Special Edition: The shiniest trophy in sports

Regular-season rewind: Death, taxes, and Montréal winning the regular season — the Victoire earned the No. 1 seed for the second time in three years. But that success hasn’t translated to the playoffs: They have yet to make a Walter Cup final, losing in the semis in both playoff appearances despite owning home-ice advantage.

• That’s a major concern heading into the playoffs, especially given their first-round opponent is the two-time defending champ Minnesota Frost, who’ve never lost a playoff series. Watch for the Victoire to skate into the postseason poised for a redemption arc.

Why they’ll win: The Victoire boast the best player in the game: the inimitable Marie-Philip “Captain Clutch” Poulin. But that’s not all — Montréal’s also the PWHL’s best defensive team, surrendering a league-low 41 goals this season due in large part to netminder Ann-Renée Desbiens’ elite save percentage. Putting the “bien” in Desbiens.

The X-factor: Forward Hayley Scamurra. The 31-year-old can score in record time…literally. Scamurra tallied the fastest hat trick in PWHL history just last week, netting three goals in a mere two minutes and 44 seconds. Playoff hockey is notoriously frenetic, and Scamurra thrives in chaos, especially in front of the net — expect her to capitalize on any loose pucks.

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Regular-season rewind: After missing the playoffs by the skin of their teeth in 2025, Boston hit the ice with a vengeance this year. The Fleet led the league standings for much of the season but had to settle for the No. 2 spot after a brief late-season slump.

Why they’ll win: Two words — Aerin. Frankel. Along with Desbiens, the Caesar salad enthusiast is the best in the biz between the pipes, becoming the first goaltender in PWHL history to record eight shutouts in a single season. Pair Frankel’s brick-wall tendencies with a physical defense anchored by Megan Keller, and it’s no wonder this team gave up the second-fewest goals.

• What’s extra intriguing about this squad is that, unlike in years past, Frankel doesn’t have to be superwoman for the Fleet to win: Boston enters the playoffs having scored the third-most goals in the league. Truly the best of both worlds.

The X-factor: Forward Jessie Eldridge. The Fleet fortified their offensive attack by trading for Eldridge midseason, and it’s paid off. The 28-year-old has scored seven goals in 11 games since joining the Fleet in March and was on the ice for four of the seven games in which Boston scored at least four times. Coincidence? We think not.

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Regular-season rewind: The two-time defending champs, Minnesota are exactly where they want to be — an underdog in the postseason. In fact, their No. 3 seed marks the Frost’s best regular-season finish. It’s worth noting they’ve lost four straight games entering the playoffs, but a slip to close out the regular season hasn’t hurt them before.

Why they’ll win: This team can flat-out score. They lit the lamp 91 times this season, 13 more than the next-best squad. In fact, this year’s top three point scorers rock Minnesota purple: league-leading scorer forward Kelly Pannek, friend of The GIST forward Taylor Heise, and polarizing forward Britta Curl-Salemme. Might as well preemptively queue up Queen.

The X-factor: The goalies — yes, plural. The Frost have operated “by committee” all season long with Maddie Rooney and Nicole Hensley splitting time. It’s an approach that’s worked before with the tandem yielding two straight titles to prove it.

• There’s something to be said for that continuity, but the Frost did allow 73 goals this season, tied for the most among playoff teams. Lamp lights will be at a premium against Montréal: Can Minnesota afford to operate without a true starting tendy?

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Regular-season rewind: Ottawa snuck into the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, beating the Toronto Sceptres to punch their ticket and extend their win streak to four. With head coach Carla MacLeod expected to be back on the bench for Game 1, the 2025 runners-up come skating into the postseason on an absolute high.

Why they’ll win: Elite goaltending is everything in the playoffs. Enter: the Charge’s Gwyneth Philips. Backstopping an inexperienced blue line, Philips faced a whopping 844 shots this season but made a league record 786 saves. If the Northeastern product can replicate her stellar 2025 playoff run, the Charge just might find themselves back in the finals.

• Then there are forwards Brianne Jenner and Rebecca Leslie, who are pivotal to Ottawa’s scoring success. Leslie’s rise has been particularly impressive: She buried 14 goals this year after managing just three total in her first two PWHL seasons.

The X-factor: Forward Sarah Wozniewicz. While the rookie had just 13 points this year, four of her seven goals were game-winners, equaling her teammate Leslie and the Frost’s Pannek for most in the PWHL this season. Her penchant for timely lamp lighting could make all the difference.