PWHL Awards Ceremony Highlights
On Wednesday, Marie-Philip Poulin, the captain of the Montreal Victoire, was honored as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the 2024-25 season of the Premier Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). This esteemed recognition follows a remarkable season where she led the league with 19 goals and accumulated 26 points, placing her fourth in overall points, just a few behind the leaders.
Poulin’s statistical dominance was evident as she contributed to 34% of her team’s goals, underscoring her vital role in guiding Montreal throughout the season. Impressively, she never went more than two games without collecting a point, while also recording the highest number of game-winning goals (6), first goals (5), and insurance goals (3) in the league.
Additional Awards and Recognitions
In addition to her MVP title, Poulin was also named Forward of the Year, outshining competitors like Hilary Knight of Boston and New York rookie Sarah Fillier, who notably shared the highest points tally in the league with 29. Last season, Poulin was a finalist for the league’s MVP award, which was awarded to Toronto’s Natalie Spooner after a standout inaugural year. Remarkably, Poulin remains the only two-time finalist in the award’s brief history.
The recognition of MVP further enriches her impressive list of accolades that already includes three Olympic gold medals, four world championships, several MVP awards, and scoring titles within the now-defunct Canadian Women’s Hockey League, as well as her recognition as Canadian Athlete of the Year.
Playoffs and Other Award Winners
In the playoffs, Ottawa’s Gwyneth Philips took home the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP award, having demonstrated stellar performance with a remarkable .952 save percentage, guiding her team, the Charge, to the Finals.
The PWHL also announced the winners of four additional awards at the same ceremony:
- Sarah Fillier was named Rookie of the Year, having finished her debut season ranked among the top scorers in the league, with 13 goals (fourth) and the highest number of assists (16) among rookies.
- Kori Cheverie of the Montreal Victoire received Coach of the Year honors, previously a finalist last season, by leading her team to a first-place finish.
- Ann-Renée Desbiens, also from Montreal, earned the title of Goaltender of the Year with the best statistics among goalies this season, recording 15 wins and a .932 save percentage despite her team’s early playoff exit.
- Toronto’s Renata Fast claimed Defender of the Year, making history as the first blueliner to be nominated for MVP, due to her exceptional impact on both defense and offense, leading all defenders in points and checks.
Recognition of Standout Players
Highlighting the achievements in the PWHL, teams also revealed both the All-Rookie Team and the First and Second Team All-Stars, recognizing the standout players of the season. As part of the collective bargaining agreement, the PWHL provides performance bonuses to award winners, with the Billie Jean King MVP earning $5,000, among other financial recognitions for the respective categories.
