Undrafted, Unstoppable: The PWHL’s Underdogs are Defining the League

Editor's Note: This is a guest post from freelance contributor Nancy Shields.

When the inaugural PWHL Draft came and went, Abby Boreen’s name wasn’t
called. For many players, that could have been the end of the dream, an exclamation point on a career that didn’t quite line up with the spotlight. But for Boreen, it was only the beginning.

Boreen was invited to the Minnesota Frost’s training camp and had little margin for error. She wasn’t a first-round pick with a guaranteed roster spot. She wasn’t one of the Olympians who had been headlining hockey broadcasts for years. To earn her place, she had to fight for every shift, every puck, every chance to prove she belonged.

And she did. In fact, on Jan. 28, 2024, she made her mark with an overtime-winning goal just three games into her PWHL career. That moment not only kept her roster hopes alive, but it also set the tone for the kind of clutch, hard-working player she would become. Grinding day in and day out with consistency across all 30 games in the 2024-2025 regular season.

Boreen had not only secured a contract but also carved out a pivotal role in Minnesota’s lineup. Her game isn’t built on flashy skill alone. It’s about effort, the relentless forecheck, the battle in the corners, the goals that come from pure hard work. She’s the type of player who can change the tempo of a game without needing to touch the puck. 

Although she was traded to Montréal during her rookie season and now will be lacing up for PWHL Vancouver in their inaugural season, she remains a fan favourite wherever she goes, a reminder that stars are born not only at the draft table but also in the grind of opportunity.

Boreen isn’t the only undrafted player making an impact on their team. Across the
league, athletes who were overlooked on draft day are becoming the glue that holds
their teams together. Montréal’s Catherine Dubois, undrafted out of Quebec, has quickly established herself as a reliable power forward, using her speed and scoring touch to make an immediate impact. Her defining moment came in the longest game in PWHL history, when she buried the game-winning goal in the fourth overtime to lift Montréal to victory over Ottawa, a reminder that undrafted doesn’t mean unprepared for the spotlight.

And goaltenders like Minnesota’s Maddie Rooney continue to prove how far resilience and consistency can carry a player. In the 2025 postseason, Rooney was unbeatable, backstopping Minnesota with a perfect 5-0 run with a 1.75 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage. She capped the Walter Cup Final with a 33-save performance, securing Minnesota’s second straight championship. Her ability to rise to the moment has turned her into one of the league’s most reliable performers when the stakes are highest.

What unites these undrafted players is the way they challenge the narrative. For years, women’s hockey has been about stars like Poulin, Coyne-Schofield, Keller, or Nurse.

But the PWHL is proving that a team’s success runs deeper than its biggest names. It depends on players who refused to let being overlooked define them.
Undrafted players carry a chip on their shoulder, and it shows. They kill penalties, block shots, and make the little plays that don’t always get replayed on highlight reels but win games. The numbers back it up: Boreen’s steady production, Dubois’s history-making overtime winner, and Rooney’s .939 playoff save percentage are not just stats, they’re proof that overlooked players are often the difference in pivotal moments.

Abby Boreen’s journey from undrafted to undeniable is more than a personal win, it’s a symbol of what the PWHL stands for. This league isn’t just a showcase for the best-known stars; it’s a proving ground for every player with the talent and ability to seize the moment.

In a league built on opportunity, the underdogs aren’t just filling roster spots. They’re shaping the story.