Minnesota Frost’s 26-player roster entering Sunday’s season opener

A new name, new jerseys, and a couple new faces.

On Friday, the Minnesota Frost announced their roster for their second PWHL season. The squad includes 23 active players and three reserves, heading into Sunday’s opener against the New York Sirens.

Minnesota returned its core contributors — including captains and top scorers — among its 16 returning players. Its 10 new additions are all PWHL rookies. The roster also features nine Minnesota natives and 11 players that played college hockey in Minnesota.

Michela Cava: The Canadian center, age 30, signed a one-year contract extension with the Frost this offseason. The Minnesota Duluth alum recorded nine goals — including four in the playoffs — and seven assists.

Kendall Coyne Schofield: The 32-year-old Frost captain from Illinois netted seven goals and added 13 assists for Minnesota last year. The Northeastern alum has won two Olympic medals and six world titles with Team USA.

Britta Curl-Salemme: The Frost’s second-round draft pick out of Wisconsin signed a two-year deal this offseason. The Bismarck, N.D., native, 24, won three national titles with the Badgers.

Taylor Heise: A Lake City, Minn., native, the first-ever PWHL draft pick put up nine goals and 12 assists last year with the Frost. The former Gopher, 24, won a world title with the U.S. in 2023.

Klára Hymlárová: Another 2024 draftee on a new two-year deal, the 25-year-old St. Cloud State alum from the Czech Republic was the Frost’s 15th overall pick this June.

Denisa Křížová: The reigning Czech Player of the Year and former Northeastern standout, age 30, had five goals and three assists last year and extended her Frost contract this offseason.

Kelly Pannek: An alternate captain, the 28-year-old Plymouth native played with the Gophers and Minnesota Whitecaps before joining the Frost last season, recording four goals and 14 assists.

Liz Schepers: From Mound, age 25, the national champion with Ohio State signed another one-year deal with Minnesota after supplying seven assists and one goal: the Game 5 winner against Boston in the Finals.

Grace Zumwinkle: Last season’s PWHL Rookie of the Year, the 25-year-old Excelsior native and former Gopher was the Frost’s third-round draft pick in 2023. The 2022 Olympian had 12 goals and eight assists, including a hat-trick in the home opener.

Brooke Bryant: The first PWHL player hailing from California, the Minnesota State Mankato alum, age 24, played for the Frost last season on a one-year deal, netting one goal.

Claire Butorac: Another Minnesota State Mankato grad, the 25-year-old Andover native scored the double-overtime winner in Game 4 of the Finals.

Brooke McQuigge: Drafted in the fourth round by the Frost this year, the Canadian forward, 24, played at Clarkson University and Colgate before joining her sister, Ottawa’s Rachel McQuigge, in the league.

Dominique Petrie: The Frost’s fifth-round draft pick this offseason, the 23-year-old Harvard and Clarkson alum from California scored the winner in the fourth overtime to beat the Gophers in the NCAA tournament this year.

Katy Knoll: A Northeastern grad from Amherst, N.Y., the 23-year-old Knoll was the Frost’s 7th-round pick in this year’s draft.

Kaitlyn O’Donohoe (reserve): Undrafted out of Colgate, the 23-year-old from South Carolina played overseas in Sweden this summer and scored an invite to the Frost training camp.

Natalie Buchbinder: The 25-year-old from Fairport, N.Y., was a three-time national champion at Wisconsin and the Frost’s seventh-round pick in last year’s draft. She had two goals and five assists for the Frost.

Maggie Flaherty: A Minnesota Duluth alum who grew up in Lakeville, Flaherty, 24, was drafted in the fourth round last year, netting two goals and adding five assists.

Sophie Jacques: The Ohio State alum from Toronto was a part of the PWHL’s first-ever trade last season, swapped from Boston to Minnesota. After joining the Frost, Jacques, 24, scored four times and had 11 assists.

Lee Stecklein: Another Frost alternate captain, the three-time Olympian from Roseville is a former Minnesota Whitecaps player and won three NCAA titles with the Gophers. The six-time world champ, 30, scored twice and assisted nine times last season.

Claire Thompson: The 26-year-old Canadian Olympian opted out of playing in the PWHL last season, instead pursuing medical school at NYU. The Princeton alum declared for this year’s draft and was selected third overall by Minnesota.

Mellissa Channell-Watkins: The 29-year-old Wisconsin alum from Ontario was claimed by Minnesota off waivers from Toronto last year and recorded seven assists, including three in Game 5 of the Finals.

Mae Batherson: Born in Germany and competing for Canada’s national team after moving to Nova Scotia, the Syracuse and St. Lawrence grad, 23, was the Frost’s sixth-round draft pick this year.

Charlotte Akervik (reserve): MSU Mankato’s highest-scoring defender in program history, the Eau Claire native, 23, was invited to Frost camp after going undrafted.

Nicole Hensley: One half of the Frost’s starting goalkeeper duo, the two-time Olympian from Colorado was the first goalie selected in the league’s inaugural draft last season. Hensley, 30, played 19 games for the Frost, saving 94.5% of shots in the postseason

Maddie Rooney: Team USA’s starting goalkeeper en route to a 2018 gold medal, Rooney, 27, graduated from Andover and Minnesota Duluth. Originally undrafted in 2023, Rooney saved 94.8% of playoff shots and totaled 15 appearances.

Lucy Morgan (reserve): A 23-year-old North Dakota native, she played for Maple Grove in high school. After starting her college career at St. Lawrence, last year she played for Minnesota before earning an invite to this year’s Frost camp.