PWHL Las Vegas signs Cooper, Batherson to two-year contracts
A couple of talented blueliners are moving to the desert.
On Saturday night, the expansion PWHL Las Vegas announced the franchise’s first two signings, bringing in defenders Kendall Cooper and Mae Batherson on two-year contracts, which will carry through the 2027-28 season.
Both players come to Sin City after serving as teammates with the Minnesota Frost last season. Batherson had been with the organization since she was picked in the sixth round, 33rd overall, of the 2024 PWHL Draft. Cooper was selected in the first round, sixth overall, at last year’s draft.
With the signings, the Frost can’t lose any more players during the second phase of the Expansion Player Distribution Process. The team lost Britta Curl-Salemme to Detroit earlier in the weekend.
Cooper might not have been considered by some to be the best first-year player this season, but she quietly had an exceptional rookie campaign with Minnesota. Appearing in all 30 games, the former Quinnipiac star scored 2 goals and 17 assists for 19 points, finishing sixth on the team in scoring and helping the Frost set a record with 91 goals during the regular season. She was also tied for second in points by a rookie with Boston Fleet defender Haley Winn and Montreal Victoire rearguard Nicole Gosling. Along with a plus/minus of +9, Cooper logged an average of 21:29 of ice time, second on the Frost behind Lee Stecklein.
Cooper didn’t score a point in Minnesota’s semifinal series against the Victoire, which saw the Frost lose to the eventual Walter Cup champions in five games.
Batherson also had an exceptional performance this past year. After registering just three assists during her rookie season, the Nova Scotian potted three goals and 12 assists for 15 points, posting a +10 rating while averaging 18:45 of ice time. She picked up two helpers against the Victoire in the playoffs as well.
The former St. Lawrence Saint has scored 18 points in 55 regular-season games in her PWHL career, with just two points in eight playoff games.
Las Vegas has two of the five roster spots filled for Phase 2 of the expansion process. The second phase ends on June 8 at 1 p.m. ET.