Reviewing the Minnesota Frost's 2024 Draft one year Later

Let’s all cast our minds back to the 2024 PWHL draft. The Frost had just won their first Walter Cup trophy and were hosting the draft in St. Paul. What should have been a celebration was instead a tense evening, marred by the ousting of general manager Natalie Darwitz just days before, and a controversial selection early on draft day.

Amidst all that chaos, the Frost augmented a championship roster by drafting several players who ended up playing pivotal roles in another Walter Cup title. Let’s review how the draft picks did in their rookie seasons and take a look ahead towards what can be expected of them in year two.

Round 1: Claire Thompson | Defender

Thompson was as good as advertised for the Frost in year one, finishing as a defender of the year finalist. Her 18 points were tops among rookie defenders and third among all defenders in the PWHL. Her smooth skating and puck movement were a treat to watch night in and night out. Losing Thompson is massive for the Frost, and just how they will go about replacing her is a big question mark heading into the 2025-2026 season.

Round 2: Britta Curl-Salemme | Forward

Anyone wondering if there is still a rift between many fans and the organization over the selection of Curl-Salemme should take a look at the team’s recent post on X or Bluesky announcing her contract extension. On the ice, Curl-Salemme’s 9 goals were second among rookies, and her 15 points were fourth among Frost forwards. However, Curl-Salemme missed three games for three separate suspensions in her rookie year. The Frost will need her to clean up her physical play to improve upon her offensive numbers.

Round 3: Klára Hymlárová | Forward

Klára Hymlárová’s sparse production stands out compared to many of her fellow Frost rookies. Hymlárová managed only 2 points across 29 regular-season games. However, she turned it on in the Walter Cup playoffs. She scored 5 points in 8 games, including a goal and two assists in the final series against the Ottawa Charge. Heading into 2025-2026, the Frost will hope that Hymlárová’s playoff performance is a sign of things to come.

Round 4: Brooke McQuigge | Forward

Brooke McQuigge was the steal of the draft for the Frost. Her 15 points in 29 games were tied for fourth most among all rookies. Her 8 goals trailed only Sarah Fillier and Britta Curl-Salemme for most among rookies. The loss of McQuigge will be a big hit to the Frost’s depth scoring next season, but it will provide opportunities for other players on this list to step up.

Round 5: Dominique Petrie | Forward

Drafting Dominique Petrie in round 5 was another home run for the Frost. Petrie missed some time with an upper-body injury, but she scored 10 points in 18 games. Her 0.56 points per game was fifth highest among all rookies. Petrie is a prime candidate to step into a bigger role with the Frost in 2025-2026.

Round 6: Mae Batherson | Defender

Batherson was a solid contributor as a third-pairing defender when she was in the lineup for the Frost last year. With the loss of four top defenders in the offseason, Batherson will likely be called upon to play a much bigger role next year. Her offensive production in her final year at St. Lawrence University is a good sign that she could improve upon her three points if given a bigger role.

Round 7: Katy Knoll | Forward

Katy Knoll more than doubled her regular season scoring numbers in the playoffs. Knoll produced 2 goals and 3 assists in 8 playoff games, including a triple overtime game winner in game three of the Walter Cup finals. Much like Hymlárová, the Frost will hope Knoll’s playoff production is an indication of future success in 2025-2026.

On the ice, the Frost's 2024 draft class was wildly successful. Many players had fantastic rookie years, and the players who struggled to find their feet during the regular season were able to produce at a high level in the playoffs. Claire Thompson and Brooke McQuigge quickly became indispensable players for the Frost, and their offseason departures leave gaping holes in the lineup. The Frost will count on the rest of the 2024 draft class to take another step forward and fill in the gaps in 2025-2026.