2024-25 PWHL Season Prediction Roundtable

The new PWHL season is here and some of our staff wanted to predict how the season would unfold. From standings, award picks, and Walter Cup Final matchups. We spent some time during the week leading up to the 2024-25 PWHL season coming up with pour season predictions before the puck drops on Saturday afternoon in Toronto.

Regular Season Standings 1-6

Geremy – Montréal Victoire, Toronto Sceptres, New York Sirens, Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Ottawa Charge

The easiest part of this was picking Montréal Victoire and the Toronto Sceptres to take the top two spots in the league. Montréal in my opinion has the best coach in the league, and if Toronto didn’t have Natalie Spooner score at a historic pace, Montréal was going to finish first last season. I think this is a team where we see the adage “greater than the sum of its parts” come to life. I think Toronto regresses a bit as replacing the production Spooner had last season will be extremely difficult but ultimately they play a team game that is suffocating to high end results.

Next up: the New York Sirens. They put together a great roster last season but it just never came together despite Alex Carpenter, Ella Shelton, and Corinne Schroeder all being top three at least at their respective positions. With the addition of Greg Fargo and a draft class lauded as being the best from the 2024 draft this feels like one of those young teams that are going to be flying out there. 

The last playoff spot was so tough to choose from between Boston, Minnesota, and Ottawa. Ultimately I think the forward talent on Boston is just too much for Ottawa or Minnesota to contend with. Bilka is a big time x-factor whose addition is going to give Boston an added offensive dimension to help them reach their potential as a scoring machine. Add in a goalie tandem of Aerin Frankel+Emma Söderberg/Klára Peslarová and it feels like that tips the scale just enough for a playoff spot.

Minnesota last year was essentially Grace Zumwinkle carrying the team on forward and Sophie Jaques bringing all the offence from the back end. If Zumwinkle, or whoever has a season like hers, doesn’t get better support Minnesota isn’t making it.

I’m sorry Ottawa fans. I want the best for your team but I think you might be waiting for another season. You’ll be competitive right up until the end however I just don’t see the improvements made to catch up with the other teams yet.

Maya – Montréal Victoire, Toronto Sceptres, Boston Fleet, New York Sirens, Minnesota Frost, Ottawa Charge

We saw Montréal and Toronto be extremely competitive last season, and in my mind, they’ve only added to that talent, not lost it. In terms of the Fleet and Sirens, I think they both added key pieces in the off season to improve on last season’s finish (4th and last respectively). We’ve already seen Hannah Bilka be a great addition to the Knight and Muller line in the pre-season, and if Hilary Knight actually plays good hockey this season, I think people should be very scared of the Fleet this season. The Sirens took the first overall pick with one of the best players in the world, Sarah Fillier, and she’s already gotten a hat trick in the pre-season. To me, they are the team that improved the most in the off season, and I’m excited to see what they can do. 

To me, Minnesota is the wild card. I think if they steal a couple of wins here and there, they could make the playoffs, especially if one team has a few bad games in exchange. I don’t think they’ve really added or lost many players, so if they can find that level of play that they had in the playoffs, they could be competitive. But I also don’t think they’ve gotten a lot better, and the Fleet and Sirens have. 

I expect Ottawa to miss the playoffs again. They really didn’t do anything to solve their issues from last season in the off season, other than signing a strong goal scorer in Rebecca Leslie. Last season, they were not aggressive enough and couldn’t finish when it counted, and I fully expect that to be the same this season, sadly. 

Alyssa – Toronto Sceptres, New York Sirens, Montréal Victoire, Boston Fleet, Ottawa Charge, Minnesota Frost

Let’s start from the bottom of the standings. 

I am not at all high on the Minnesota Frost this upcoming season. From the moment they won the 2024 Walter Cup they’ve been a disaster off the ice. They got hot at the right time last year in the playoffs. Sometimes I forget how bad they were before the playoffs begin. They literally tripped into the fourth playoff spot as they lost their final five remaining games. I just don’t think they’ll be very good this season.

When it comes to Ottawa I believe that they’ll be competitive all season and will just fall out of the playoffs. I am very excited to see Danielle Serdachny make the jump to the pros but as a whole I don’t think the Charge have what it takes to be a playoff team. When it comes to Boston I think they’re going be a stronger regular season team than they were last year but with the talent on every other team, they’re gonna hangout in the fourth place area most of the season. I’m expecting big things from Hilary Knight, Alina Müller, and freshly-drafted Hannah Bilka. 

I view the top three teams in the league being extremely close in terms of points. Montréal is going win and lose a lot of one-goal games this season and will continue their consistent play from last year. New York had a miserable season last year and they made a handful of huge changes this offseason that will hopefully make things less miserable. From drafting Sarah Fillier, to hiring a new head coach, New York is destined to be the team they were always projected to be last year.

