By: Alexis Caines | Follow me on Twitter/X @alexiscaines_
The Boston Fleet defense defined their 2025-26 season, anchored by Haley Winn, Megan Keller and Aerin Frankel in net.
Winn had an impressive rookie campaign. The Rookie of the Year was also a finalist for Defender of the Year, alongside Keller who won it. And Boston Fleet American trio all landed Gold Medals around their necks.
But for Winn, her most talked about stat line, was her time on ice. She led the league in both average and total TOI, recording 26:45 as her game average. Below her was Keller, with 26:39. After that, the number drops to 24 minutes.
With IIHF Women’s Worlds currently underway in Denmark, all eyes are on the 79 Professional Women’s Hockey League players ahead of the 2026-27 season.
On Friday, Winn recorded a game-high 21:51 in a 7-0 USA win against Switzerland. The number raises some alarm bells, with an elite top six; Keller, Laila Edwards, Caroline Harvey, Cayla Barnes and and Lee Stecklein, on a team that had a commanding shutout. If Winn is recording 21 minutes in a 7-0 win, how will she fare in the PWHL season?
Of course, it’s an entirely different coaching staff from the Boston Fleet to Team USA. The numbers just prove how stellar a player Winn is, no matter her uniform.
It’s not absurd to want Winn and Keller to get more help this season. The two recorded about 26 minutes per game, as mentioned above. After that, the next amongst Fleet defenders is Riley Brengman with 19:10, followed by Zoe Boyd, who was put on LTIR during the Olympic break, with 17:17.
During the 2026 PWHL Entry Draft, the Fleet drafted three defenders, two of who they’ve already signed. They also signed veteran Amanda Boulier who is coming off of a Walter Cup with the Montréal Victoire. So they did get some help, but they also lost some. Both Boyd and Brengman are gone.
The key will be getting the new help up to speed. For the second season in a row, the Boston Fleet will also have a new bench boss. Last season it worked out pretty well for them under Head Coach Kris Sparre. He, like Boyd, Brengman, and Alina Müller, has landed in Hamilton.
New Head Coach François Méthot has a strong background in development, so how will it translate for the Boston Fleet? In a press conference early in October, Méthot spoke about the team he’s hoping to build.
“The returning group is very special and as far as their mindset goes,” he said. “We’re adding players that are very like minded.”
Grace Dwyer, the 10th overall pick from the 2026 draft, will fit right in on the Fleet roster. She’s a skilled two-way defender who led Cornell for four seasons. She has the mindset that Méthot wants.
“We already talked about building from the back with Aerin and then having a strong d-corpse,” Méthot acknowledged. “[Dwyer] fits the mold and the type of hockey we want to play.”
Training camp is just around the corner, with players reporting on November 18th. Practices and scrimmages will provide some insight on how the Fleet will shape up this season; and just how much ice time Haley Winn might see.
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