Frost re-sign goalie Maddie Rooney; two more former Frost players join Vancouver

The Minnesota Frost made a long-term commitment to goalie Maddie Rooney, agreeing to terms on a three-year contract through the 2027-28 season.

With Nicole Hensley, Rooney formed a formidable goaltending duo that helped lead the Frost to back-to-back championships in the first two seasons of PWHL history.

Hensley is also under contract for next season.

“Keeping our goaltending tandem together for next season was a priority because they have been so crucial to our success,” Frost General Manager Melissa Caruso said in a statement.

Rooney, 27, starred at Andover High and Minnesota Duluth. She has been a regular member of the U.S. national team, winning gold medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics and at the world championships in 2017 and 2019.

In two years with the Frost, she has 13 wins and four shutouts in 29 regular season games with a 2.08 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. Caruso said Rooney “consistently makes big saves in critical moments,” and her playoff statistics back that up. She has eight wins and two shutouts in 10 games, with a 1.46 goal-against average and .939 save percentage.

Rooney is currently the Frost’s only player signed through 2027-28.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, forward Michela Cava and defender Mellissa Channell-Watkins, who both spent the past two seasons with the Frost, signed with the expansion Vancouver team.

Cava agreed to a two-year deal while Channell-Watkins signed for one year.

Six players who finished last season with the Frost have been acquired by Vancouver in the past few weeks as the team prepares to begin play next season along with a Seattle squad.

Vancouver plucked rookie forward Brooke McQuigge with the fourth overall pick in the expansion draft on June 9, then used the 11th pick in the 14-player draft to take forward Denisa Křížová.

That came after the Frost lost offensive-minded defenders Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques during of a five-day exclusive signing period a week earlier.

Cava, who finished her college career at Minnesota Duluth, had nine goals and 10 assists last season, ranking fourth in points for the Frost with 19.

On Monday, the first day teams could sign players on expiring contracts, the Frost re-signed defender Natalie Buchbinder to a two-year deal.

The Frost have six picks in the PWHL draft on June 24, beginning with the sixth overall selection.