After weeks of losing players in the expansion process, Wednesday night’s PWHL draft offered the Minnesota Frost the chance to replenish their roster. On Wednesday, the Frost drafted six talented players who will compete for spots on the 2026-2027 roster.
Round One: Sara Swiderski (D)
Heading into the draft, I thought the Frost would look to draft a defender in round one, and they got a good one in Sara Swiderski. The former Ohio State defender was one of the best defensive defenders in the draft. She’s got good size at 5 feet 9 inches, and she’s a very good skater. Swiderski is adept at using her size and skating ability to break up plays on the rush and shut down the opposition offense. Swiderski didn’t put up gaudy offensive numbers at Ohio State, but she set career highs in goals (8), assists (19), and points (27) in her senior season.
Swiderski described her game to reporters post-draft, “My biggest strength is definitely my skating, so I really try and use that to my advantage defensively and offensively. I’m still working on growing a lot of parts of my game but I’m excited to jump to the PWHL and elevate my game to the next level.”
I think Swiderski can step into the Frost lineup right away and be a top-four defender. Her size and skating ability will allow her to play big minutes and defend against the league’s best. How much offense Swiderski can provide is unclear. However, if her offensive game continues to grow, Swiderski has a chance to become a great two-way defender for the Frost for years to come.
Round Two: Viivi Vainikka (F)
I didn’t expect the Frost to have the chance to draft Viivi Vainikka in the second round. Vainikka is only 24, but she’s already had a successful career in the SDHL, tallying 105 goals and 243 points in 208 SDHL games. Last season, she scored 11 goals and 40 points in 36 games for Brynäs. In 10 playoff games, Vainikka led the SDHL with 7 goals and was tied for the league lead with 13 points. Vainikka’s offense helped lead Brynäs to an SDHL championship.
Vainikka is a dynamic offensive forward that Frost fans are going to love to watch. She’s a quick and shifty playmaker who uses her speed and skill to slice through defenders on the rush and set up teammates. Vainikka also isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas to score goals and make plays. However, the biggest concern for some is her size and how she will adapt to the more physical PWHL. It might take Vainikka some time to adapt, but her speed, skill, and creativity were certainly worth that risk in the second round. Playing alongside some of the Frost’s talented top-six forwards certainly won’t hurt Vainikka’s transition.
Round Three: Maddy Christian (F)
In round three, the Minnesota Frost added Elk River native Maddy Christian. Christian had a quiet start to her college career at Penn State, but her offensive numbers jumped in her final two seasons. Christian had 21 goals and 33 points in her junior season. Last year, Christian set career highs in assists (16) and points (35).
Christian’s biggest asset is her speed. That speed will make her an effective penalty killer and forchecker in a bottom-six role for the Frost. The offensive numbers at Penn State indicate Christian could have some scoring upside as well. I’ll be curious to see how her offensive game translates to the PWHL.
Round Four: Tova Henderson (D)
The Frost stayed within the state again in round four, selecting University of Minnesota Duluth defender Tova Henderson. Henderson is a good skater and a solid defensive defender.
“I’m a defensive defenseman. I love shutting down rushes, I love getting the puck north super fast, and just playing a physical game,” Henderson said. “The NCAA limited physicality a bit, so being able to be physical in the PWHL is something I look forward to.”
Henderson’s defensive ability makes her a good fit as a depth defender for the Frost. Her offense is a bit of a question mark, as her offensive numbers dipped slightly last season. She scored 20 points in 39 games as a junior, but only 13 points in 38 games as a senior. I think Henderson can step into the lineup right away and play solid minutes in a bottom-pairing role. That’s great value for a fourth-round pick.
Round Five: Daria Gredzen (G)
The Frost addressed their goaltending need in round five, selecting Russian goaltender Daria Gredzen. Gredzen is only 22 years old, but her resume is already impressive. At 17, Gredzen represented Russia at the 2022 Olympics. Recently, Gredzen has been fantastic domestically as one of the best goalies in the ZhHL. She posted .939% save percentage in 40 starts in the 2024-2025 season for Biryusa Krasnoyarsk. She was even better in the playoffs, posting a .948% save percentage over 13 starts. Last year, Gredzen had a .928% save percentage over 30 starts. Exactly how her game will translate to the PWHL is still unknown, but Gredzen’s resume makes her an intriguing wild card.
Round Six: Lara Beecher (F)
Lara Beecher was the sixth and final selection for the Frost in the 2026 draft. Beecher spent three seasons at the University of Vermont before transferring to Clarkson for her senior season. Beecher scored double-digit points in all four of her collegiate seasons. She set career highs in goals (12), assists (13), and points (25) in 34 games last season at Clarkson. Beecher won’t turn 22 until November, and she will likely compete for a bottom-six role with the Frost next season.
