Kelly Pannek Captures 2025-26 PWHL Points Leader, Top Goal Scorer Awards
Published on April 25, 2026 under Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) News Release
NEW YORK AND TORONTO - The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) has announced that Kelly Pannek of the Minnesota Frost has secured the Points Leader Award and Top Goal Scorer Award for the 2025-26 regular season. The honors were officially declared upon completion of the regular-season schedule, which included Saturday's four games.
Pannek set a PWHL single-season record with 33 points in 30 games, including her league-leading 16th goal of the season scored tonight against Vancouver, and her 17 assists tied for second-most in the PWHL. The Frost alternate captain led all skaters with 10 power-play points, including seven goals and three assists with the player advantage. Her eight multi-point games and three multi-goal games both tied for the league lead, and her four-point game with two goals and two assists on Apr. 4 was one of four single-game record-tying performances leaguewide. Most impressively, the 30-year-old two-time Olympic gold medalist from Plymouth, MN, had a 22-point increase from last season's production and became just the ninth player in PWHL history to reach 60 career points.
The new single-season benchmark of 33 points in 30 games surpasses the 29 points recorded by last season's co-points leaders Hilary Knight (15G, 14A) and Sarah Fillier (13G, 16A). Pannek's 16 goals are third-most in PWHL history behind Natalie Spooner (20) and Marie-Philip Poulin (19), the league's first two goal scoring award recipients. Spooner was the last dual award recipient with her 27 points in 24 games in the inaugural season.
Frost forward Taylor Heise (13G, 17A) finished second in the points race with 30, with Boston's Jessie Eldridge and Ottawa's Rebecca Leslie tying for second in goals with 14 apiece.
The remainder of the 2026 PWHL Awards will be presented at an in-person ceremony in June. Date and location to be announced at a later date.
The 2026 PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs, presented by SharkNinja, will commence on Thursday, April 30 in Boston and Saturday, May 2 in Montréal. Matchups for the best-of-five semifinals will be determined when first-place Montréal officially selects their opponent between third-place Minnesota and fourth-place Ottawa on Sunday.
Professional Women's Hockey League Stories from April 25, 2026
- Kelly Pannek Captures 2025-26 PWHL Points Leader, Top Goal Scorer Awards - PWHL
- Vancouver Edges Minnesota, 4-3, in Overtime, Take Lead in Gold Plan Standings - Minnesota Frost
- Vancouver Edges Minnesota, 4-3, in Overtime, Take Lead in Gold Plan Standings - Vancouver Goldeneyes
- Philips Leads Charge to Punch Their Playoff Ticket with 3-0 Win over Sceptres - Ottawa Charge
- Sceptres Fail to Make Playoffs for First Time with Loss to Charge - Toronto Sceptres
- New York Gets Shut out by Boston 4-0 in Season Finale - New York Sirens
- Ottawa Charge to Play Playoff Games at Canadian Tire Centre - Ottawa Charge
- Boston's 4-0 Win over New York Keeps First Place Hopes Alive - Boston Fleet
- Victoire Activate Forwards Marie-Philip Poulin and Maureen Murphy - Montreal Victoire
- Charge Activate Brooke Hobson from LTIR - Ottawa Charge
- Fleet Sign Neubauerová Ahead of Final Regular-Season Game - Boston Fleet
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