The second season for the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) started Nov. 30 featuring nine former Gophers across the league.
The nine players span across four teams including The Minnesota Frost, Boston Fleet, Victoire de Montreál and Toronto Sceptres. The former maroon and gold players are Taylor Heise, Kelly Pannek, Grace Zumwinkle, Lucy Morgan, Lee Stecklein, Hannah Brandt, Emily Brown, Abigail Boreen and Olivia Knowles.
Heise joins Pannek and Zumwinkle as they begin their second season with the Frost. Heise is one of the most decorated players in Gophers history having won the 2022 Patty Kazmaier award. She was also named the Player of the Year by the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
The Minnesota Frost won the league’s inaugural championship last season. Heise won the 2024 Playoff MVP after the PWHL’s first season. Her teammate, Zumwinkle, won rookie of the year.
Gophers head coach Brad Frost said he keeps in touch with former players as they continue their playing careers.
“I’m cheering them on and it’s great having so many of them right here in Minnesota,” Frost said.
Frost highlighted the advantage of having one of the teams in Minnesota. He said it allows them to directly communicate with the general managers and coaches to showcase their players.
“GMs (general managers) and coaches from other PWHL teams come to our practices to watch our players,” Frost said. “They are constantly looking at our players and knowing who they are.”
Gophers forward Abbey Murphy said it has been awesome to watch the league take off in their first year.
Murphy is in her final season at the University of Minnesota and is weighing options for her future after this year.
“I’m excited for when that time comes, looking forward to playing with the best players in the world,” Murphy said. “Playing at that level is just a different thing.”
For many Gophers, this new opportunity has excited them. Murphy, who lives with four other players, said they are always watching PWHL games together.
The Gophers have four senior players who could be looking to continue playing hockey in the future.
Meanwhile, the PWHL will continue to expand the number of teams in the league. There are currently six teams but the league plans to add two more teams in the 2025-2026 season.