2024 Top 25 Under 25: Jesse Compher (22), Sanni Ahola (21)

22: Jesse Compher 

by Leighann Strollo

Last Season 

After earning a NCAA championship with Wisconsin in 2023, Compher headed into her first professional season with PWHL Toronto in the league’s inaugural year. She was drafted 26th overall to Toronto before having a lackluster season with just five points in 24 games as well as 23 penalty minutes. With one big goal in the postseason, Compher helped keep Toronto’s dreams alive in the tumultuous playoffs for the team that ended the season in first place overall. 

While she didn’t show up often on the scoresheet, Compher kept an energy and physicality unmatched by most of her peers throughout the season. It is what made her a standout at Boston University, contributed to her NCAA Championship win with Wisconsin, and will certainly catapult her to more success in her professional career too.

Career 

At 25 years old, the Chicago native has quite the collection of hardware. The three-time World Championship medalist also has two gold medals from her time representing the United Stated in the U18 tournament. In addition to her NCAA championship win in 2023, where she posted 40 points in 41 games, Compher also represented USA at the 2021 Olympics where she took home a silver medal. 

While she hasn’t represented Team USA since 2022, the 5 '8 forward has had a successful college career before beginning her pro career in Toronto. In 2019, Compher had a career high 61 points in 37 games for Boston University, which led the team. She was named captain of the Terriers for one season in 2020 before using her final year of eligibility at Wisconsin. 

Future

All things considered, Compher’s future is bright. Even if she isn’t scoring goals, she stands out on any team that she is on as an energetic and tough player. That alone will take her far but pairing that with the stability and consistency of the PWHL as a professional league and her history of being on really good and winning teams, I anticipate Jesse Compher’s name will not fade to hockey fans. 

Too High or Too Low?

Compher has been all over this list in the past but in her last year of eligibility, I do think she falls a little too low. A flashy and physical player at heart, she is certainly falling on this list as she is still finding her footing in a professional league and because the talent around her is growing quickly every day. She has definitely had better years than her last one but with the door wide open for long PWHL careers and a 2024-25 contract already signed, Compher can only go up from here. 

21: Sanni Ahola

by Alyssa Turner

Last Season 

The 2023/24 season was one to remember for the 24-year old Finnish netminder. 

In her fourth season at St. Cloud State, Sanni Ahola recorded the best numbers of her collegiate career so far. She played in 17 games, where she had a 10-6-1 record, a .935 SV%, an impressive 1.72 goals against average. 4 of her 5 shutouts this past season were consecutively recorded to start her season. Her performance with the Huskies won her the title of 2024 WCHA Goaltender of the Year. 

Additionally to her WCHA Goaltender of the Year award, Ahola was also selected for the All-WCHA First team, HCA Goaltender of the Month in September, October, and December, WCHA Goaltender of the Month in October and December. She also finished second in voting for NCAA Goaltender of the Year behind Michelle Pasiechnyk.

During the 2024 World Championships Sanni Ahola was an absolute star. At the bronze medal game against Czechia, she stopped 29 saves including 4 shootout attempts to secure the win for Finland. 

Career 

Before Sanni Ahola was leading her country to a World Championship bronze medal and winning awards at St. Cloud State she was a young goalie from Helsinki looking to make it big in the world of hockey. At the 2017 U18 Junior World Championships Ahola represented her country for the first time in her career where she started in one game and had a .956 SV%. The following year, Ahola played in five games for Finland, recording a 3-2 record, .929 SV%. 

It took till her fourth season at St. Cloud State for Ahola to have her first winning record with the Huskies. Despite her record, the Finnish goalie has put up impressive numbers in the NCAA. With a career .917 SV% and a 2.74 GAA, Sanni Ahola looks to boost those numbers in her senior season. 

Future

To say the future is bright for Ahola would be an understatement. She has proved at multiple levels that she has what it takes to be one of the best goalies in the world if she continues to build off of the work she’s put in. 

With her senior season on the horizon at St. Cloud State, Ahola has the chance to reach new heights after her impressive junior year where she broke school records, won awards, and led her team to one of their best seasons in years.

On the international side, Ahola earned the trust of the Team Finland brass after her World Championship performance. I would not be shocked whatsoever if Ahola is named the starting goaltender for Finland at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. 

Too High or Too Low?

Women’s hockey has a goalie problem. And by problem, I mean there are WAY too many great goalies out there. That being said, I think Ahola might be a little too low on the list. But I also recognize there are several goalies better than her, and several skaters who should be ranked ahead of her as well. Despite that, I’m extremely high on Ahola as a goalie who will be at the top of her game for the next 5+ seasons. When we do this list again in the future, I’d put money on her being much higher then.