PWHL Power Rankings: Each team's biggest surprise player
This is the fourth and final edition of theScore's PWHL Power Rankings for the 2024 campaign. Check back for coverage throughout the first-ever Walter Cup Playoffs.
1. Toronto (15-7-0, 41 points)
Previous rank: 1
Much of Toronto's success was easy to predict. With significant Hockey Canada presence from management to coaching to the actual roster, it's not surprising to see Toronto remain the team to beat on the verge of the playoffs.
But what has been a surprise is the breakout play of 13th-round pick Hannah Miller. The 28-year-old's six goals rank her third on the team, and she has more points than foundational signing Blayre Turnbull.
Originally from British Columbia, Miller played parts of five seasons in China after finishing her NCAA career in 2018 and even represented the latter at the 2022 Olympics. Her path to success is among the PWHL's most unique.
Miller has been a legitimate difference-maker for Toronto. Her size and strength make her difficult for opposing defenders to deal with and have made her a great complementary winger alongside Turnbull and Natalie Spooner in recent games. She's even getting reps on the top power-play unit.
Naturally, Toronto's Team Canada stars will get the most attention entering the postseason. But don't overlook how vital Miller's contributions will be to a potential championship run.
2. Montreal (13-5-5, 41 points)
Previous rank: 4
Claire Dalton made her Montreal debut as a fourth-line left-winger on Jan. 2. With multiple injuries at forward throughout the season, Dalton jumped from the bottom of the lineup to a top-six role before long. She used the opportunity to showcase her offensive skill, most notably with a hat trick against Ottawa on Feb. 24.
Dalton's play certainly helped Montreal general manager Daniele Sauvageau feel comfortable moving a forward to address a defensive need at the trade deadline - despite the team still being without two key forwards.
She nears the end of the regular season tied for third in goals on Montreal and has as many points (9) as seventh overall pick Kristin O'Neill. That's quality production out of the youngest forward on the roster and a 12th-round swing.
3. Boston (11-9-3, 32 points)
Previous rank: 6
The PWHL doesn't have an award for the best defensive forward like the NHL's Selke Trophy. If it did, though, Susanna Tapani would be a strong candidate.
Part of the reason Tapani is Boston's surprise player is, well, she wasn't on the roster at the start of the season. GM Danielle Marmer made the league's first-ever trade to add Tapani in a blockbuster move that cost Boston promising defender Sophie Jaques.
Tapani only has six points in 16 games, which is in line with the rest of Boston's struggles offensively. But, defensively, she's been excellent.
Playing over 19 minutes per game against top competition, Tapani has been on the ice for just three goals against at five-on-five in 25 games. And one of those came when she was with Minnesota - against Boston.
Returning after more than a year away from hockey, Tapani hasn't missed a beat. Her importance to Boston is an early indication of the quality European talent that will make its way to the PWHL before long.
4. Ottawa (9-8-6, 32 points)
Previous rank: 3
The top 10 PWHL scorers include seven foundational signings and two top-25 draft picks. Then there's Katerina Mrazova, an eighth-round, 44th overall steal by Ottawa.
Mrazova has blossomed since head coach Carla MacLeod put her down the middle with Daryl Watts and Brianne Jenner. The 31-year-old veteran leads the PWHL in scoring since Feb. 20, collecting 15 points.
She's always been a quality pro, but most envisioned Mrazova serving as a third-line center in the PWHL. After all, that's where she started the season, acting as a mentor between two young forwards, Watts and Akane Shiga.
The fit with Watts and Jenner has been integral in Ottawa's hunt for a playoff spot, and they'll need to remain a lethal trio if they make the postseason.
5. Minnesota (12-7-3, 35 points)
Previous rank: 2
Most people thought a Minnesota forward who came from the University of Minnesota would be the Rookie of the Year favorite by season's end. That's how it played out - but we got the player wrong.
Grace Zumwinkle is tied for second in goals league-wide and paces Minnesota in scoring. We expected Taylor Heise to put up that kind of production, but the first overall pick dealt with a midseason injury. So Heise's running mate Zumwinkle instead charged toward the Rookie of the Year honor.
Sure, Zumwinkle was expected to be a major contributor for Minnesota as the first pick of the third round. But her immediate presence among the best goal-scorers in the league and the fact that she outscored both Heise and Kendall Coyne Schofield has been a surprise.
Do the inaugural PWHL draft over again, and Zumwinkle certainly isn't slipping to the third round.
6. New York (8-12-3, 23 points)
Previous rank: 5
After a promising start, it's been a difficult season for New York, clearly the bottom team in the PWHL. But goaltender Corinne Schroeder's superb play has been a silver lining.
GM Pascal Daoust took the most unique approach in the draft to address the crease. While every other team either signed a goaltender in the pre-draft phase or selected a netminder in the first three rounds, Daoust didn't add at the position until the sixth round.
32 players were drafted - and another 18 were signed pre-draft - before Schroeder went off the board as New York's first goalie. Daoust's patience at a remarkably deep position paid off: Schroeder continues to shine despite the team's poor shot prevention in front of her.
Schroeder's .930 save percentage is tied for the league lead among starters, and she's facing nearly 35 shots per game (second only to Elaine Chuli). Re-signing the 24-year-old - the PWHL's premier pending free agent - is offseason priority No. 1 for Daoust.