PWHL Announces January's PWHL Starting Six
PWHL Professional Women's Hockey League

PWHL Announces January's PWHL Starting Six

Published on February 3, 2026 under Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) News Release


NEW YORK AND TORONTO - The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) today announced the PWHL Starting Six for January, recognizing the top three forwards, two defenders and one goaltender based on their performance over the previous month. Forwards are selected regardless of position. The PWHL Starting Six is voted on each month by the Women's Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) and PWHL broadcast personnel.

The PWHL Starting Six for the month of January have been recognized as: Taylor Heise (F - Minnesota Frost), Kristýna Kaltounková (F - New York Sirens), Marie-Philip Poulin (F - Montréal Victoire), Nicole Gosling (D - Montréal Victoire), Megan Keller (D - Boston Fleet), Ann-Renée Desbiens (G - Montréal Victoire).

TAYLOR HEISE, F, MINNESOTA FROST

Heise led the way on offense in January, leading all players with 10 points in seven games - two more than the next closest skater - and also topped the league with eight assists for the month. Her production featured points in every game but Minnesota's January opener and included three multi-point performances. Her month was highlighted by tying a career-high with a three-point outing on Jan. 11, when she also fired a season-high six shots on goal. The 25-year-old from Lake City, MN, generated 21 shots overall in January and posted a +7 rating, helping the Frost to four wins in seven games, with two of their losses coming in overtime. Her production also helped Minnesota secure second place in the PWHL standings, and she closed the month riding a six-game point streak. Heise's scoring surge accounted for 62.5 percent of her season point total, as she entered January with six points and finished the month tied for first in the PWHL scoring race with 16 (3G, 13A), leading the league outright in assists heading into her first Olympic Winter Games with Team USA.

KRISTÝNA KALTOUNKOVÁ, F, NEW YORK SIRENS

Kaltounková was one of the PWHL's most dynamic scorers in January, tallying eight points in seven games to tie for second-most in the league for the month. The Sirens' first overall pick led all players with seven goals - two more than the next highest total - and recorded points in every game but one, including two multi-goal performances, while firing 30 shots on goal. Her production helped the Sirens to key wins, keeping New York in fourth place in the standings. After her January output, Kaltounková leads all PWHL skaters with 11 goals and tops all rookies with 12 points, holding a seven-goal lead on the next-highest first-year player. She closes the month riding a four-game point streak into Milano Cortina 2026 where she'll represent Czechia on the Olympic stage for the first time.

MARIE-PHILIP POULIN, F, MONTRÉAL VICTOIRE

Poulin was a driving force for Montréal in January, tallying eight points in eight games to tie for second-most in the PWHL for the month. The Victoire captain recorded two overtime game-winning goals and posted points in five of eight contests, helping her team to six wins as the squad moved into third place in the standings by month's end. Poulin finished January with five goals and three assists, including two multi-point efforts highlighted by a three-point performance in a 3-2 win over Minnesota. That game featured a highlight-reel overtime winner, as she spun in the slot and fired a backhand shot to secure the victory. Poulin also won 60.7 percent of her 151 faceoffs, a category she leads amongst players who have taken more than 10 draws this season. The five-time Canadian Olympian now sits at 14 points (7G, 7A) on the year, just two shy of the league lead, while her two game-winners sit tied for second.

NICOLE GOSLING, D, MONTRÉAL VICTOIRE

Gosling enjoyed a breakout month in January, recording all five of her career points during the month. She co-led all PWHL defenders with five points over eight games, recording one goal and four assists. Not only did the defender score her first career goal, but the tally was a game-winner, serving as the only marker in a 1-0 win for the Victoire over the Goldeneyes on Jan. 11 in Québec City. By scoring the game-winner, the fourth overall pick became just the second rookie defender in 2025-26 to score a game-winning goal, joining Riley Brengman of the Fleet. In January, the former Clarkson Golden Knight fired 12 shots on goal, and her strong production moved her into fourth place in scoring among rookie defenders.

MEGAN KELLER, D, BOSTON FLEET

Keller continued her strong start to the season, earning her a third consecutive Starting Six selection with points in three of six January games. The Fleet captain contributed two goals and one assist during the month, including a game-winning goal - her second of the season - making her the only defender in the PWHL with more than one game-winner this season. Keller also added a power-play goal in January, bringing her season total to four and maintaining her lead among all PWHL players in that category. The three-time U.S. Olympian generated 15 shots on goal and averaged 27:10 of ice time in January, while her season-long 26:50 average ranks second in the league, underscoring her role on both ends of the ice as Boston remains atop the PWHL standings at the Olympic break.

ANN-RENÉE DESBIENS, G, MONTRÉAL VICTOIRE

Desbiens was dominant in net for Montréal in January, posting a 0.99 goals-against average and .957 save percentage, the best marks among PWHL goaltenders with multiple starts. She recorded a league-leading two shutouts, allowed just seven goals, and helped the Victoire to six wins and a single loss. The netminder, who played a league-high 425 minutes in January and made 155 saves, became the first PWHL goaltender to reach 30 career victories, reaching the milestone in a 3-1 win against Ottawa on Jan. 24. Desbiens' play backstopped Montréal into third place in the standings by month's end, and the goaltender ended the month riding a three-game win streak heading into her third Olympic Winter Games with Canada. For the season, she leads the league in GAA (1.15) and save percentage (.954) and is tied for the league lead in shutouts (3) and wins (9).

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Professional Women's Hockey League Stories from February 3, 2026


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