Desbiens Chases Second Straight PWHL Goaltender Award
Montréal's Ann-Renée Desbiens posted elite numbers and just won her first Walter Cup title; Frankel and Philips are her competition.
Ann-Renée Desbiens is having the kind of season goaltenders dream about. The Montréal Victoire netminder is a finalist for the 2026 PWHL Goaltender of the Year award — her second consecutive nomination — after posting eye-watering single-season records and helping her team capture the league's first-ever championship.
Desbiens set PWHL records with a 1.11 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage. She finished tied for the league lead with 19 wins, including seven shutouts. Most importantly, she was in net for the Victoire's 4-0 Walter Cup victory over Ottawa on Wednesday, cementing her as the league's most dominant force between the pipes.
Her competition is fierce. Aerin Frankel of the Boston Fleet broke the PWHL record with eight shutouts and became the first goaltender in league history to record three consecutive clean sheets. She also had 19 wins, a 1.17 goals-against average, and a .953 save percentage. Gwyneth Philips of the Ottawa Charge shattered workload records with 28 starts and 18 consecutive appearances, posting 1,643 minutes played and a record 42-save performance in a 2-0 shutout over Toronto on April 11.
Desbiens won the award last season too, which speaks to her consistency. But the level of play from all three finalists shows the PWHL's goalkeeper pool is deeper and more competitive than it was just a year ago. The winner will be announced soon, but regardless, all three have proven they belong among the best in women's hockey.