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2024-25 PWHL Power Rankings: Week 17 (03/21-03/27)

Grab yourself a sweet treat before digging into this week's PWHL power rankings!

2024-25 PWHL Power Rankings: Week 17 (03/21-03/27)
The Montréal Victoire celebrate their win over the Minnesota Frost. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

Welcome back to The Ice Garden’s weekly power rankings! Check back every Friday for a new installment and remember: if you think your team is ranked too low, it’s definitely, totally, 100% because we hate them.

Somehow, we’ve already arrived at the final week of the PWHL season before the Worlds break! This week had no shortage of drama, with a blown 3-0 third-period lead, the first PWHL "Michigan" goal, and Montréal clinching the first playoff spot. No team has more than five regular season games remaining and with three playoff spots still up for grabs, the points only continue to get more valuable.

Now that the playoff picture is becoming clearer, the “Path to Playoffs” section has returned to the power rankings. From here on out, I’ll be laying out where each team stands in the playoff picture. For now, the clinching numbers are based on fifth-place Ottawa reaching a peak of 48 points, while the number to get into the playoffs is based on fourth-place Minnesota’s current 35 point total. The numbers I have included are to reach those thresholds, but in all cases, allow for the possibility that teams will need an extra point to officially clinch depending on tiebreaker status at the time. The clinching points can be obtained either by the team earning the points themselves or Ottawa failing to bank any.

If you don’t like any of the near-endless types of candy in the world, I’m a little concerned about you. There’s something for every taste, whether you’re a chocolate lover like myself or if you like something a little more understated, like a butterscotch. As such, it was only a matter of time before I figured out how to compare PWHL teams to different types of candy, so without further ado, let’s dive in.

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#1. x- Montréal Victoire (11-6-3-6, 48 points)

Five Montréal players celebrate a goal with a group hug. They are wearing maroon home uniforms.
Montréal players celebrate a goal against Toronto. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

Last Week’s Ranking: 1 (-)

Path to Playoffs: Clinched a playoff spot, nine from clinching the #1 seed (four games remaining)

This Week’s Results:

  • Sun, March 23 vs TOR- 2-1 L
  • Wed, March 26 @ MIN- 4-1 W

Upcoming Schedule:

  • Tue, April 1 vs NYS- 7 p.m. ET, Place Bell, Laval, QC (Amazon Prime, MSG, PWHL Youtube Channel, thepwhl.com)

Candy: Cadbury Eggs

Everybody wants to be the Cadbury Bunny, just like everybody wants to be in the playoffs like the Victoire.

It hasn’t been the prettiest stretch, but as expected, the Victoire are the first team to clinch a spot in the 2025 playoffs. They remain in the driver's seat for the #1 seed, although that’s far from guaranteed. They got back on track this week thanks to the magic of Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey, but others must dig deep and find another level if they hope to beat a desparate New York team and go into the international break on a high note.

#2. Toronto Sceptres (12-2-5-7, 45 points)

Watts raises her arms, smiles, and says something as she skates toward the blue line. Hannah Miller is skating behind her. They are wearing white away uniforms.
Daryl Watts celebrates one of her goals against the Boston Fleet. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

Last Week’s Ranking: 3 (+1)

Path to Playoffs: Three points from clinching a spot (four games remaining)

This Week’s Results:

  • Sun, March 23 @ MTL- 2-1 W
  • Wed, March 26 @ BOS- 4-2 W

Upcoming Schedule:

  • Sun, March 30 @ MIN- 1 p.m. ET, Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN (TSN, FanDuel Sports Network North, PWHL Youtube Channel, thepwhl.com)

Candy: Milk chocolate Hershey bar

A classic crowd-pleaser, it’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t like a regular ol' milk chocolate Hershey bar. They’re not flashy, but you can’t go wrong with them. Their only flaw is they melt. Similarly, the Sceptres are a likable team that doesn’t always get the prettiest wins, but they get the job done and don’t really have any flaws you can point to right now. 

So about how I’ve been harping on the Sceptres for not scoring at 5v5…five of their six goals came at even-strength this week. The Sceptres walk away from this week with two statement wins and the chance to clinch a playoff spot ahead of the Worlds break. Life’s pretty good in Toronto.

#3. Boston Fleet (8-6-4-7, 40 points)

Knight skates down the handshake line at the bench to celebrate her goal. She is wearing a green home uniform.
Hilary Knight celebrates one of her goals against the Toronto Sceptres. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

Last Week’s Ranking: 2 (-1)

Path to Playoffs: Eight points from clinching (five games remaining)

This Week’s Results:

  • Wed, March 26 vs TOR- 4-2 L

Upcoming Schedule:

  • Sat, March 29 vs OTT- 2 p.m. ET, Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO (NESN, Gem, PWHL Youtube Channel, thepwhl.com)
  • Wed, April 2 vs OTT- 7 p.m. ET, Tsgonas Center, Lowell, MA (NESN, TSN, PWHL Youtube Channel, thepwhl.com)

Candy: M&M's

It’s hard to go wrong with a classic M&M (although I maintain mini’s are superior). They give you a nice satisfying crunch to go along with sweet chocolatey goodness. However, they have also come up some wacky alternate flavors that make you wonder what the heck they were thinking (jalapeño peanut M&M’s, anyone?). Similarly, heading into this week the Fleet had finally been striking the right blend of physicality and skill to win games (and delight fans). However, they that all changed in the third period of this week’s meeting with the Sceptres, leaving fans wondering where the heck the team that just had points in nine-straight went.

