PDRD returns as a team-by-team recap of the past week of PWHL action, now moved over from its former home on Rinksiders. This year, it will be formatted as a PWHL power ranking and will include an outside-the-box stat for each team! Here’s how things look going into 2026.

8. Ottawa Charge (Previous Ranking: 7)

The Charge have won three in a row, and they’ve dropped a spot. Nonsensical on paper, and I’d like to move them higher, but the expansion teams are beginning to find their footing and none of Ottawa’s wins have been in regulation or at all convincing. Fanuza Kadirova not being hurt long-term is a massive bullet dodged for this Ottawa team, as we all predicted preseason, I’m sure.

Nat’s Stat: Ottawa Charge forward Emily Clark walked under two ladders, saw four black cats, and broke three mirrors in the offseason.

7. Vancouver Goldeneyes (Previous Ranking: 6)

The Goldeneyes’ start continues to be… odd, to say the least, but the defense is starting to settle in a little more and some key players are beginning to wake up. That said, they’ve yet to win outside of Pacific Coliseum and are about to embark on a five-game road trip, so this feels like Vancouver’s make-or-break point already.

Nat’s Stat: Vancouver’s Madison Samoskevich has 14 hits and just a single shot on goal this season, good for the largest discrepancy between the two stats in the league, just ahead of Seattle’s Megan Carter (16-4).

6. New York Sirens (Previous Ranking: 3)

I’ve given the Sirens a lot of grace for being unlucky so far. Casey O’Brien breaking out with a hat trick and Sarah Fillier beginning to put points on the board are signs of that changing. However, there are also some times where you make your own luck, and on a related note, Greg, you know you have more than one goalie on the roster, yeah?

Nat’s Stat: New York Sirens forward Maddi Wheeler recorded a goal and four penalty minutes in a span of thirteen seconds of ice time in the third period on Sunday in Dallas.

5. Seattle Torrent (Previous Ranking: 8)

Even in defeat, the Torrent’s last game was progress in terms of depth scoring, as Danielle Serdachny, Mikyla Grant-Mentis, and Lexie Adzija all netted their first of the season. Hannah Murphy’s incredible streak to begin her career was snapped, but the rest of the team played in front of the rookie more like they have in front of Corinne Schroeder thus far. A sign of comfort, maybe, but that can’t turn into complacency.

Nat’s Stat: Seattle Torrent goaltender Corinne Schroeder made 35 saves on 38 shots in her last appearance against the Fleet. This is the eleventh time in her career she’s faced at least 35 shots on goal, the most of any goalie.

4. Toronto Sceptres (Previous Ranking: 5)

Significant injury problems on the blueline, a negative goal differential with barely over two goals for a game, and this team is somehow still second in the league standings. Most of that comes down to Elaine Chuli, who’s a perfect 3-0 with a .943 SV% and should get a good run of starts going forward. Anna Kjellbin suddenly putting up elite numbers in sheltered minutes has helped a fair bit as well.

Nat’s Stat: Toronto Sceptres defender Ella Shelton has blocked 11 shots in her last three games, including six against her former team in the Sirens in her first time facing them. She’s now tied for the league lead in blocks (20) with last season’s leader, Mariah Keopple.

3. Montréal Victoire (Previous Ranking: 2)

Maybe Montréal should be lower than this, but Toronto confuses me too much to swap their places. The Victoire have gone back to their old ways in concerning fashion, with two goals in their last two games both scored by the top line, and an 0-for-13 rut on the power play. The old ways, however, mean that the goaltending’s still been as strong as ever, and that’s been keeping them afloat.

Nat’s Stat: Montréal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin is 68.3% on faceoffs this year. She’s never had a season below 57.9%. I don’t know how she keeps doing this.

2. Minnesota Frost (Previous Ranking: 4)

They left a few points on the board from the bottom two teams but it’s been a solid stretch overall for the Frost, highlighted by being the first team to take down Boston. The most encouraging sign, though, is Taylor Heise heating up, as she’s point-per-game with an overtime winner over her last three after being held off the scoresheet in Minnesota’s first four.

Nat’s Stat: With four points in her previous three games, Minnesota Frost defender Mae Batherson has already surpassed her output from her rookie year (0-3-3 in 28 GP between regular season and playoffs).

1. Boston Fleet (Previous Ranking: 1)

Boston’s dropped two of their last three, yet they’re still not all that close from dropping out of first, both in the league standings and here. 13 of their players have multiple points so far this season, tied for the most in the league, and their team save percentage is .054 higher than the team they’re tied with. What more could you ask for?

Nat’s Stat: Boston Fleet defender Riley Brengman is the first rookie defender in PWHL history to score in consecutive games, as well as the first defender in Fleet history to score multiple goals in their rookie season and seventh league-wide.