A New Era Between the Pipes
As the 2026‑27 Premier Women’s Hockey League season looms, the conversation around goaltending has taken center stage. The Minnesota Frost, who captured back‑to‑back Walter Cups in 2024 and 2025, have long relied on a dual‑goalie system, but recent performance trends point to a shift in hierarchy.
Maddie Rooney, who split time with Nicole Hensley during those championship runs, posted a +0.940 save‑percentage in the 2024 playoffs and was shielded by the franchise during the 2026 expansion draft. After a season in which the duo posted identical +0.940 SV% in the postseason, the Frost have announced Rooney as their clear No.1, with Marlène Boissonnault and Daria Gredzen earmarked as potential backups.
Meanwhile, the Montréal Victoire enter the new campaign fresh off a Walter Cup triumph powered by Ann‑Renée Desbiens. The veteran posted a 0.960 EVSV%, a 0.955 GSAA per 30 minutes and a 0.960 quality‑start rate in the 2025‑26 season, numbers that underscore a dominant performance.
Desbiens’ success is often attributed to her elite hockey IQ, a trait that allows her to anticipate plays and command the crease. The Victoire will also field new faces such as 2026 draft pick Hailey MacLeod, while veteran Megan Warrener remains under contract, but the team will miss the contributions of Nicole Gosling and Erin Ambrose, both of whom departed in the offseason.
The broader context adds another layer of intrigue. The league’s overall goaltending metrics have hovered around a sixth‑place ranking for the Frost over the past three seasons, suggesting that consistency remains a challenge. As both clubs navigate roster changes and heightened expectations, the performance of their netminders could ultimately define the narrative of the upcoming season.