💡 READ MORE: PWHL New York Hires Head Coach Greg Fargo

The Toronto Sceptres are coming into this season after having the biggest free agency addition across the league. Daryl Watts was top ten in scoring last year during her time in Ottawa and returns to her hometown with something to prove. Add her skill with all of the other strong weapons Toronto already has and I think they become the first team in league history to win back-to-back regular season titles. 

Billie Jean King MVP Award Winner (Regular Season MVP)

Geremy – Alina Müller

She led Boston last season in points (16), primary points (13), primary assists (8), power play points (3), even-strength points (13), and primary even-strength points (10). All while being on a team with the league’s worst PP% (7.41%), fewest PP goals (4), and lowest team shooting % (7.05%). Müller, while being a very good goal scorer, is at her best when she’s dishing the puck and when your team can’t finish your stats are going to suffer. When you have finishers such as Knight, Rattray, and Gabel combining for 13 goals that’s not good. That’s only two more than Sarah Nurse scored herself. I don’t see that trend continuing into this season and with her teammates finishing more of her setups, Müller is going to see a noticeable increase in points making it even more clear just how much she’s doing for Boston. If Boston makes the playoffs, she’s going to be given a lot of the rightful credit, MVP level credit.  

Maya – Marie-Philip Poulin

Last season was the Natalie Spooner show, and I think this season Poulin will step up in an even bigger way than she did last season. She was tied for second in goals and points last season and I think she flew under the radar a bit. We always expect her to be good, and she was, so she’s not quite as recognized for it as other people may be. I think this is the season where she locks in and lights it up. 

Alyssa – Alex Carpenter

If you played hockey for New York during the inaugural PWHL season you are eligible for financial compensation for how brutal of a year it was. 

Alex Carpenter is an insanely talented hockey player. Last year on a very bad team she still had 23 points in 24 games. Now add Sarah Fillier to the mix, a new coach, and a consistent home rink to play in. That’s a recipe for an MVP season and I’m personally stoked to watch her take the league by storm this year. 

2025 Walter Cup Matchup

Geremy – New York Sirens vs Montréal Victoire

What are the odds Montréal loses another three straight OT games to knock them out of the playoffs? I’d say it’s unlikely, and a team containing Marie-Philip Poulin along with Ann-Renée Desbiens isn’t going to be denied for long. Add in the fact that their draft strategy was focused on adding depth that can score dirty goals such as Abby Boreen and Dara Grieg, this feels like a team that learned its lessons from season one. Montréal should terrify everyone especially when you consider at some point in the season they’ll be adding Cayla Barnes. This looks like a team built for playoff wins and it’s hard to bet against them.

I’m back on the New York Sirens hype train and just like Montréal they look built for playoff wins. Their defense looks to be among the best in the league, Corinne Schroeder is one of the best goalies in the world, their team is built to be bullies, and they have the former head coach of Colgate University. A team that if you watched them play looks like they’d fit right in with the PWHL. If Greg Fargo can bring the same attitude to the Sirens that be brought to Colgate they’re going to be a menace to play against. 

Maya – Montréal Victoire vs Toronto Sceptres

As it should have been last year, it’s an all-Canadian matchup in the final. Both of these teams are incredibly strong and I see them for sure getting past my fourth place choice, the Sirens, on experience alone. Boston could throw a wrench in these plans and get to their second final in two years. I think that all depends on what the semi-final matchups are. I didn’t have Boston getting to the final last year either so shrug. 

Alyssa – Montréal Victoire vs Toronto Sceptres

Okay I’m biased as a Canadian but to me this is the best matchup we could get. I don’t even have many thoughts as to why I think it will happen, I just want it to. 

2025 Walter Cup Champions

Geremy – New York Sirens

I was all aboard the New York hype train last season and was rewarded with a last-place finish. This year I’m back aboard the hype train. This feels like a league where a few small changes can have a big effect. Boasting one of the best defences in the PWHL and full of young talent eager to make a difference, this team can go on a run. They kept quite a few players from last season believing in the talent they have. It’s hard to blame them when they have the elite players producing; they just need to come together as a team. If they do it’s game over for the rest of the league. This is a team ready to throw down and get dirty. It’s a total vibes and wishful thinking pick. 

Maya- Montréal Victoire

It’ll take five games but I think the Victoire will find, well, victory. While I think both Toronto and Montréal are strong teams, I do think that Montréal is slightly stronger in all aspects, especially goaltending and defense. Especially if a certain Toronto defender ends up in the box a lot, I could see the Montréal powerplay putting Toronto to bed. Either way, the Walter Cup is coming to Canada. 

