PWHL notebook: Frost defeat Charge to win 2nd straight Walter Cup

NHL.com staff writer Anna Kulesa will be filing a biweekly notebook on all the happenings in the Professional Women’s Hockey League throughout the season. Today, a look at Minnesota Frost’s back-to-back Walter Cup championships and the 2025 Expansion Draft.

Minnesota Frost win second straight Walter Cup

The Minnesota Frost were crowned PWHL Champions for the second straight year after they clinched the 2025 Walter Cup with a 2-1 win in overtime of Game 4 against the Ottawa Charge on Monday. Frost forward Liz Schepers, a Minnesota native, scored the game-winning goal 12 minutes into overtime. Schepers also scored the game-winning goal for Minnesota in the 2024 PWHL Finals. The Frost hoisted the Walter Cup in front of their hometown crowd of 11,024 fans at Xcel Energy Center.

Tennis legend Billie Jean King and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz were also in attendance.

On Tuesday, the Frost celebrated their win at the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx game at Target Center in Minneapolis.

Gwyneth Philips receives Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP Award

Ottawa Charge goalie Gwyneth Philips won the 2025 Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP Award. Philips led goalies with a 1.23 goals-against average and .952 save percentage in her eight playoff starts. The rookie recorded one shutout in her four playoff wins and did not lose a game in regulation during the postseason.

2025 Expansion Draft announced

The PWHL’s 2025 Expansions Draft will be held on June 9. Last month, the League announced expansion teams in Vancoucer and Seattle that will begin play next season. Each of the six original PWHL teams will give up four players from their 2024-25 rosters for the draft. Teams can protect three players during the Exclusive Signing Window and Expansion Draft. After giving up two players, the teams can protect one additional player. The protection lists are due on June 3 at noon ET. During the Expansion Draft, Seattle and Vancouver will draft a minimum of seven players until they reach a 12-player roster. If either team enters the draft with less players signed, the team will have additional picks until they reach 12 players.