The Boston Fleetโs rookie class has been discussed a lot this season, and rightfully so.
The Fleet signed all six of their 2026 draft picks โ D Haley Winn, F Ella Huber, F Olivia Mobley, D Riley Brengman, F Abby Newhook, and G Amanda Thiele โ to full contracts by the end of training camp. All five skaters were lineup regulars this season, with Winn and Huber playing in all 30 games. Newhook and Brengman likely would have as well, had they not missed time due to injury. Meanwhile, Thiele held down the fort as the teamโs third goaltender for most of the season. She backed up a few times before making her PWHL debut in Boston’s playoff-clinching win in Minnesota on March 29. Boston has also bounced rookie D Mia Biotti, an undrafted camp invite, between the reserves and main roster all season.
Bostonโs rookies totaled 49 points this season, good for second in the PWHL behind the New York Sirens’ seven-skater class (62). Many earned the trust of head coach Kris Sparre to play all over the lineup and at various strengths. Theyโve carried that success and trust into the teamโs first two playoff games.
All six of Bostonโs rookie skaters have made their way into the teamโs lineup for both playoff games. Only Newhook has registered a point (one assist) across Bostonโs three goals, but the rest have made an impact elsewhere.
Starting with Winn, the Rookie of the Year frontrunner has continued to be a gamebreaker for the Fleet. She’s played nearly half of the series, with heavy minutes logged in every situation. The 22-year-old second overall pick played 28:48 in her playoff debut, behind only Megan Keller (30:29). Shen then led the team in Game 2 with 30:08 TOI. Winn and Keller provide a level of two-way play that the Charge simply donโt have an individual answer to, and they will continue to log heavy minutes as a result.
Meanwhile, Huber was second on the Fleet in shot attempts (8) in Game 2 and third in scoring chances (4), per Kyle Cushman of The Score. It was a significant jump from Bostonโs Game 1 win, where Huber attempted two shots and managed two scoring chances. She accomplished her Game 2 stats in just 13:15, over five minutes less than the players (Newhook and Jessie Eldridge) ahead of her.
As for Newhook, she remains on a line with Eldridge and Alina Mรผller. They have been the Fleetโs best line in both games and the only one that hasnโt been jumbled. Like Huber’s, Newhookโs game took a big step from Game 1 to Game 2 as she settled into the PWHL postseason. She led the team in shot attempts (11) and scoring chances (8) in Game 2, after recording two of each in Game 1. Newhook’s 19:16 Game 2 TOI also led all Fleet forwards.
Moving on to Brengman, sheโs seen big, important minutes, as one would expect from Winn’s primary defense partner. She finished Game 1 fourth among Boston defenders in time on ice (20:30), 36 seconds behind second-year defender Daniela Pejลกovรก. Then, in Game 2, Brengman played 19:38, which was third on the team, distantly behind Winn and Keller. She recorded two hits and shots while continuing to be one of Bostonโs most reliable defenders in any situation.
Meanwhile, Mobley has seen a more limited role after missing the final 16 regular-season games with an upper-body injury sustained during the Olympic break. Game 1 was her first appearance since January 28. As a result, she has not found herself out on the ice much with how tight the games have been. Still, she hasnโt been afraid to showcase her hard-nosed style in her limited minutes. She dished out three hits and wreaked plenty of netfront havoc in just 12:41 total TOI.
Finally, Biotti has seen the smallest playoff role of all the team’s rookies, as she has all season. The Fleet activated her from the teamโs reserves ahead of Game 1, spending the game as the seventh defender. She then moved up to Rylind MacKinnonโs third-pairing spot for Game 2 following MacKinnonโs suspension. She saw just a 39-second ice time increase as a result, logging 6:45 across the two games while recording no hits or shots, nor any shot attempts.
All things considered, the Fleetโs rookie class has continued to look more experienced than they are early in this postseason. Twelve Fleet players have made their PWHL playoff debuts this series, and their rookies have been among the most impressive. They play in all situations and at all strengths, and itโs not hard to see why. If they can keep improving as the series progresses, they’ll have a good chance to experience their first Walter Cup Final as well.