Alyssa – Montréal Victoire

I find it really hard to bet against Marie-Philip Poulin and Ann-Renée Desbiens in a five-game series. The matchup will 100% go to give games but Montreal will be bringing home the trophy. 

Goaltender of the Year

Geremy – Ann-Renée Desbiens

Montréal is going to be without Dominika Lásková and possibly Cayla Barnes to start the season. That’s two top four blueliners the Victorie are going to have to do without. They managed last season to play some of the best defensive hockey in the PWHL with a blueline that exemplified “greater than the sum of its parts” and are going to be called on to do the same until Barnes and Lásková come back. That’s going to require Ann-Renée Desbiens to be at her best and if my prediction comes true that Montréal finishes tops in the league then Desbiens will have played a noticeable part in getting the team there in the same way Kristen Campbell won Goalie of the Year last season. 

Maya – Emerance Maschmeyer 

This is a long shot and she might fit in more of a “Team MVP” type of award, rather than just wins and GAA, but I do think that, like last season, Maschmeyer will be the saving grace for Ottawa and will play the most games of any goaltender in the league. 

Ottawa finally added a goaltender that they seem to be confident in with Gwyn Philips. But I still think you start your established, multi-gold medal winning goaltender more than your rookie goaltender. 

With the other teams, I fully expect their tandems to be strong enough (minus maybe Toronto) to see almost an even split of games, which makes it hard for any one goalie to excel. 

I think Maschmeyer will show that she is the strongest member of her team, and the strongest goaltender, even if the standings don’t reflect that. 

Alyssa – Corinne Schroeder

It was a hard time to play in New York last season. It was a REALLY hard time to be a goaltender in New York last season. It’s time for everyone to see how good Corinne Schroeder truly is. She is one of the best goalies on the planet and has the opportunity to take home the honour as PWHL Goaltender of the Year as she finds herself behind a much stronger and better vibes New York team. She was nominated for the award last year despite the team’s disappointing results and I think she will find herself there again, but this time around she will win it. 

Rookie of the Year

Geremy – Danielle Serdachny

I don’t think it’s much of a secret how much I like Danielle Serdachny especially if you saw my tweets during the 2024 WHC or even before that in the Rivalry Series. She’s a very gifted hockey player and Ottawa should be glad to have her at second overall. With the departure of Daryl Watts, Serdachny being spoon-fed top six minutes and top PP minutes is a given. She’s going to have all the opportunity to put up a lot of points and she’s going to make the best of it. Not making the playoffs isn’t going to hurt her case when it’s clear she did her very best to make the team competitive. 

Maya – Sarah Fillier

How can you not choose Sarah Fillier? Let’s list some of her accomplishments here: Three World Championship gold medals, Olympic gold medalist, NCAA Rookie of the Year, three-time Patty Kazmaier Award finalist, World Championship MVP and best forward; all at the age of 24. She’s already been playing at a super high level, and I see her leveling up even more this season. 

Alyssa – Sarah Fillier

Oh Sarah Fillier, where do I even begin. 

The 2024 First Overall Pick is coming into her first pro season and will immediately be a top ten player in the league. In her second preseason game with New York she had a hat trick, with one goal being on the power-play, one on the penalty kill, and one at even strength. The former Princeton captain is stupidly good at hockey and will be playing her first pro season on a team that heavily underperformed last season. I am stoked to see her alongside Alex Carpenter and company. 

Coach of the Year

Maya- Korie Cheverie (MTL)

She deserved it last year, and I think she’ll get it this year. Last season, she executed a great lineup, balanced superb goaltending and got her team comfortably into the postseason. I don’t expect anything different to happen this season, and hopefully she’ll get recognized for it. 

Geremy – Greg Fargo (NYS)

Before Greg Fargo joined Colgate University they were seeing a lot more bad seasons than even fine seasons. Four years after Fargo was hired Colgate became a powerhouse. Six seasons of Fargo at the helm saw Colgate vie for its first ever National Championship. Naturally if you coach a WCHA team or have coached Clarkson you’re going to be viewed very highly. Fargo is able to go a bit under the radar because of that and is now going to get the chance to show his stuff at the highest level. New York is shaping up to be the youngest team in the PWHL and Fargo is used to dealing with younger players. New York is also just filled with his kind of players and he should be able to get the most out of them. I think there’s an extremely high chance he’s going to remind us all why Colgate is seen as such a successful program. 

Alyssa – Troy Ryan (TOR)

Based on my standings predictions, I don’t see how the best regular season team two years in a row won’t also take home Coach of the Year two years in a row. The Toronto Sceptres are an extremely strong hockey club and a big reason is their leader behind the bench. Heading into the PWHL season I think it will be Troy Ryan’s trophy to lose.