It’s been nearly a month since the PWHL last had a game. If Olympic hockey took over your brain for all of February as it did for me, you’ll have forgotten what was going on in the league. Here’s a little refresher for each of the teams.

Boston Fleet

Last five games: 2–2–1–0

Boston has stayed atop the standings all season. If the Fleet players’ Olympic performances are any indication, it’s only up from here. Captain Megan Keller scored the gold-medal-winning goal for USA, while alternate captain Alina Müller scored the bronze-medal-winning goal for Switzerland. These players are the top-two in team scoring for Boston.

Aerin Frankel comes back to her 1.35 goals-against average (GAA) for the Fleet after setting a shutout record at the Olympics.

Forward Laura Kluge, playing for Germany at the Olympics, led all skaters in points after preliminary play. She played an average of 20 minutes per game for Germany, compared to her average of just under 10 minutes per game for Boston.

Upcoming game: Boston visits Ottawa on February 28. In the Fleet’s two games against the Charge this season, they’ve lost both in a shootout. However, just before the Olympic break, Boston achieved a shootout win against New York.

Minnesota Frost

Last five games: 3–1–1–0

The Minnesota Frost never ceased to be a scary team. Their three regulation wins in their last five games included two 6–2 victories.

The Frost’s and the league’s four leading scorers are all coming home with gold medals: Kendall Coyne Schofield, Britta Curl-Salemme, Taylor Heise, and Kelly Pannek. Heise, who leads the league in assists (13), had the primary assist on the gold-medal-winning goal for the USA.

Czech players Klára Hymlárová and Denisa Křížová will be returning with new motivation—their national team, which was expected to contest for the bronze medal, didn’t even make it past the quarterfinals.

Upcoming game: Minnesota visits Montréal on March 1, where the highest-scoring team in the league will face the least-scored-against team in the league.

Montréal Victoire

Last five games: 3–1–0–1

Montréal played their last two games at Place Bell, where they remain undefeated. However, their leading scorer, Marie-Philip Poulin, was injured at the Olympics. Could she miss the first few games back?

Natálie Mlýnková, third in points among Victoire players, also had a stellar Olympics, setting the record for most goals scored by a Czech women’s hockey player. She could continue to see time on the top line with Poulin and Abby Roque.

Goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens leads the PWHL with a .954 save percentage (SV%) and will likely have a chip on her shoulder after recording her only two losses in her Olympic career in Milan.

Upcoming game: Montréal visits New York on February 26. The Sirens are a regulation win away from tying the Victoire in the standings, though the latter has a game in hand on the former.

New York Sirens

Last five games: 1–0–3–1

The New York Sirens saw three losses in a row before the break, including a tough 6–2 loss to Minnesota. They also lost in a shootout to Boston, but Kristýna Kaltounková scored twice to reach a league-leading 11 goals.

Two of Canada’s top-three in points at the Olympics are Sirens players: Sarah Fillier and Kristin O’Neill. Fillier, who has just one goal so far for the Sirens (but nine assists), recorded three at the Olympics. O’Neill scored Canada’s lone goal in the gold-medal game.

Canadian goaltender Kayle Osborne didn’t see any ice time at the Olympics after having played 15 of New York’s 16 games this season. Will she be able to smoothly transition back into being heavily relied upon after a month-long break?

Upcoming game: New York will host Montréal on February 16. Taylor Girard will be eligible to play after serving a three-game suspension for leaving the bench during an altercation against Montréal.

Ottawa Charge

Last five games: 1–2–0–2

The Ottawa Charge is coming off a 4–2 win over Seattle at home. In that game, Rebecca Leslie scored two goals, and nearly all of Ottawa’s Olympians recorded a point: Kateřina Mrázová, Brianne Jenner, Emily Clark, Jocelyne Larocque, and Rory Guilday. Goaltender Gwyneth Philips, also on Team USA, made 24 of 26 saves.

Captain Jenner is the only player not on the Minnesota Frost who’s in the top-five in league points, and both Jenner and Leslie are in the top-five in goals.

Just over a week before the break, the Charge made a blockbuster trade, sending Mannon McMahon, Anna Shokhina, and Anna Meixner to Vancouver in exchange for Michela Cava, Brooke McQuigge, and Emma Greco. They’ve played three games for Ottawa, and Cava has one assist.

Having given up three forwards and acquired only two, Ottawa also signed forward Liv Wallin (previously on reserve) to a standard player agreement during the break.

Upcoming game: Ottawa hosts Boston on February 28. They’ve beaten Boston twice in shootouts this season and have won their last four games at TD Place.

Seattle Torrent

Last five games: 1–0–1–3

The Seattle Torrent sits in last place and went into the Olympic break having given up two goals in the last 30 seconds of a game to lose to Ottawa 4–2.

Their leading scorer, Julia Gosling, had three power play goals at the Olympics. Among the Torrent’s other top scorers are gold medallists Hilary Knight, Alex Carpenter, and Hannah Bilka.

Rookie goaltender Hannah Murphy started the season strong, allowing just one goal in each of her first three games. Her stats dropped a little over the next three games, but in two of those, she faced over 40 shots. Overall, she holds a .922 SV%.

Upcoming game: Seattle hosts Toronto on February 27. Just before the break, they put up six goals against Toronto and saw the beginnings of some depth scoring from players like Lexie Adzija and Megan Carter.

Toronto Sceptres

Last five games: 0–1–0–4

The Toronto Sceptres headed into the Olympic break having scored no goals and allowing eight in their last two games. Leading scorer Daryl Watts had an excellent debut Olympics, tying for third in points. She’ll need to be at the top of her game for the Sceptres, as her 11 goals account for 40% of Toronto’s league-lowest 27 goals.

The team’s Olympians will be returning with heartbreak fresh on their minds, as Canadians Blayre Turnbull, Emma Maltais, Natalie Spooner, Daryl Watts, Ella Shelton, and Renata Fast claimed silver and Swedes Anna Kjellbin and Sara Hjalmarsson came home empty-handed after losing the bronze.

Jesse Compher and Savannah Harmon may also have something to prove after being among the final cuts for the USA’s Olympic roster.

Upcoming game: Toronto visits Seattle on February 27, then Vancouver on March 1. Their last West Coast road trip didn’t go well (two regulation losses), but March brings with it five games in front of a home crowd.

Vancouver Goldeneyes

Last five games: 2–0–1–2

The Vancouver Goldeneyes saw things pick up when Sarah Nurse returned to play on January 17, though they still sit near the bottom. But they’re about to play five consecutive games at Pacific Coliseum, where their record is 4–0–0–1.

Similar to Toronto, many of Vancouver’s Olympians will be returning unsatisfied, including leading scorers Claire Thompson, Jenn Gardiner, Tereza Vanišová, and Sophie Jaques. Gardiner, in particular, played very limited minutes for Canada (including only one shift in the gold-medal game) and might be hungry to demonstrate her capabilities.

One bright spot is defender Nina Jobst-Smith, who had a productive Olympic tournament for Germany and has been active on the blueline in her six games with the Goldeneyes.

Vancouver recently acquired McMahon, Meixner, and Shokhina. Meixner has one assist so far.

Upcoming game: Vancouver hosts Toronto on March 1. Just before the break, they shut Toronto out 5–0.

Second half still to go

Currently, the playoff picture consists of Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, and New York. However, the teams still have half a season left. And with only half the teams making the postseason, the playoff push will be more competitive than ever.