With four new teams added to the PWHL for the 2026-2027 season, changes are coming to the existing teams. Put simply, the Minnesota Frost are going to lose a number of key players in the expansion process.
The two-time Walter Cup champions are filled with talent, but they will need to pick only three players to protect from expansion. It’s a big decision that will shape the future of the franchise. Let’s dig into their options.
Phase 1 Explained:
Before delving into the expansion process for the Frost, I’d highly encourage you to check out this article from Melissa and Maya that details the expansion process.
In Phase 1, existing teams like the Frost can protect three players total. Those can be players on existing deals, or players on expiring deals that the team signs. Existing teams can also lose one player on an expiring deal to another existing team in Phase 1.
More details on the process can be found here.
Frost contract situations heading into Phase 1:
When Phase 1 begins, the Frost will have eight signed players, 16 players on expiring contracts, and three restricted free agents. Teams can re-sign restricted free agents via a qualifying offer.
Below are the Frost players’ contract situations:
Forwards: Britta Curl Salemme, Abby Hustler, Dominique Petrie
Defenders: Sidney Morin, Kendall Cooper, Mae Batherson, Natalie Buchbinder
Goalies: Maddie Rooney
Forwards: Kelly Pannek, Taylor Heise, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Grace Zumwinkle, Katy Knoll, Claire Butorac, Peyton Anderson, Kaitlyn O’Donohoe, Sam Cogan, Élizabeth Giguère, Klára Hymlárová
Defenders: Lee Stecklein, Jincy Roese, Madison Bizal
Goalies: Nicole Hensley, Marlène Boissonnault
Vanessa Upson (F), Brooke Becker (D), Ava Rinker (D)
What I think the Frost will do
Last season, though the process looked a lot different, the Frost chose to protect Taylor Heise, Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Lee Stecklein. I’d guess they will do the same thing this season.
Taylor Heise: I think Heise is the most obvious case for protection. Heise proved that she’s the Frost’s best play driver last season. She became the second player in league history to break 30 points in a regular season when she scored 13 goals and 17 assists last season. Heise has racked up 25 goals and 65 points in 78 games for the Frost. She is the face of the franchise, and in my opinion, a no-brainer for re-signing and protecting.
Kendall Coyne Schofield: Kendall Coyne Schofield has been one of the most consistent scorers in the PWHL’s three-year history. She ranks fourth all-time, just behind Taylor Heise, with .82 points per game. Last season, Coyne Schofield scored 12 goals and 23 points in 23 games. At 33 years old, she’s been a leader and one of the Frost’s most consistent forwards over three seasons.
Lee Stecklein: If Coyne Schofield and Heise have been the Frost’s most consistent forwards in franchise history, Stecklein has been the most consistent defender by some margin. The 32-year-old led Frost defenders in ice time once again this season. She may not bring a ton of offense, but she’s a shut-down defender and a leader on the back end for Minnesota.
What I would do
It’s easy to make the bolder suggestion when it’s not your job on the line. That said, if I were the general manager of the Frost, I’d go a different route.
Taylor Heise: Heise has accomplished all the success I listed above and more before her 27th birthday. I think she’s the Frost’s best forward, and I think she is ready to take on an even bigger role on a new-look Frost team next season.
Kendall Cooper: She was outstanding in her first year in the PWHL. Cooper had two goals and 19 points in 30 games. Her 17 assists were second best in the league and led all defenders. Though she didn’t put up impressive offensive numbers in the playoffs, I thought she was one of the Frost’s best defenders against Montreal. Cooper just turned 24, and I believe she has the makings of a future number one defender. If the Frost leave Cooper unprotected, I’d be shocked if an expansion team doesn’t select her.
Kelly Pannek: Pannek had a career year last season, leading the PWHL in goals (16) and points (33). She became the first player to break 30 points in a regular season. Beyond the points, a big reason I’d protect Pannek is all the little things she does for the Frost: winning faceoffs, playing on the penalty kill and power play, and how responsible she is in her own zone. If the Frost need to rebuild their forward group, starting with Heise and Pannek down the middle is a very strong place to start.
Other Options
Beyond these five names, there are a few other players I wouldn’t be surprised if the Frost protected. One of those players is Grace Zumwinkle. Zumwinkle bounced back from a quiet sophomore season and scored a career high 13 goals and 23 points in 29 games last season. She is on an expiring contract and will be free to sign with another team if left unprotected. I’m a little doubtful that the Frost will protect Zumwinkle, since they didn’t protect her during the 2025 expansion. That said, she had a better year last season, and there is no doubt that her goal-scoring ability would be intriguing to an expansion team.
Another expansion target if she’s left unprotected is Britta Curl-Salemme. Curl-Salemme followed up a solid first year with the Frost with a fantastic year two. She finished third in the league in points (29), and she led the league in assists (18). The Frost also extended Curl-Salemme last offseason; she is signed through 2027-2028. The Frost obviosuly like Curl-Salemme’s game, and I wouldn’t be shocked if she’s protected. Last year, Curl-Salemme was the fourth player the Frost protected, over players like Kelly Pannek and Grace Zumwinkle. She’ll likely be scooped up by an expansion team if the Frost don’t protect her in Phase 1.
The expansion process begins on June 2nd. For more on the process and a full breakdown, check out The Ice Garden’s deep dive here.