The Walter Cup has been handed to the Minnesota Frost for the second straight year, which means the PWHL is now in offseason mode. However, before we fully turn the page on the 2024-25, it’s time to reflect on how each team performed. The Boston Fleet had a rollercoaster of a season with a bitterly disappointing end, with the highs powered by MVP-caliber performances from the team’s stars and the lows primarily caused by a paltry offense.
Record
9-6-5-10, 44 points (fifth place).
The Fleet technically finished the season in a three-way tie for third place with 44 points. However, their 9-6-5-10 record was not good enough to secure any tiebreakers, so they officially placed fifth, missing the playoffs after making a Walter Cup run in the inaugural season.
MVP
Aerin Frankel/Hilary Knight.
Yes, it’s a cop out to choose two players as MVP. But, had it not been for Frankel’s brilliance in goal combined with Knight’s offense, the Fleet likely would have been the first team eliminated this season instead of battling until the final day.
Starting with Frankel, when you can’t score, you better be able to keep the puck out of the net. Frankel did just that, keeping the Fleet in numerous games they didn’t otherwise deserve to be in. She faced 65 more shots (642) and played in two more games (23) than any other goaltender, yet she still managed to sit second in save percentage with a 0.921. Sure, her 2.28 goals-against average was just average, sitting fifth among the eight qualified goaltenders, but save percentage is always more representative of a goaltender’s play. The Fleet would’ve been much better off not relying on her as much as they did, but she was always ready to bail them out until the collective fiasco of a final game.
Moving on to Knight, not only were her 29 points tied for the league lead in scoring with New York’s Sarah Fillier, but they were ten ahead of the next Fleet player, Alina Müller. She carried the offense in a way that both gives her an MVP case and explains why the Fleet missed the playoffs (but more on that later). Overall, after a rocky inaugural season, Knight was the player the Fleet signed her to be, and they need her to keep it going next season.
Top Rookie
Hannah Bilka.
Despite suffering a knee injury in the February Rivalry Series leg that cost her 14 games, Bilka stands as the most impactful rookie for the Fleet. Her speed and crafty playmaking were game-changing. For starters, she helped spark Knight’s resurgence, and while Knight continued to excel without her, the Fleet sorely missed Bilka’s energy and offense while she was injured. She should only get better as she continues to adjust to the rigors of the PWHL, but unfortunately for the Fleet, expansion might mean her career continues elsewhere.
An honorary mention for this goes to Shay Maloney, who far exceeded most expectations and anchored the second line for most of the season. She relied heavily on Alina Müller and Hilary Knight for points (seven of her nine points featured at least one of them, and four featured both), but the sixth-round draft pick fit perfectly into head coach Courtney Kessel’s system as a steady, physical presence in all 30 games.
Biggest Strength
Goaltending.
Without a smidge of doubt, the Fleet’s biggest strength was their goaltending. Not only was Frankel one of the Fleet’s MVPs, but Klára Peslarová was phenomenal when called upon, although she inexplicably barely got to play until the end of the year. Meanwhile, Emma Söderberg didn’t have the season she wanted, but the team also always seemed to play worse in front of her than they did the others, so it wasn’t all on her. Regardless, the Fleet wouldn’t have had a chance at the playoffs without the outstanding play of their goaltenders. That’s not expected to change next season, even though the personnel surely will.
Biggest Weakness
Offense.
It’s great for Knight that she led the charge offensively for the Fleet this season. It’s terrible for the Fleet just how much she led that charge. She was the only Fleet player to crack 20 points this season, one of two to tally over ten goals, and one of just four over 0.5 points per game. Inconsistent or nonexistent production from the rest of the roster plagued the Fleet all season, and it’s the primary reason they missed the playoffs. You can’t win games if you don’t score, no matter how brilliant your goaltenders are.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Fleet were an extremely streaky team, but they still managed to be in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot for most of the season. However, they missed the playoffs after flaming out at the end of the regular season, securing just four points in their final five games. There were some good moments, but they’re overshadowed by the extra three weeks of off-season that they didn’t want. Now, it’s on to the expansion draft, where the roster will be picked apart, and the Fleet are all but guaranteed to lose at least two key pieces to their already struggling offense. GM Danielle Marmer has a tough, but not impossible, task ahead of her to bring the team back into playoff contention next season.