It’s been a busy few weeks in both the PWHL and NHL, with both drafts and free agencies happening within weeks of each other. While the Minnesota Wild have been making news lately, PWHL Minnesota hasn’t been inactive either. They made some news at the draft, and then when free agency officially started on June 21, they locked down three of their key players.
While they had time to re-sign these players earlier, they didn’t waste any time once they could be on the free agent market. Those players were Michela Cava, Denisa Křížová, and Liz Schepers, and all key to their playoff success that led to a Walter Cup win. In this article, we’ll take a look at each player, how they impacted the team, and how important it is that they’re back. We’ll start with Cava and move on from there.
Cava Integral to Top Line
When PWHL Minnesota experimented with their line combinations to find some chemistry, they found a top line. They paired Kendall Coyne-Schofield, Taylor Heise, and Cava together, which worked out very well. They knew where each other was and had similar speed and skill levels, which made everything flow.
Adding Cava to that line was a great move that helped glue the line together. While everyone knows Coyne-Schofield and Heise are high-level performers, putting Cava on that line also showcased her talent. That line brought out the best in each other, and they found another level to play at in each game.
With Cava re-signing, they will be able to use that line again next season as both Heise and Coyne-Schofield remain on the roster. While PWHL Minnesota has brought in some other players, this line should be the one they focus on with their offensive production as next season begins.
Křížová a Welcome Surprise
Many knew how talented Křížová is as a player, but once they put her with the right line partners, she really showed what she could do. She’s a quick, heads-up player who is always looking for the next move to make when she has the puck. Although she may have only scored three goals and three assists for six points during the 24-game regular season, she did so much away from the puck that helped as well.
She’s a somewhat physical player, and she did have a higher number of penalty minutes, but her game’s pros outweighed the cons. She’s not only fast on her feet but has a wicked wrist shot that beat PWHL Ottawa goaltender Sandra Abstreiter not once but twice in the same game. Křížová had her head up and knew where she wanted the puck to go and sniped it right over the shoulder.
It may have taken her a little time to find her scoring groove, but PWHL Minnesota clearly believes in her talent and wants her to remain part of their future. When a team wins a championship, it’s hard to let any of those players go because they proved they are able to win, and Křížová is one of those players that, thankfully, they get to keep.
Schepers Stepped it Up
Schepers is one of those players who had a decent regular season but found a way to step it up in the postseason. For a lot of players, it’s harder to find the extra step for the playoffs, so for Schepers to be able to do that, PWHL Minnesota wanted to ensure they got her back.
During the regular season, she had three points, all assists, in 19 games played. However, outside of Heise and fellow center Kelly Pannek, Schepers was dominant in the faceoff circle with a 48.6 win percentage. She may not have provided a lot of points, but she did help her team in a crucial area that could lead to points for or against her team. Faceoffs can be the make or break for a lot of teams, and she helped make it an area of success.
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Her points went up in the postseason, but her faceoff win percentage did slide a bit. She had one goal and four assists for five points throughout the 10-game postseason, but her faceoff wins slid to 35.1 percent. It’s great she was able to produce more when they needed it, but she’ll have to find a way to keep her faceoff wins consistent as well because that is just as crucial, especially in the playoffs. PWHL Minnesota made the right move re-signing her as well because they need players who are clutch performers in the postseason as they look to defend their title.
PWHL Minnesota Kept Core
So far, with a few exceptions, PWHL Minnesota has been able to keep their main core intact and will be looking pretty strong when it comes to next season. While they still have some things to work out such as their new draftees, and working around the small number of players that have left, they’re pretty set.
They kept their main scoring players and their rockstar goaltending tandem of Nicole Hensley and Maddie Rooney, who were key not only during the season but also found another level when it came to the playoffs. This core knows what it takes to get out of a slump and knows what it takes to win, so hopefully, they can defend their title when next season comes around.
