PWHL Players of the Week: Desbiens, Zumwinkle and Serdachny impress as season reaches final stretch
The PWHL season is entering its final few weeks before the focus turns to the Walter Cup Playoffs, but players’ performances have not dwindled.
Regardless of whether players are competing to get into the best form for the postseason or those likely missing out, the standout performances have continued deep into the spring.
With teams either having three or four games remaining this season, here are Daily Faceoff’s best three standouts from the last week.
Ann-Renée Desbiens, G (Montréal Victoire)
DESBIENS DESBIENS DESBIENS
It’s been an outstanding season for the Montréal Victoire for most of the year, and goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens has been one of the key contributors. This week, it was no different, as she posted her seventh shutout of the season with a 20-save effort in a 1-0 win over the Boston Fleet in a game that could have decided the top team in the regular season.
With the win, Montréal ended the week four points ahead of the Fleet, and despite having played one more game, they can start dreaming of what could be in store if they earn the chance to select a first-round opponent.
It very well could have been a Walter Cup final preview, as well. The Victoire, primarily leaning on Desbiens, has allowed only 34 goals this season, while the Fleet sits as the second-best defensive team with 38 goals against.
For Desbiens, who was named the second star of the game, her 20 saves brought her season total to 543 saves and a .956 save percentage through 23 games, the best stat line in her three years of PWHL play. At the same time, it likely helped her strengthen a case for the Goaltender of the Year honor, given that it came in direct competition with Frankel.
Grace Zumwinkle, F (Minnesota Frost)
Can anything slow down Grace Zumwinkle right now? The Minnesota Frost forward has two points in each of her last three games and has surpassed all previous marks she set for offensive output through her first two seasons in the league, now sitting at 21 points, surpassing her 2024 ints.
This week saw her net two assists in a 4–1 win over the New York Sirens, while playing more significant minutes with the team’s top line of Britta Curl-Salemme and Taylor Heise, outside of her main duties alongside Kelly Pannek and Kendall Coyne Schofield.
The former Minnesota Golden Gopher has been among the league’s top scorers all year, and her recent run has her fourth in the PWHL in points with 19 goals and nine assists, trailing only her teammates. With this type of output and already playing a standout role with the U.S. program, Zumwinkle’s 2025-26 season could be the catalyst to push her onto a legendary career in women’s hockey.
Danielle Serdachny, F (Seattle Torrent)
SHE'S BAAACK 👀 Danielle Serdachny goes coast-to-coast to net one for the @PWHL__Seattle lead!
It has been a challenging year for the Seattle Torrent in their first PWHL campaign, but Danielle Serdachny has been among the bright spots and was once again a key piece as the Torrent beat her former team, the Ottawa Charge, 5–2.
Serdachny, who joined Seattle in the expansion process, scored twice in the contest, bringing her season total to six goals and 18 assists for 14 points, well beyond the eight points she mustered across 30 games in her rookie season with Ottawa.
Yet, she has become much more than simply the goals. Not only has she improved her defensive responsibilities, but her level of involvement has stayed relatively consistent throughout the year, having multiple shots in each of her last 12 contests.
There will certainly be adjustments in Seattle to find greater success next season. Still, the organization will certainly be pleased with Serdachny’s output and her potential development into her third full PWHL season.