It’s time for the report card of Lee Stecklein, one of PWHL Minnesota’s top defenders who helped lift the team the entire season. She had the most ice time of any PWHL Minnesota defender except Sophie Jaques after she joined Minnesota, and Stecklein used it. She was also a leader off and on the ice, which earned her the “A” on her jersey alongside Kelly Pannek and captain Kendall Coyne-Schofield.
In this article, we’ll take a look at her regular season and postseason performance and then combine them to create an overall grade. We’ll start with how she did during the regular season, where she showed what offensive skills she has apart from her defense.
Stecklein Can Work Both Sides
First and foremost, Stecklein’s defensive skills outshone nearly all of her teammates. She played heads-up hockey and was the first defender into the defensive zone to cut off any opponent’s path to the net. However, she was also the first defender out of the zone on the breakout and ensured she got the puck out to her forwards like Taylor Heise.
She used her high hockey I.Q. to determine how long to hold the puck; if she was pressured, she would get rid of the puck before it could be taken from her, but if she had room, she would carry it as far as she could. When she was playing point in the offensive zone she was always ready to take a strong shot or make the perfect pass to assist on a goal.
Stecklein scored two goals and assisted on six others for eight total points in 24 games during the regular season, and she also took 35 shots on goal. She’s a great two-way player who can play strong defense and score goals when given the chance, which is why she earned an A for her regular season performance.
Stecklein Steps Up Defense
In the postseason, things changed slightly for Stecklein, meaning her offense took a backseat while her defense was front and center. She still kept up the persistent work ethic while her time on ice increased and she was keeping her opponents from scoring goals, she even played 41 minutes in one of the postseason games.
She didn’t jump into the offensive zone as much as she did during the regular season to keep their opponents in front of her at all times instead of behind her. She was slightly more physical in the postseason than in the regular season, but having fewer games also played a part in that. She played in all 10 postseason games, assisted on three goals, and had 10 shots. Her offense went down but didn’t completely disappear, which helped her team secure the Walter Cup.
Normally, dropping her offense slightly would affect her grade, but since her defense stepped up to make up for it, her grade won’t be affected. Her defensive game and time on the ice really made a difference in their postseason, and she earned an A+. Her grade wasn’t lower because her efforts worked, and there isn’t higher than an A+ in this grading system.
Stecklein’s Overall Grade
After reviewing her regular-season performance, which earned her an A, her postseason performance earned her an A+, and combining those earned her an A+. She worked hard all season, and it showed, as she was front and center for her team’s win of the first-ever Walter Cup.
She led by example, and her teammates did what they could to keep up with her. Apart from her A+ grade she also earned her associate captain letter on her jersey. Her consistent hard work, which seemed to never stop, was also a big part of her “A” and her grade. PWHL Minnesota wouldn’t have been as successful as they were without Stecklein and it’s great that she’ll be back next season.
Related: PWHL Minnesota Report Card 2023-24: Maggie Flaherty
Her defense alone is enough for PWHL Minnesota to keep her on the top pairing. The team is lucky to have her two more seasons, and she’ll be able to help their new addition, Claire Thompson, adjust to the league and keep their defensive core strong. Hopefully, they can help lead the way this next season and go after another Walter Cup.
