The PWHL Entry Draft was held Tuesday night, June 24, and it was quite the evening for all the teams involved. PWHL Seattle and PWHL Vancouver took part in the first draft of their team history and picked some great players. There were trades and surprises, and 48 more players had their dreams come true of playing professional hockey.
The Minnesota Frost made their six selections, and although none of them were from their home state, they made some great choices. They had a number of defender and forward positions to fill after both the expansion draft and free agency took players from their roster. However, it looks like they filled those areas, and both of their goaltenders are returning, so they should have a good outlook for next season. In this article, we’ll look at each player they drafted and what they’ll bring to the lineup, starting with their defenders.Â
Frost Needed Defense
After winning two Walter Cups, it’s clear the Frost had it figured out when it came to every position on the team, but after losing players, they had to look at the draft and try to find the right players once again. They decided to go with a defender first, as they chose Kendall Cooper from Quinnipiac University. She’s a taller defender with a scoring side and is exactly what the Frost needs to help fill the void that Sophie Jaques left behind. Cooper scored 26 points in 37 games played, which is quite impressive for a defender.Â
She also has leadership experience as she was an alternate captain for her college team, and she was a captain for Hockey Canada’s U-18 National team. Although she is on the younger side, that leadership will come in handy as she becomes a veteran in the league and can help her teammates. Continuing on the defensive side, the next defender came in the fourth round from the University of Connecticut, Ava Rinker.Â
Rinker’s on the smaller side, but she was another defender who found a way to put points on the board. In their two seasons of existence, the Frost have always had defenders who have been able to contribute points, and Rinker fits that. She played in 21 games this past season and registered 14 points. Those points came from a lot of effort as she tallied 62 shots on goal.Â
That leaves defender Brooke Becker, who came to the Frost in the sixth and final round of the draft from Providence College. She’s another defender who has a scoring side that will fit right into a roster that has a lot of offensive skill. She played in 35 games and had 18 points, which again is pretty impressive for a defender. Hopefully, their defense is as strong as their offense, and they’ll have one of the best defensive groups again.Â
Frost Added to OffenseÂ
While their first round pick was a defender, their second round pick was a forward, Abby Hustler from St. Lawrence University. She’s another taller player who has a powerful shot from that size, and she uses it. However, don’t be fooled by her size; she’s also speedy and uses that speed to cut across the net and beat the goaltender. Along with her speed, she has great puck skills that the Frost will make use of, especially since Michela Cava left to join PWHL Vancouver. Hustler played in 39 games and nearly had a point per game as she tallied 39 points last season.Â
Moving on from Hustler, the Frost’s next forward came in the third round and was Hustler’s teammate and linemate at St. Lawrence University, Anna Segedi. She didn’t have quite the scoring pace as her linemate, but she’s still a great puck handler and actually set up Hustler throughout last season. She can carry the puck along the perimeter and pass at just the right time when her teammates are open. She also played in 39 games and recorded 24 points, and will be an asset on the Frost and possibly on the same line as Hustler, as they work well together.Â
Related: Toronto Sceptres Lose Veteran and Half their 2024 Draft Class in PWHL Expansion Draft
The final forward to join the Frost was added in the fifth round from Mercyhurst University, Vanessa Upson. After reading over her stats from the past season, it’s surprising she wasn’t drafted earlier. She played in 38 games and registered 43 points, plus she tallied an impressive 173 shots. She’s a player with a lot of speed and puck-handling ability who creates a lot of breakaways for herself. She’s the perfect final asset to fill out a team that had a lot of voids in the lineup.Â
Frost’s Draft ResultsÂ
As mentioned before, the Frost had a lot of spots to fill after the expansion process and free agency. They had a plan as they went into the draft for what they needed, and they went after it. After looking over each player they picked, the Frost came out with a strong-looking draft group and a basically full roster. Hopefully, these players fit into the lineup and the Frost can chase a third Walter Cup.
