Minnesota Frost Keep Big Three, But Expansion Could Still Hurt

The Minnesota Frost have made their choices, but that doesn't mean fans can relax just yet.

As the Professional Women's Hockey League prepares for another major expansion, teams across the league have been forced to decide which players are too important to lose. For the defending Walter Cup champion Frost, that list came down to just three names.

THE MINNESOTA FROST CHOOSES

For the defending Walter Cup champion Frost, Taylor Heise, Kelly Pannek, and goaltender Maddie Rooney were the chosen ones that guarantees that Minnesota will keep two of its biggest offensive stars and the goalie who helped backstop the team through another championship season. But protecting only three players also means several fan favorites and key contributors remain available for expansion teams to target.

FOUR NEW TEAMS JOINING THE PWHL

The league is in the middle of a rapid growth period. Last year, the PWHL added teams in Vancouver and Seattle. Now four more franchises are joining the league for the 2026-27 season: Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, and San Jose.

To help those teams build competitive rosters, the PWHL is using an expansion process that allows the new clubs to sign and select players from existing teams. Current teams can protect only a limited number of players, forcing difficult decisions across the league.

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THE EXPANSION PROCESS

For Minnesota, keeping Heise, Pannek, and Rooney wasn't much of a surprise. Heise has become one of the league's biggest stars and remains the face of the Frost franchise. Pannek continues to be one of Minnesota's most productive forwards, while Rooney has established herself as one of the league's top goaltenders.

WHO WASN'T PROTECTED

Several notable Frost players remain exposed, including Grace Zumwinkle, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Lee Stecklein, Nicole Hensley, Claire Thompson, and Britta Curl-Salemme. Any of those players could draw significant interest from one of the league's new franchises looking to add proven talent and leadership.

WHAT ABOUT GRACE?

Of those names, Zumwinkle may be the player Frost fans are most nervous about losing. The former PWHL Rookie of the Year has become one of Minnesota's most exciting offensive threats and a fan favorite since joining the team.

HELPING NEW FRANCHISES  - NECESSARY GROWING PAINS

The expansion process is designed to help new franchises become competitive quickly without completely dismantling existing teams. Still, every team is expected to lose talent, and championship rosters often become prime targets.

THE GOOD NEWS FOR MINNESOTA

The good news for Frost fans is that Heise, Pannek, and Rooney aren't going anywhere. The bad news? Minnesota's roster could still look quite a bit different by the time the puck drops on next season.

That's the price of success in a growing league. The Frost have built one of the PWHL's premier franchises. Now they'll have to watch as the rest of the league tries to take a piece of it.