This week was one to forget for the Fleet after they let up four goals in the third period en route to a 4-2 loss to the Sceptres. On a slightly positive note, it was a series of avoidable (and some uncharacteristic) mistakes that led to the collapse and based on the tone of the postgame press conference, I’d say those aren’t mistakes they’ll be repeating this weekend. They can’t if they hope to win, as their last games before the break are both against a desparate Ottawa club that was just embarrassed by New York on Tuesday.

#4. Minnesota Frost (7-5-4-10, 35 points)

Curl-Salemme is falling to the ice with her arms outstretched. One of her legs is raised above her head. There is a Montréal player on the ice right in front of her. Curl-Salemme is in a purple home jersey, while the Montréal player is in a cream away one.
Britta Curl-Salemme falls over a Montréal player. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

Last Week’s Ranking: 4 (-)

Path to Playoffs: 13 points from clinching (four games remaining)

This Week’s Results:

  • Wed, March 26 vs MTL- 4-1 L

Upcoming Schedule: 

  • Sun, March 30 vs TOR- 12 p.m. CT, Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN (FanDuel Sports Network North, TSN, PWHL Youtube Channel, thepwhl.com)

Candy: Tootsie Rolls

A controversial candy, you either love or hate Tootsie Rolls, and the haters tend to be a much louder crew. However, one thing is for certain: if you eat too many, they’ll sit in your stomach like a rock. They’re a lot like watching Minnesota Frost hockey. They’ve had some great times, but the bad have been dramatically outweighing it lately, and regardless of whether or not you’re a fan, they’re not making you feel good lately.

There isn’t much to say about Minnesota this week that I haven’t already been saying for a few weeks. This doesn’t look like a team that’s in a position to defend their inaugural title, although they didn’t exactly look like a championship-caliber team heading into playoffs last year either. On the docket this week is their final meeting with a red-hot Sceptres squad. A regulation loss would put them in serious jeopardy of losing their playoff spot ahead of Worlds (Ottawa is just two points back and plays twice this week), so it's an opportunity for them to show what level of fight still exists on this team.

#5. New York Sirens (6-4-4-12, 30 points)

Roque stands next to the net, behind the goal line as she swings the blade of her stick, which has the puck on it, around the front from about shoulder height and stuffs the puck in. She is wearing a teal home uniform. There are other Sirens and Ottawa players out in front of the crease.
Abby Roque scores the first "Michigan" goal in PWHL history. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

Last Week’s Results: 5 (-)

Path to Playoffs: 5 points back of Minnesota for the final spot (four games remaining)

This Week’s Results:

  • Sat, March 22 vs OTT- 5-2 L
  • Tue, March 25 @ OTT- 6-3 W

Upcoming Schedule:

  • Tue, April 1 @ MTL- 7 p.m. ET, Place Bell, Laval, QC (MSG, Amazon Prime, PWHL Youtube Channel, thepwhl.com)

Candy: Snickers

The Sirens must have been hungry and had some Snickers between the second and third periods on Tuesday, because nothing else explains that magical transformation. 

It wasn’t the Sirens’ finest week, and they really could have used both wins to keep the belief alive that they can sneak back into playoffs. However, a “Michigan” goal in the loss at least gave fans something to smile about. Then, a six-goal third period comeback is always fun when you don’t think about the fact that before that, they were down 3-0 in what was essentially a must-win game. Still, three points is three points. The Sirens are far from statistically eliminated and appear ready to scrap as hard as they can to make the playoffs, but their inconsistency makes it hard to believe they’ll pull it off. 

#6. Ottawa Charge (9-1-4-11, 33 points)

Bell (right in white) is hunched over, with one knee on the ice as she battles with Fecteau (left in teal) for possession of the puck along the end boards.
Ashton Bell battles along the boards with Emmy Fecteau. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

Last Week’s Ranking: 6 (-)

Path to Playoffs: Two points back of Minnesota for the final spot (five games remaining)

This Week’s Results:

  • Sat, March 22 @ NYS- 5-2 W
  • Tue, March 25 vs NYS- 6-3 L

Upcoming Schedule:

  • Sat, March 29 @ BOS- 2 p.m. ET, Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO (Gem, NESN, PWHL Youtube Channel, thepwhl.com)
  • Wed, April 2 @ BOS- 7 p.m. ET, Tsgonas Center, Lowell, MA (TSN, NESN, PWHL Youtube Channel, thepwhl.com)

Candy: Circus peanuts

An image of a white package that says "Spangler Marshmallow Circus Peanuts." Theyre is a clown holding baloons also on the package, along with an image of the orange circus peanuts enclosed.
A stock image from the Spangler Candy website.

Let me preface this by saying I have never eaten a circus peanut, nor do I intend to. However, I’ve rarely been more confused by the existence of something than I am by these bright orange, peanut-shaped, banana-flavored monstrosities. Those are three things that have nothing to do with each other, yet someone decided it was a good idea to combine them for a candy. Similarly, the Ottawa Charge had one of the most confusing weeks in recent memory, and it was a microcosm of their whole season. They played great for five of the six periods, but the last one might just have been the worst period of hockey ever played in the PWHL.

Oh, Ottawa. They started this week with a strong, needed win over New York, and they looked like they would get another when they were leading 3-0 after two periods. However, instead, they completely and utterly collapsed, letting up six goals on 18 shots while registering none of their own. Somehow, they’re still in the driver’s seat to get the fourth playoff spot, but man, is it hard to believe they can do that. They’ve played stretches of good hockey this season, but then they follow it up with some really bad stretches, and it just feels like they lack the necessary killer instinct to leap-frog the Frost.

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