected her. She is another great offensive player for an already offensive-heavy team. The more ice time she gets, the more she will continue to get out there and prove what she’s capable of.
Frost’s Current Standings
For the last two PWHL seasons, the Frost won the Walter Cup. Of course, they will want to try to go for the three-peat this season.
The Frost currently sit in third place with 30 points. Above them are the Fleet and the Victoire, with 37 and 35 points, respectively. Just under the Frost is the New York Sirens with 27 points. The Frost still have 13 more games this season, and a lot can change. Considering they are currently in the third-place spot, they have a good chance of qualifying for the playoffs for the third-straight season.
Frost Play on March 13
The Frost will play their next game on Friday, March 13, when they host the Seattle Torrent.
