Boston Fleet Skate Into First Place in Team Rankings
Minnesota vs Boston, on January 25th at Xcel Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota (photo credit John McClellan)
Written By Josie Dinonsie
The Boston Fleet sits at the top of the league after about a third of the PWHL season has been played. With a record of seven wins, two losses, and one overtime loss, the Fleet have earned 22 points. Their strong defensive efficiency has had a major impact on their success, as they have allowed only 16 goals against, the fewest in the league.
Fleet captain Megan Keller has set the tone during this impressive start to the season. With nine points, Keller leads the team in scoring, an especially notable achievement for a defenseman. She also holds the league title for most points by a defenseman so far this season. Adding to her stellar performance, Keller has recorded zero penalty minutes across 10 games played.
Keller has proven herself to be a crucial piece of the team through her smart defensive play, offensive skill, extensive experience, and dedication. Now in her third season with the PWHL, Keller has never missed a game. Her strong presence on the blue line earned her a finalist spot for PWHL Defender of the Year in 2024.
Fortunately for the Fleet, Keller signed a two-year contract extension in August, keeping her with the team through at least the 2027–28 season. This year, she has fully embraced her role as captain and the leadership responsibilities that come with it.
“It’s an important task at hand, and I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity ahead,” Keller stated.
The Fleet’s defensive skill has not gone unnoticed. Goaltender Aerin Frankel and defenders Haley Winn and Megan Keller will represent the United States at the 2026 Olympics. Defender Daniela Pejšová will compete for Czechia, while forward Susanna Tapani will represent Finland. The PWHL season will pause for nearly one month for the Olympic Games in Milan, beginning on Jan. 28.
To close out 2025, the Ottawa Charge defeated Boston in a shootout. To begin 2026, the Vancouver Goldeneyes topped the Fleet 4–3. Nevertheless, The Fleet bounced back nicely after two consecutive one-goal losses winning on Wednesday night 2-1 against the Seattle Torrent.
Fleet head coach Kris Sparre commented on the loss to Vancouver postgame.
“I think we traded more chances than we like to give up on a night-to-night basis… did a lot of good things in that game in the first and second periods… You let teams hang around like Vancouver, and it got away from us in the end.”
Trailing the Fleet by just one point are the New York Sirens, though they have played two more games. The Sirens are riding a four-game winning streak, led by 2025 first overall draft pick Kristýna Kaltounková, who tops the team in goals with seven.
Other notable players to watch this season include Minnesota Frost’s Kendall Coyne Schofield and Britta Curl-Salemme, along with Montreal Victoire’s Marie-Philip Poulin. All three are tied with 11 points. Schofield and Curl-Salemme also rank in the top three in the league for plus/minus, highlighting their strong impact on the ice.
With roughly three weeks remaining until the Olympic break, the push toward midseason positioning promises to be exciting as teams battle for key spots in the standings.
